Slope Stabilization
Slope stability is the potential of soil-covered slopes to withstand and undergo movement. The balance of shear stress and shear strength determines stability. A previously stable slope may be initially affected by preparatory factors, making the slope conditionally unstable. Triggering factors of a slope failure can be a series of climatic events that can make a hill unstable, leading to mass movements. An increase in shear stress, such as loading, lateral pressure, and transient forces, can cause mass movements. Alternatively, shear strength may be decreased by weathering, changes in pore water pressure, and organic material.
Slope stabilization is essential in designing such excavations as open pits, quarries, foundations, rock-fill dams, slopes of other embankments, and reservoirs, where movement may have serious consequences. Investigations into slope stability include measurements of shape, geologic structures, and soil strengths. Stabilization can be achieved through slope reinforcement by constructing structural elements such as jet grout or soil mix columns, conventional piles, drilled shafts, or combinations. Raito has extensive slope stabilization experience and can bring that knowledge to bear on your project.
Project Examples:
Sunset Reservoir
The reservoir has a total storage capacity of about 177 million gallons or 543 acre-feet and supplies roughly 60 percent of the City’s water. Deep Soil Mixing (DSM) was used to remediate a potentially weak foundation and thereby improve the seismic stability of an earth embankment dam.
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San Pablo Dam Upgrades
The earth-fill San Pablo Dam was built in 1920, creating a drinking water reservoir and recreation area northeast of Berkeley. The fill for the dam foundation was hydraulically placed, which can result in poor performance during seismic shaking. DSM was chosen to mitigate liquefaction in the downstream toe of the dam foundation.
