Johan Spross

On the use of pore pressure measurements in safety reassessments of concrete dams founded on rock

In probabilistic stability analyses of concrete dams founded on rock, the uplift pressure is often a parameter of major importance. In previous literature, it has been suggested that assessing uplift with pore pressure measurements, instead of using empirical assumptions, could improve the calculated dam safety. This paper presents a coherent methodology to investigate whether incorporating pore pressure measurements has any impact on the calculated dam safety, based on Bayesian linear regression of pore pressure data in combination with series-system and the first-order reliability method. The study concludes that the probability of sliding failure is closely related to the probability of an extreme increase in uplift. Hence, measured uplift should only be incorporated while this probability remains sufficiently small, which requires proper programs both for uplift monitoring and for maintenance of drains and grout curtains.

On the observational method for groundwater control in the Northern Link tunnel project, Stockholm, Sweden

For tunnelling in rock in Sweden, the public authorities usually set stringent requirements on low groundwater inflow to the tunnel, to minimise the risk of building settlement and the environmental impact. To improve this groundwater control, the potential application of the observational method in this matter was studied. A comparison was made between the actual implementation of groundwater control in the Northern Link road tunnel project in Stockholm and the definition of the observational method in Eurocode 7. The results showed that the groundwater control in the Northern Link project mainly agreed with the Eurocode. The significance of the deviations was discussed, and it was concluded that adopting the observational method for groundwater control so that it complied with Eurocode 7 would mostly entail simply a formalisation of today’s procedures.

Using Observational Method to Manage Safety Aspects of Remedial Grouting of Concrete Dam Foundations

As concrete dams age, the need for remedial grouting to reduce the seepage and uplift pressure in the rock foundations under them increases. Based on a case study of a Swedish dam with very low calculated safety against sliding, this paper discusses the application of the observational method (as defined in Eurocode 7) to manage safety aspects during remedial grouting. The studied case was complex in that grouting works posed the risk of causing increased uplift pressure, which could have induced sliding failure along a shallow, persistent, horizontal rock joint in the foundation. The approach applied in the studied case mainly followed the principles of the observational method, except in some highly significant safety aspects for which alternative procedures are suggested and discussed. Implementing these procedures along with the observational method offers a coherent framework to manage the safety aspects of the remedial grouting of concrete dam foundations that is in line with modern risk-informed dam safety policies.

The Swedish Geotechnical Society's methodology for risk management : a tool for engineers in their everyday work

ABSTRACT The Swedish Geotechnical Society has adopted a general methodology for risk management in geotechnical engineering projects to reduce the costs related to negative outcomes of geotechnical risks. This technical note highlights the main features of the methodology and strives to inspire the international geotechnical community to apply sensible risk management methods. In the authors’ opinion, a successful geotechnical risk management needs to be structured, be tailored to the project, and permeate the engineers’ everyday work. Then, sufficient quality can be achieved in the project with larger probability.

Influence of cohesive strength in probabilstic sliding stability re-assessment of concrete dams

For concrete dams, cohesive strength often constitutes a significant share of the overall shear strength of partially bonded concrete-rock interfaces. However, cohesive strength is also associated ...

Challenges in applying fixed partial factors to rock engineering design

The Swedish national guidelines for design of the main structural support system in road and railway rock tunnels have been adjusted to cohere with Eurocode 7. In the design guidelines, the limit s ...

On the Need for a Risk-Based Framework in Eurocode 7 to Facilitate Design of Underground Openings in Rock

The European design code for geotechnical engineering, EN-1997 Eurocode 7, is currently under revision. As design of underground openings in rock fundamentally differs from design of most other types of structures, the revised Eurocode 7 must be carefully formulated to be applicable to underground openings. This paper presents the authors’ view of how a design code for underground openings in rock needs to be organized to ensure that new structures are both sufficiently safe and constructed cost-effectively. The authors find that the revised version of Eurocode 7 carefully must acknowledge the fundamental decision-theoretical connection between design and risk management that should permeate all geotechnical design work. Otherwise, if the revised code is not given a risk-based framework, the authors fear that, as a consequence, the observational method will not be favorable to use in excavations of underground openings in rock. Then, cost-effective construction will be very difficult to achieve.

Implementing the Extended Multivariate Approach in Design with Partial Factors for a Retaining Wall in Clay

Limitations with the current design using partial factors in Eurocode 7 have been identified. Uncertainties in the material properties are incorporated in both the cautious estimate of the characte ...