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By M. T. Davisson

Pile compression load capacity prediction methods are divided into four categories for purposes of discussing their reliability compared to static load test results. The categories considered are: 1) static analysis, 2) driving formulas, 3) wave equation analysis, and 4) dynamic measurement and analysis. It is concluded that any method of static analysis that works for the geological deposit in question may be satisfactory. However, any given method can be quite wrong when applied to other deposits of soil that are different in terms of their engineering and geological characteristics. Dynamic formulas are found to be theoretically unjustifiable. The ready availability of the wave equation analysis for microcomputers eliminates the need to utilize dynamic formulas. The wave equation analysis is found to be the best analytical method for making predictions both for design and for construction control. Dynamic methods of measurement and analysis are found useful, but have limitations that have caused troubles on many projects. Two case histories are presented that show the limitations of dynamic measurement and analysis, and of the wave equation analysis. Soil deposits exist that defeat both the wave equation and dynamic measurement techniques; static load tests are currently the only method of proving the load capacity of piles in such soils.

Jan 1, 1991

Subsidence prediction methods can be divided into two basic types: empirical and analytical. Empirical methods are based largely on a combination of experience, intuition and observations from a large number of observed subsidence data. They are simple in their application, but they are not based on any principle of mechanics. Analytical methods are based on equivalent material modelling principles, where the ground surrounding the extraction is mathematically represented by idealised materials that deform according to the principles of continuum mechanics. Wide applicability and improved understanding are the principal advantages claimed for this approach. In NSW, significant progress has been achieved in the area of subsidence prediction during the last ten years. Empirical prediction curves are available in NSW for predicting the ground movement in the Southern and Newcastle Coalfields. A' comparison of subsidence values predicted from these curves with the actual monitored values indicates that the curves are adequate for use in conjunction with the existing damage assessment methods. Future research for improving the existing empirical prediction curves can only be justified if it is cost effective. There are several numerical models currently in use in NSW for predicting subsidence. The models do not appear to be superior in their ability to predict subsidence when compared with the empirical curves. the performance of these models will no doubt improve along with advances in defining strata properties and failure mechanisms.

Jan 1, 1991

By Bjørn Nilsen

"INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND Weakness zones or faults containing clay-rich gouge represent one of the most challenging rock mass conditions to be encountered during tunneling. In Norway, such conditions count for a large part of the rock support costs, and in cases where the rock support has been insufficient, serious instability and cave-in have in many cases been the result. Most commonly, such cave-in has occurred after water filling of hydropower tunnels, but in some cases it has also occurred in tunnels under excavation and in completed “dry” tunnels. To avoid instability, two important requirements have to be fulfilled: 1) The location of the weakness zone and its character have to be identified in time. 2) The rock support has to be sufficient to withstand the loading caused by the zone. An incident which really brought the problems related to swelling clay into focus was the cave-in at the Hanekleiv road tunnel in 2006. Here, rock fall from the roof as shown in Figure 1 occurred unexpectedly about 10 years after the tunnel was completed. Fortunately this happened at a time with very little traffic, and nobody was injured. This incident emphasized the significance of the issue of swelling clay, although it was found to be caused also by gravitational collapse of the clay-rich gouge material of the weakness zone, and not related to swelling only (Nilsen et al. 2007).In this paper, main focus will be on discussing the characteristic features of swelling clay, test procedures which are being used for characterizing swelling clay, and the reliability of the results from testing for use in support evaluation and design in conditions with swelling clay. It is generally well known that swelling clay may cause considerable pressure on support elements, but quantifying this pressure for reliable analysis and design of rock support is still a great challenge."

Jan 1, 2016

By António A. Henriques, António Gomes Correia, Ana Teixeira

"Abstract Pile foundations are often used for important structures, and thus, reliability evaluation is an important aspect of the design. Reliability methods have become increasingly important as decision support tools in different areas. The main benefit of reliability analysis is that it provides quantitative information about the parameters (uncertainties) that most significantly influence the behaviour under study. In particular, the design of pile foundations still involves many limitations and uncertainties, particularly when there is not enough investment in soil characterisation and/or pile load tests. In addition to the uncertainties associated with soil characterisation, physical, statistical, spatial and human uncertainties exist. In this subject, the primary purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the application of reliability methods to geotechnical pile design (axial load). It also presents a simple and practical approach to performing it using Monte Carlo Simulations, intending to provide knowledge for code harmonisation and encouraging the development of such methodologies in geotechnical practice. Sensitivity analyses are shown to understand the influence of each uncertainty type coming from different sources. An application example indicates, corroborating other studies, that the model error is the most influent uncertainty. As such, when using the different models (SPT-, CPT- and PMT-based) for bearing capacity, the results emphasise the need for a well-defined and wellcharacterised resistance model, also these results allow the engineer to understand how important the load tests can be to achieve reliable results and economic designs.1 IntroductionUnlike the approach to reliability evaluation used in structural engineering, the traditional procedure used in geotechnical designs addresses uncertainties through high global or partial safety factors (SF), mostly based on past experience. However, this approach to addressing uncertainties does not provide a rational basis for understanding their influence on design.Furthermore, the new regulation codes and social concerns, such as the sustainability or the economy, are imposing geotechnical engineers to increase their ability to deal with uncertainty in a direct and more rational way. Designs should be economic, sustainable and reliable at the same time. Concerning the reliability part of design, different approaches can be done, but the most important thing to keep in mind is the simplicity and efficiency of the tools and applied methods."

Jan 1, 2014

By Konstantinos Komnitsas, Evangelos Petrakis, Emmanouil Varouchakis

During the modeling of grinding systems, population balance modeling (PBM) which considers a constant breakage rate has been widely used over the past years. However, in some cases, PBM exhibited some limitations, and time-dependent approaches have been developed. Recently, a non-linear framework which considers the traditional linear theory of the PBM as a partial case was introduced, thus allowing the estimation of product particle size distribution in relation to grinding time or the specific energy input to the mill. In the proposed model the simplified form of the fundamental batch grinding equation was transformed into the well-known Rosin–Rammler (RR) distribution. Besides, the adaptability and reliability of the prediction model are among others dependent upon the operating conditions of the mill and the adjustment of the RR distribution to the experimental data. In this study, a series of grinding tests were performed using marble as test material, and the adaptability of the non-linear model was investigated using three loads of single size media, i.e., 40, 25.4, and 12.7 mm. The results indicate that the proposed model enables a more accurate analysis of grinding, compared to PBM, for different operating conditions.

Jun 24, 2023

By Ernesto Furtado de Mello Neto, Eliezer Thuler, Claudio Vano Nunes, Carlos Alberto Cristofari

The Brazilian steel industry is dealing an adverse scenario with direct competition from global emerging markets. In this scenario, the need to improve asset operational performance, makes complex studies involving technical knowledge and asset life behavior, become important tools to support companies strategic accomplish. These studies allow consider performance, costs and operational risks relationship in the decision make process. The Asset Management approach support these studies in order to observe the whole asset life cycle, understand value chain through all company process and optimize the asset economic life. In this context, the present technical work has the purpose to support asset management decision making regarding ArcelorMittal Vega cold rolling drive motors, through the motors fail behavior modelling and estimated the risks involved in asset management decision. Through the Reliability, Availability and Mantenability (RAM) analysis, simulations were performed considering the failure, repair cost data and investments to build options to mitigate the operational risks.

Oct 9, 2019

By Y. Xi

In this paper we present an availability approach for determining the capacity of a major bucket wheel excavator (BWE) system to be used in Yuabaoshan surface coal mine in China. Based on previous time studies on other BWE systems for delay times due to internal and external causes, and a four-level maintenance and repair schedule, we develop a model taking into account all random failures and present a fast and simple solution to this highly complex problem. A procedure employing the Markov renewal theory for determination of the distribution of random failure times and failure rate of the whole system, as well as some other factors useful for calculation of the overall system capacity are discussed in the paper.

Jan 1, 1993

By Snehamoy Chatterjee, Sanjay Kumar Palei, Smarak Das

Machine manufacturers’ recommendations on maintenance strategies of capital-intensive draglines are not always based on real data and therefore lead to losses from downtime. This paper proposes a preventive maintenance strategy for a dragline deployed in an opencast coal mine based on reliability-centered maintenance and failure-mode-effects analysis using real operational data. Reliability-centered maintenance replaced a cluster of critical failure components of the dragline while satisfying two specific conditions: (i) the components should be replaced at the earliest mean time to failure (MTTF) within the group and (ii) the time taken to replace all the parts should be equivalent to the maximum downtime within the group. Estimated threshold weightage factor identified twenty-six critical failure components for the preventive maintenance strategy, and clustering of components divided them into nine groups. In a group, the loss that is expected to occur by replacing some of the components before their failure, and the gain by reducing the overall maintenance downtime, has been explained through a cost-benefit analysis. The total net profit generated is calculated as US$200,178. This clustering activity also led to a reduction of annual downtime by 231 h, whose approximate market price as equivalent coal production costs $295,365.

May 28, 2020

By L. W. Kempf, K. R. VanHorn

PLASTIC deformation of most commercial metals within a sufficiently low temperature range results in profound changes in structure and properties, of which the causes and effects are not completely understood. One of these effects is the presence of internal residual stresses and strains, which ordinarily do not appear to require specific consideration in most structural applications but which may be quite undesirable in particular instances. For example, in heavy sections that require considerable machining before assembly, residual stresses may be undesirable because of the distortion they cause when their balance is disturbed by machining or otherwise. In addition, the distribution of stresses may be such that it acts in the same direction as the applied load, thus bringing about premature failure or reducing the load-carrying capacity of the member. One source of residual stress in metal structures is the plastic deformation that may occur during rapid cooling from relatively elevated temperatures, as in the cooling of a casting in the mold or the quenching of a heavy section from elevated temperatures during heat-treatment. These residual stresses are usually undesirable because their direction of operation and magnitude cannot be controlled well enough to permit utilization of the changes in properties of the metal that they may bring about. The most convenient manner of controlling such residual stress is by proper selection of the cooling rate or by reheating to a temperature at which plastic flow can take place, resulting in relief of the residual stresses and strains. Both of these methods of control, however, may cause a reduction in the optimum properties obtainable from the previous operation compromise must be struck, and if it is to result in the best possible combinations of properties, specific information must be available regarding the magnitude of the stresses and the rate at which they are affected by variations in cooling rate or in reheating temperature. The complete quantitative estimation of residual stress in complicated metal shapes is exceedingly difficult, if not impossible. In simple sections, however, relatively quantitative analysis may be applied and useful estimations of stress distribution may be made. This paper is concerned largely with the rate of relief, upon reheating, of internal residual stress in simple aluminum-alloy structures. Since even with simple structures quantitative estimation of residual stresses is laborious and costly, an attempt was made to find other means of collecting data upon which commercial heat-treatments might be based. Incidentally, a few data were collected bearing on the problem of relaxation of aluminum alloys. DETERMINATION OF RESIDUAL STRESSES The magnitude and distribution of residual stresses in simple aluminum-alloy shapes rapidly cooled from elevated temperatures has been discussed in a previous paper.1 Fig. I reproduces some of the data

Jan 1, 1941

By Meagan S. Boltz

From October 2000 to April 2001 a local array of fourteen seismograph stations was deployed at the Trail Mountain Mine (TMM), an underground coal mine in Emery County, Utah, to locate mining-induced seismicity (MIS). Original analysis of the data provided epicentral locations that coincided closely with the active longwall panel. The original analysis yielded poor quality hypocenters, however, preventing a useful relation from being made between mining activity and the event depths. For the original analysis, only stations at elevations above mine level were used for locating MIS. As a result, P- and S-arrival times from four of the stations in the local array were not used: an inmine station and three stations at elevations below mine level. This study compares mine workings and active mining to a revised TMM dataset that included P- and S-arrival times from the lower elevation stations that were not used in the previous study. In the revised locations, a modified master event methodology was used to calculate station delays. These station delays correct for errors in the shallow layers of the velocity model. The resulting hypocentral locations have improved depth resolution, determined by a lower root mean square (RMS) for the locations, compared to the original study. Most of the events occur in the roof of the mine and follow the longwall panel. When located using the velocity model determined in the original study, the elevations of the events increase as the longwall panel progresses. One possible explanation for the elevation increase is that it may be related to geology or the caving process. As presented here, a 10% decrease in the shallow velocity structure results in a more plausible location for the hypocenters. Consequently, it is hypothesized that progressive development of the TMM longwall panel(s) may have resulted in a progressive change in the velocity model.

Jan 1, 2012

By Nora M. Hutt, Kevin A. Morin

One technique for controlling ongoing acidic drainage is to relocate and submerge net-acid-generating waste rock in a lake or water-retaining impoundment. This can lead to the overall improvement of water quality and the reduction In short-term environmental liabilities. A case study of this technique is the Eskay Creek Mine in northern British Columbia. Some findings of the study are: (1) the addition of lime to each truckload of rock, based on its rinse pH, neutralized the accumulated acidity and suppressed the accumulated-metal release, (2) only 10-20% of the dump's neutralization potential had been consumed when acidic drainage appeared, (3) water chemistry in the watershed recovered roughly three years after relocation, and (4) environmental liability was reduced due to the cessation of on-land acidic drainage with no degradation of lake chemistry.

Jan 1, 2000

By G G. Suffel

T HESE remarks on the occurrence of strata-bound massive sulphide deposits are submitted be-cause the writer recently visited the principal Cyprus deposits (in January, 1965) and has also a back-ground of many years spent largely in detailed observation and map-ping of the Horne and Amulet ore-bodies, now largely inaccessible. They are particularly related to the Symposium papers (September Bulletin) by Hutchinson and by Roscoe. Some comments are offered on the cupriferous pyrite deposits of Cyprus. As the writer is currently reviewing the published literature on the related deposits in Turkey, a brief account of some characteristic Anatolian sulphide occurrences is given. The discussion is closed with some thoughts on the relationship between these Mediterranean sulphide deposits and those of northwestern Quebec and the Superior province in general. The geology of Cyprus, as it relates to the sulphide deposits, is well summarized by Hutchinson (1965). After visiting Mavrovouni, Skouriotissa and Limni and after much thought on the possible ge-nesis of these ores, it seems quite logical to me that he is right. They are indeed closely related to late-stage submarine volcanism.

Jan 1, 1965

By George W. Maynard

IN the course of an examination of some of the California hydraulie mines in November last, I visited the property of the Gold Run Ditch and Mining Company, near Dutch Flat, Placer County. This is one of the most important and extensively worked mines in the district. The gold occurs in the characteristic blue gravel, which averages 175 feet in thickness, the lower 40-60 feet being made tip of cement gravel, which resists the action of water, and can only be loosened by blasting. The specimen which I have the pleasure of laying before the members was presented to me by Mr. I. L. Gould, the intelligent superintendent of the mines, who informs me that he found it in the old river channel, about twelve feet above the bedrock. The flattened water-worn nugget of gold, about the size of a kidney-bean, is imbedded in blue cement gravel, around which quartz has crystallized. When found the projecting portion of the nugget was enveloped in quartz, the core of gravel and gold having only been discovered after breaking the lump of quartz. On the quartz there is a shell of cement. The specimen is a remarkable confirmation of the theory of the deposition of quartz from solution. DISCUSSION. DR. T. STERRY HUNT, in commenting upon this occurrence, remarked that it is in accordance with what we already know of the recency of some of the quartz of this region, and cited the microscopic

Jan 1, 1880

By G. W. Brooks

This short article is quite different to the general run of papers that are presented to the Institute, but no apology is offered because I consider that first-aid and mine-rescue work are of equal importance to many other subjects that are dealt with in our Transactions. Members of the Institute should be as much interested in the safety of persons engaged in the mining industry as they are in the practical methods of modern mining. We must not only do our best to conserve life and property by adopting every known device to that end, but we must also prepare ourselves so that we may take prompt and effective action when life is in danger, or when property is subject to loss. The need for such preparation in Alberta is perhaps greater than in most places where mining is carried on, and we must spare no effort to assemble at every mine men who are well trained in first-aid and mine-rescue work. The large area over which the mines are distributed renders central training stations out of the question, hence the need for local rescue-teams. Hospitals with skilled staffs, close enough to the mines to be convenient, also seem to be out of the question; therefore the greater need of a high standard of first-aid training for the people in our mining camps. The Government mine-rescue cars are supplied with the equipment necessary for training persons in this essential work and also for dealing with disasters should they occur. The question then arises: are there a sufficient number of men who are trained ? If so we can rest assured that what is possible to be done will be done. But if a sufficient number of trained men are not available much loss of life and damage to property is likely to result.

Jan 1, 1925

By T. Sterry Hunt

THE essential principle of this new process, now in operation in Chili and in North Carolina, for the extraction of copper from its ores, is the dissolving of the oxides of copper by a hot solution of protochloride of iron and common salt. In the action which takes place, the protochloride of iron is converted into peroxide, while the oxides of copper are changed into protochloride and dichloride, the latter of which, though insoluble in water, is readily soluble in a hot strong brine. From the solution thus obtained, metallic iron throws down the copper in a metallic state, regenerating the protochloride of iron; which is then ready for the treatment of a fresh portion of oxidized copper ore. In the case of slimy ores, the contact of the bath with the ore is effected by agitation in tubs ; but when the ores are granular, lixiviation in large vats is equally efficient and simpler. The hot solutions, charged with chlorides of copper, are digested in tanks with scrap-iron, or better, are made to flow through covered channels containing the scrap-iron, and in their passage lose the whole of their copper; the reaction at the same time evolving so much heat as to keep up the temperature of the liquid. In order to prevent a certain loss of chlorine, which otherwise takes place from the production of some basic ferric chloride in the reaction between the ferrous chloride and the oxides of copper (both protoxide and dinoxide being generally present in calcined ores), a portion of sulphurous fumes from the roasting is made to pass through the regenerated bath before adding it to fresh ore. This has hitherto been effected by injection, with the aid of a jet of steam.

Jan 1, 1873

By B. Silliman

THESE ores occur in the Laurentian rocks in the town of Clifton, St. Lawrence County, New York. The Clifton Mining Company have opened these magnetites upon their estate of 23,000 acres, on the waters of the Grasse River, an affluent of the St. Lawrence, which flows for about nine miles across the estate, exposing a section of the formation, and affording ample water-power at numerous points. In approaching this district from De Kalb Junction, upon the Watertown and Ogdensburg Railway, the observer passes from the zone of the specular ores, which abound to a great extent in Jefferson County, across a belt of non-metal-liferous limestones, continuing for some miles intermingled with metamorphic rocks, and gradually giving place to heavy beds of granitic and porphyritic gneiss, the weathered surfaces of which present a gray and rough appearance, from the washing out of the feldspar; leaving the quartz very prominent, and completely disguising the real character of the rock, which, when freshly broken, has a lively reddish appearance from the predominance of flesh-colored and red feldspar. Beds of fine-grained quartzite appear also intercalated in the granitic gneiss. These are the dominating rocks of the magnetite region, but the magnetite is always found, so far as the speaker's observation extended, associated with beds of calcite, carrying hornblende, black and green, biotite, and brown garnet interspersed with yellow and magnetic pyrites. The strike of these rocks is about northeast, and their dip about 40° to 45° southeast.

Jan 1, 1873

By Eckley B. Coxe

IN the anthracite coal regions of Pennsylvania the custom has been to sight either at an open light (generally a mine-lamp), or at the string of a plumb-bob. If the station was intended to be a permanent one, a spud, as it is called, that is, a nail resembling a horseshoe nail with a hole in the head, is driven into the timbers over the station, or, if there be no timber, a hole is drilled in the coal or rock roof, into which a wooden plug is driven, which serves to hold the spud. The first operation in making a survey is to lay out the stations, that is, to mark the place where the holes are to be drilled for the plugs or the points on the timbers where the spuds are to be driven in. This should be done before any instrumental work is begun, as much labor can generally be spared, and the use of very short sights can often be avoided, by carefully laying out the stations beforehand. When the stations were laid out, a plumb-bob was hung from the innermost spud, which I will call No. 1, the instrument was put in position at No. 2, by plumbing down and putting a centre-pin under the spud, and then setting up over the centre-pin, and another plumb-bob was suspended from No. 3. If great accuracy was not required, a mine-lamp was set up under the plumb-bobs, at No. 1 and No. 3, and the engineer sighted at them. If great accuracy was required, a lamp or some white surface was held by an assistant behind the strings of the plumb-bobs. To work with any speed by the latter method (i. e., the accurate one), it was necessary for the engineer to have three assistants on whom he could rely even when the chaining was done afterwards; viz.: one to hold the light behind the string at No. 1, one at No. 3, and an assistant at the instrument to hold the light while levelling, reading the in-

Jan 1, 1873

By R. P. Rothwell

AT this our first meeting I beg to call the attention of the members of our Institute to what is certainly a question of the greatest possible importance to the industries we represent; and more particularly to the welfare of the coal and iron trades : I refer to the enormous waste of coal in mining and in its preparation for market, as now practised in our anthracite coal-fields. It is a fact which many of you can certify to, that we are wasting fully one-ha f of all the coal in the veins we are now working, and there are cases, which might be mentioned where this proportion, immense as it is, has been greatly exceeded. The popular belief that our deposits of anthracite coal are "practically inexhaustible," is very far from being founded on facts. On the contrary, supposing the present rate of increase in the production to be maintained, it is probable that a maximum yield for our coal-fields would be attained in about fifteen years ; there are in fact some of our smaller basins where the principal veins are nearly exhausted and the production has already attained its maximum. There are others, again, where the depth attained-and it must be borne in mind that we commenced working at the surface outcrop-moderate though it is (scarcely ever reaching eight hundred feet), has so increased the cost of mining as to imperil the capital invested, and though it requires but little foresight to predict the time when the difficulties of mining will be very considerably increased by reason of the greater depth, greater quantity of water, fire-damp, and other fruitful sources of cost, yet, ignoring these recognized facts, we continue to waste more than one-half of the coal where it is obtained with the least danger, expense, and trouble, that is, near the surface-either above water-level or at a moderate depth below it. The inspection of almost any accurate mine map will satisfy you that, on an average, we leave fully one-third. of the coal in the ground as pillars to support the roof; in some places more than one-third thus remains, while it is very rare that less than one-quarter is left. In almost every case this coal is absolutely lost, for it will very rarely pay to reopen gangways and lay roads to it after that portion of the mine has been abandoned. Is it necessary in all cases to support the roof, and where it is, may not some artificial

Jan 1, 1873

By Edmund C. Pechin

I REGRET that I am unable to present this subject in definite form and detail. All I shall attempt at this meeting is to lay before you some curious facts, the bearings and explanations of which must be reserved for future consideration. I hope before the next meeting to have carried experiments far enough to furnish a more important contribution to the science of iron metallurgy. The Wickersham process consists in the introduction into the molten metal, as it runs from the furnace, of air from the hot blast. Mr. Samuel Wickersham is the originator of the plan, as applied in practice, although Mr. Martien had the idea a long time ago, and, I believe, .went to England about it. But at that time Mr. Bessemer was coming before the public with his invention, which engrossed the attention of iron-masters, and Mr. Martien accomplished nothing. The principal difficulty in our experiments at Dunbar was to get a practicable runner or trough, through which the molten metal should pass, and in which it should be exposed to the action of the blast. The runner we used was ten feet long, and perforated on the sides to permit the entrance of the air-currents. When we used a cast-iron and fire-clay runner, the heat was so great that before we were more than half done with a run, the lower part of the runner was melted, and we had a magnificent Fourth of July display of fireworks until the blast was shut off. We had to abandon fire clay. The runner with which we have had the best success ,is made of wrought-iron tubes, 2 1/2 inches in diameter, attached to a wrought-iron frame, and lined with a mixture of crushed conglomerate (quartz) and a little fire clay to give it cohesion. The wrought-iron shell curves inward over the upper edges, so as to catch and throw back into the current the flying sparks and particles of metal thrown out by ebullition. With this we have been able to run 12 to 14 tons at a heat with great ease. Mr. Wickersham has since prepared this material (pounded quartz) into a shaped brick or tile, with the necessary perforations for the passage of the air, which promises to answer every requirement for steady working. As regards the improvement in the quality of the iron, there seems to be no question. A large number of practical tests were made in

Jan 1, 1873

By Suzanne R. Hess-Brittelle, Sharon L. Schulz, Tyler J. Quick, Amy F. Ebnet

"Abiquiu Dam is a rolled earth fill dam with impermeable core located on the Rio Chama in New Mexico. Abiquiu has had a history of excessive seepage through the fractured sandstone abutments since water was first impounded in 1963. The foundation was treated with a single row grout curtain in the cutoff trench prior to placement of the embankment. During the 1960’s and 1970’s, the grout curtain was extended 1,000 ft. into both abutments and sections of the foundation beneath the embankment were regrouted. Grouting of the foundation beneath the embankment required drilling through the embankment. Drilling fluid loss or loss of circulation within the impervious core was observed during multiple phases of supplementary grouting and during verification drilling following the 1970’s grouting program. It is likely that the drilling methods employed for these grouting and drilling programs caused hydraulic fracturing of the impervious core. The fluid losses in the embankment may be related to seasonal shutdown layers in the embankment or benches in the abutment foundations. In addition, it is likely that the impervious core was fractured from grout pressures during installation of grout pipe through the embankment.INTRODUCTIONAbiquiu Dam is located on the Rio Chama in New Mexico and consists of a rolled earth fill dam with impermeable core, controlled outlet works, and an uncontrolled rock-cut spillway. The dam was authorized for flood control and sediment retention and was designed as a dry dam, holding flood pools for relatively short durations. The foundation is comprised of Permian and Triassic age, interbedded mudstones and sandstones that were deposited in an active braided stream system. Sandstones are moderately fractured and have variable aperture and infilling. Generally speaking, joints are near vertical. Abiquiu has had a history of excessive seepage through the fractured sandstone abutments since water was first impounded in 1963. The foundation was treated with a single row grout curtain in the cutoff trench prior to placement of the embankment. In 1966-1968, the grout curtain was extended 500-ft into the left abutment and the foundation beneath a 560 ft. section of the embankment was re-grouted. In 1978-1980, the grout curtain was extended 1,000 ft. into the right abutment, an additional 500 ft into the left abutment and the foundation beneath the right 520-ft section of the embankment was re-grouted. The alignments of these grout programs are shown in Figure 1. Grouting of the foundation beneath the embankment required drilling through the embankment. Drilling fluid loss or loss of circulation within the impervious core was observed during both phases of supplementary grouting and during verification drilling following the 1978-80 grouting program. It is likely that the drilling methods employed for these grouting and drilling programs caused hydraulic fracturing of the impervious core. In addition, it is likely that the impervious core was fractured from grout pressures during installation of grout pipe through the embankment. This paper provides a summary of the drilling and grouting methods used during these programs and the potential for damage to the embankment."

Jan 1, 2016