Characteristic Piezocone Penetration Responses
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Volcanic Ash Riverbank Stabilization Supporting Affordable Housing Complex Kealohi Sandefur1, P.E., M. ASCE; James Kwong, Ph.D., P.E., M. ASCE2; and Colton Takaesu3 M.S. 1Associate Geotechnical Engineer, Yogi Kwong Engineers, LLC, 677 Ala Moana Blvd., # 710, Honolulu, HI 2 Principal, Yogi Kwong Engineers, LLC, 677 Ala Moana Blvd., # 710, Honolulu, HI 3 Geotechnical Engineer, Yogi Kwong Engineers, LLC, 677 Ala Moana Blvd., # 710, Honolulu, HI ABSTRACT Deep soil erosion along a portion of Wailuku River in Hilo, whose nearly 50 foot- tall and near vertical riverbank was less than 10 feet from a non-profit Apartment building, threatened to undermine the shallow spread-footing foundation of this multistory apartment building. The design and construction to stabilize the riverbank was severely constrained by the limited construction access to the riverbank near the apartment building. Moreover, access to the riverbank via the Wailuku River was prohibited unless an Army Corps Clean Water Act Section 404 permit was obtained, a lengthy process which would have taken two years or more causing the non-profit owner of the Apartments to not qualify for highly sought after federal tax-credits, which were essential to the financial viability of slope stabilization project and continuation of the affordable housing’s operations. Utilizing investigative field data gathered by conventional exploratory drilling; geologic mapping; and geophysical surveying, an innovative design approach was developed incorporating small-diameter soil nails and rock anchors tied to a reinforced shotcrete mat. The nails, anchors, and shotcrete mat could be installed by small equipment enabling construction within the narrow access to the site. The anchor stabilization system was designed to derive significant stabilization capacity from basalt lava on both sides of the deep, soft volcanic ash in the project area. Permitting and design were completed in only 7 months and construction was also completed in 7 months, which met the tight schedule necessary to secure the federal affordable housing tax credits. Page 1 INTRODUCTION The apartment building was constructed in 1973 on a tall and steep bank fronting the perennial Wailuku River in Hilo, Hawaii. The close proximity of the riverbank to the building was a significant safety hazard that put the apartment complex at risk of losing its rental subsidies which would leave the many residents at the apartment facing probable homelessness. Due to the multiple stakeholders involved in the project, timely completion of construction plans and permits to stabilize the riverbank was critical to secure continued rental subsidies and federal tax credits which are pertinent to the financial viability of the apartment’s operations. Within a period of seven (7) months, design and the numerous required permits (including County Building, Special Management Area, Stream Channel Alteration, Department of Army Jurisdiction Determination, and an Environmental Assessment) were completed to meet the very tight timeline necessary to secure project funding. Timely completion also allowed for a competitive bidding process. A qualified contractor was selected and work was completed in just seven (7) months of construction. GEOLOGY AND SITE CONDITIONS The island of Hawaii is the youngest and southernmost island in the Hawaiian Island chain and was formed by the coalescing of eruptive volcanic episodes in which massive amounts of liquid magma spilled down the sides of the five volcanos forming the sloping flanks of Kohala, Mauna Kea, Kilauea, Mauna Loa and Hualalai Volcanoes seen today. Late eruptive activity included increasing eruptive fountains which deposited volcanic ash that has interbedded with recent lava flows and covered large areas of older lava flows with vitric ash (MacDonald et al., 1996). Fine pyroclastic ash or tephra deposits have been largely altered by weathering to a generally soil-like amorphic ash mixture of lateritic clay minerals and hydrated oxides of aluminum and iron which has been locally referred to as “Pahala Ash”. In areas with high rainfall, such as the project site, Pahala Ash has characteristically very high moisture contents (in excess of 100% to 200% or more) and bulk densities on the order of 60 lbs/ft3 to 80 lbs/ft3 (Buchanan-Banks, 1983; Nielsen et al. 1977). The project site is located on the northern bank of Wailuku River which generally formed along the intersecting boundary where basalt lava flows and Tephra Deposits of Mauna Loa to the south had overlapped onto older Mauna Kea flows to the north. SURFACE AND SUBSURFACE CONDITIONS The building site is terraced along the direction of river flow. The project site is located in the middle terrace where the steep riverbank encroaches within 10 feet of the building as shown in Figure 1. Page 2 FIG. 1. Building within 10 feet of Steep River Bank in Middle Terrace of Property The subsurface investigation included a Phase 1 exploration which included exploratory borings drilled in the upper and lower terraces (See Figure 2) where the building is set back further from the river bank allowing access for truck mounted drill rigs. Basalt lava flows were encountered in the borings explored in the upper and lower terraces at relative shallow depths ranging between 15 to 20 feet below ground surface. FIG. 2. Phase 1 Geotechnical Investigation Map Page 3 However, the middle terrace, where a scarp has cut into a steep slope, was inaccessible except by a portable drill air track drill rig which had to be hoisted onto the narrow terrace by a truck mounted boom. Two probe holes were initially drilled on the middle terrace to depth to rock where the slope is closest to the building. Surprisingly, the basalt lava flows, which were encountered at relatively shallow depths in the upper and lower terraces, were not encountered through the explored depth of 60 feet in the middle terrace probe hole. The surprising absence of basalt lava flows in the proximity where the riverbank is closest to the building prompted an unanticipated second phase subsurface investigation to obtain supplemental subsurface information to delineate the extent within the project area where basalt lava flows dip beneath the height riverbank slope. A supplemental subsurface investigation including an exploratory boring, geophysical surveys and geologic mapping of the slope face verified that portion of the apartment building supported by shallow spread footings spanning across the middle terrace was supported by a localized deposit of deep and soft Pahala Ash and Alluvium soils as discussed below. Pahala Ash The supplemental exploratory boring was drilled using a portable drill rig which was mobilized by hand to the otherwise inaccessible middle terrace of the property. The supplemental exploratory boring verified the absence of Basalt Lava Flows as Pahala Ash and Alluvium were encountered to a depth of 60 feet bgs. Based on the Unified Soil Classification System, the Pahala Ash were primarily classified as elastic silts (MH) with the soil matrix ranging from very soft to medium stiff in consistency. Based on the seismic refraction transects performed as part of the geophysical survey for this project, the Pahala Ash has a typical seismic P-wave velocity between 440 ft/sec to 550 ft/sec. The range of field sampling blow counts and the results of selected index property tests performed on samples of Pahala Ash encountered at the project site are summarized in Table 1 below. Table 1. Summary of Encountered Pahala Ash Properties Field Sampling Blow Counts Range Average and Laboratory Test Results SPT blows per foot, N 1 to 4 2.3 Moisture content, % 59 to 204 150 Dry Density, lb/ft3 25 to 62 33 Moist Density, lb/ft3 69 to 82 76 Liquid Limit, % 225 NA Plasticity Index, % 111 The very high moisture content and low density of the tested Pahala Ash were consistent with Pahala Ash moisture and densities as reported by Wieczorek et al. Page 4 (1982) and encountered by YKE at other project sites located on Hawaii Island Basalt Lava Flows With the presence of very soft to medium stiff Pahala Ash soils verified by the supplemental boring, it became paramount to identify the extent of the Basalt Lava Flows which were encountered at relatively shallow depths in the initial borings explored at the accessible terraces upstream and downstream of the project site. A multi-faceted investigative approach was developed utilizing Geophysical Surveys (resistivity and P-wave), geologic mapping of the riverbank slope face, and hand probes using a Dynamic Cone Penetrometer to delineate the extent of Basalt which was absent in the borings and probes explored in the middle terrace. The geophysical surveys generally collaborated the presence of basalt lava flows which were encountered in the borings and also delineated the approximate locations where the basalt lava flows abruptly drop off leaving a deep deposit of ash and soil supporting the apartment building where it spans across the middle terrace as shown in Figure 3 below. FIG. 3. Composite Geophysical Survey along Riverbank Showing Abrupt Drop in Basalt Lava Flows in Project Area Geologic slope mapping was performed which visually documented the locations where basalt lava flows abruptly drop with steeply dipping rock and ash interface similarly documented on the slope face. The slope was heavily vegetated during the investigation phase, obscuring photo documentation of the rock out crop bounds. A photograph of the interface between the rock outcrop and deep ash and soil deposits exposed during subsequent phase is presented in Figure 4 below. Page 5 FIG. 4. Rock Outcrop and Ash Soil Interface Exposed at the Riverbank Slope Face ANALYSIS AND DESIGN DEVELOPMENT Slope stability analyses were performed and verified that the combination of the buildings close proximity to the slope and the absence of basalt in the middle terrace contributed to marginal slope stability and potential for deeper seated slope failure modes which could undermine the building’s spread foundations should a slope failure occur.