ISC7

Development of a 3D ground model to design the stabilisation of a downstream dam founded on weak and liquefiable units

  • Rola, Joe (SRK Consulting Pty Ltd)
  • Sottile, Mauro (SRK Consulting S.A.)
  • Rivas, Nicolas (SRK Consulting S.A.)
  • Roldan, Lisandro (SRK Consulting S.A.)
  • Sfriso, Alejo (SRK Consulting S.A.)

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A three-dimensional (3D) ground model was developed to design the stabilisation of a downstream dam founded on both weak and liquefiable units up to about 18 m below ground surface. The ground model covers a linear extent of approximately 800 m and was informed by five separate/specific site investigations completed over a four-year period and digitisation/georeferencing of historic drawings/plans. Combined, the investigation comprised 206 cone penetration tests (CPTs), 37 boreholes (BH) and 36 test pits (TP), including several vane shear tests, ball penetrometer tests and sampling. CPT data were processed to identify different material behaviours, generally based on the following features: corrected tip resistance (qt); sleeve friction resistance (fs); pore water pressure parameter (Bq); state parameter (ψ); and the soil behaviour type index (Ic). Each CPT interpretation was compared with information from the nearest borehole using a purpose-built python code. This information was reviewed manually in an iterative process to delineate the various geotechnical unit based on CPT response and the physical logs. This process identified a continuous weak organic layer across the site which had not been previously picked-up by the engineer of record. The works identified nine separate geotechnical units, with one of these subdividable based on its CPT response/grain size. The 3D ground model was built in Seequent Leapfrog Geo using the following information: unit levels specified from each CPT, digitised historic drawings/plans and a topographic survey. This paper describes the process of development and presents the full 3D ground model used as critical input to the stabilisation design of a TSF embankment founded on weak and liquefiable units.