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Role Of In-Situ Testing In Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering, M. Jamiolkowski, D.C. F. Lopresti, O. Pallara

International Conferences on Recent Advances in Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering and Soil Dynamics

The available in situ testing techniques of special relevance in Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering are subject to a synthetic review in the light of the general framework of soil stress-strain behavior. Especial attention is devoted to the recent innovations and current capabilities of in situ testing methods to assess the shear modulus G and damping ratio D. The determination of the undrained steady state shear strength via penetration and seismic tests is also discussed.

Full Scale Field Test On A Slope Progressive Failure, I. Stanculescu, C. Athanasiu, A. Chirică, I. I. Stănculescu, E. Georgescu

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

In order to obtain the mechanical behaviour parameters of the red structured clays from the Danube- Black Sea Canal and to estimate the behavior of the slopes cut in such clays, an experimental programme was carried out. A checked failure was provoked for a slope dug in red fissured clays. The paper presents the results of the field investigations and the laboratory test regarding the, characteristics of the structured clays, as well as the in situ measurements during the experimental programme. The results of these measurements are compared with those obtained by numerical symulation using a computer program.

Rock Slides Along Haibat Sultan Road, N. Iraq, S. N. Al-Saadi, S. H. Al-Jassar

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

The instability of rock slopes controlling the main Arbil-Sulaimaniya road has been studied in the southwestern side of Haibat Sultan Mountain, northern Iraq. The cause of this instability is the presence of road cuts as well as the erosion at the toe of the slope. The military operations in the area have further increased the hazardous condition of the slope. Field observations at ten stations have revealed that plane sliding of limestone slabs had occurred within the layers of friable marl. The study focused on the mode of failure, as affected by slope orientation and discontinuity geometry. Subsequent monitoring revealed …

Soil Response During The 1988 Armenia Earthquake, M. K. Yegian, V. G. Ghahraman, G. Gazetas

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Building damage statistics from the 1988 Armenia earthquake are presented and discussed. These statistics are correlated to the local soil profiles in the two major cities of Leninakan and Kirovakan. The soil amplification effects on building damage during this earthquake are investigated. One-dimensional site response analysis results and valley effects are presented to explain the extent and pattern of damage in the two cities.

Geotechnical Problems Of Dam Sites And Their Solution With Reference To The Projects Of Eastern India, S. Gangopadhyay

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Geotechnical problems of dam construction are associated with adverse geological conditions of the dam site like soft rock, fault, shear zone, joints, weathering, permeable bouldery deposit, soluble rocks, ancient slide etc. In many of the dam sites of eastern India where one or more of such adverse conditions exist, the dam could be safely constructed by treatment of foundation defects. In some cases, however, a new site with less geologic problem was chosen with consequent modification in the project scheme.

Applications Of The Band-Limited-White Noise Source Model For Predicting Site-Specific Strong Ground Motions, Ivan G. Wong, Walter J. Silva, Robert B. Darragh, Cathy Stark, Douglas H. Wright

International Conferences on Recent Advances in Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering and Soil Dynamics

Since the Band-Limited-White-Noise (BLWN) source model coupled with random vibration theory (RVT) was first developed in the early 1980's, it has been used successfully to predict strong ground motions at rock sites in different tectonic regimes. The BLWN-RVT methodology is appropriate for an engineering characterization of strong ground motions at a site since the method captures the important features of these motions in terms of peak acceleration and spectral composition and requires a minimum of input parameters. Recently, the capability to estimate strong ground motions at soil sites has been incorporated into the methodology by using RVT and plane-wave propagators …

Structural Damage In A Populated Area Due To An Active Fault, N. Kalteziotis, N. Sabatakakis, G. Koukis, H. Zervogiannis, G. Tsiambaos

International Conferences on Recent Advances in Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering and Soil Dynamics

The city of Patras was struck in August 1989 by a shallow earthquake of M_S= 4.8 which caused a surface rupture and serious structural damage to several buildings located in a narrow elongated zone. A detailed investigation programme was carried out including geological mapping, drilling of boreholes, in situ and laboratory testing and monitoring of horizontal and vertical movements. It was found that the surface rupture, about 1500 m long, was closely related with the reactivation of a preexisting normal fault. The structural damage of buildings was found to be limited mainly in a narrow zone 50 m …

Geotechnical And Groundwater Site Characterization On The Umtra Project, J. A. Caldwell, R. A. Rager, L. Coons

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Reclamation of 24 inactive uranium mill tailngs piles involves remedial work to stabilize the piles for 1000 years. Site characterization of geotechnical and groundwater conditions at each site is undertaken prior to remedial action design. This paper describes the approach to UMTRA Project site characterization. A case history, Green River, is described. Details of site characterization costs for most sites are provided.

Hazardous Waste Disposal Site Hydrogeologic Characterization, S. M. Testa

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

A major hazardous waste disposal facility near Arlington, Oregon serving the Pacific Northwest, Canada, and Alaska maintains numerous favorable environmental characteristics for siting of a hazardous waste disposal facility. The risk of contamination as a result of potential leakage from a waste management unit via primary pathways to surface water, groundwater or by direct contact and/or ingestion is thus reasonably low. However, these same characteristics which make the site most suitable for hazardous waste disposal often conflict with: 1) the demonstration of the groundwater monitoring system's ability to adequately perform immediate leak detection monitoring as mandated under the Resource Conservation …

A Study Of A Road Landslide In Puerto Rico, C. Rodriguez-Pérez, L. Vázquez Castillo, C. Rodriguez-Molina, A. Vázquez Castillo

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Numerous landslides have plagued the construction of a 1.3 mile road sector in the mountainous region of central Puerto Rico. The area is underlain by a sequence of landslide deposits overlying a muddy limestone and hard overconsolidated clayey soils. Landslides have occurred in both cuts and fills that have delayed the road construction for a period of more than two years, bringing as a result, great economic losses for the Puerto Rico Highway Authority. The landslide trigger mechanism has been intimately related to high rainfall, commonly observed in this region. The geotechnical and geological studies performed previous to the construction …

Rock Mass Behaviour Assessment For Large Cavern In Rock, A. K. Dube, B. Singh

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

A large power house cavern (22m x 50m x 250m) is proposed to be excavated for installing a 1000 MW hydroelectric power plant for Tehri Dam Project. The gorge chosen for the dam is very narrow and the topography is rugged and inhospitable. This dampened the process of preconstruction investigations. A number of tunnels were constructed for various project structures in the vicinity of the cavern. This provided an excellent opportunity to study the rock mass behaviour. Tunnel closure and rock loads were monitored with the help of instruments. Deformation moduli were also determined for different rock grades with the …

Slope Stabilization Measures For Kirkwood Penstock, Early Intake, California, K. D. Weaver, D. J. Gross, L. T. Bauer

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Kirkwood Penstock, located in a deep, steep-sided canyon near .Yosemite National Park, California, is an integral part of the Hetch Hetchy system, which conveys water from the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the city of San Francisco, California. A heavy rainfall approximately 17 years following construction of the facility triggered settlement of the foundation. Measures undertaken to arrest this settlement included consolidation grouting, construction of facilities to divert surface runoff away from the penstock, and installation of a geomembrane to prevent infiltration of rainfall and snow melt in the vicinity of the penstock. No evidence of further settlement has been detected …

Study Of Some Debris Avalanches In Garwal Himalaya, India, H. C. Nainwal, Y. P. Sundriyal, C. Prasad

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

This study was carried out in the Alaknanda - Dhauliganga catchment area, located in the north and northeast of Joshimath in the Garfiwal Himalaya. The snow fields, cirques and the related glaciers are located above the altitude approximate 4000 meters, while the river valley have a mean altitude of around 2000 meters. The strategic roads viz. Joshimath-Badrinath and Joshimath-Nitipass pass through this area with a number of villages along with their cultivated land are located along the roads. These roads are often blocked on huge debris avalanches not only damage the road, but also the cultivated land and forests. The …

Subsidence Movements And Structural Damage Related To An Abandoned Coal Mine, Y. P. Chugh, K. Chandrashekhar, R. J. Missavage

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

An area in southwestern Illinois has been experiencing surface and subsurface movements with associated damage to surface structures. The area is underlain by an abandoned, partially extracted room-and-pillar underground coal mine. Instrumentation included TDR (Time Domain Reflectometry), Inclinometers, Sondex, Tiltplates, and precision land surveys. This paper presents the results of a 16-month cooperative study between the Department of Mining Engineering at SIUC and a local coal company.

A Case Of Singular Geotechnical Failure For Industrial Structures In The Peruvian Andes, A. Carillo Gil, R. Torres Vega

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

During the rainy season of 1982, foundation distress was occurred at several recently completed and still incomplete structures of an important mine project located in the Peruvian Andes. When the tailings thickener was tested an unexpected settlement started, some cracking was observed in the slab, and the central pier settled and tilted. The nature of the distress suggested the failure occurred as the result of the combined effect of a long term seepage under the bearing foundation soil and due to its different degree of compaction. This paper presents the characteristics of these problems as both foundation and fill materials, …

The Geology Of Maine's Coastline : A Handbook For Resource Planners, Developers, And Managers, Maine State Planning Office

Maine Collection

The Geology of Maine's Coastline : A Handbook for Resource Planners, Developers, and Managers

Executive Department, Maine State Planning Office, Augusta, Maine, June 1983.

Contents: List of Figures / Introduction: The Geological Connection / Chapter 1: Using the Marine Environments Maps / Chapter 2: Perspectives of the Maine Coast / Chapter 3: The Building Blocks of Maine's Coast / Chapter 4: The Disappearing Shoreline / Where to Go for Help / Some Planning Considerations for Development in Coastal Geologic Environments / Land Use Laws of Special Interest to Individual Coastal Property Owners