Failures

Although nobody likes to see a failure, especially a catastrophic one, it is important to learn whatever we can from them so that the geo-community does not make the same mistakes again.

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Failures

Landslide / Mudslide in Logan Utah

July 14, 2009 rockman Comments Off on Landslide / Mudslide in Logan Utah

A landslide in Logan Utah caused a portion of a canal to fail, causing a second mudslide. Three people, a mother and two children, were believed to be buried when the mud and debris hit their home. Rescue efforts were halted fairly quickly because of concern regarding the stability of the hillside. So far I have not read any reports that the bodies have been recovered. Map, Videos and more after the break. (Photo by Mike Terry, Deseret News, hat tip to Landslides Under a Microscope Blog)

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A building at the Lotus Riverside complex in Shanghai’s Minhang district collapsed
Failures

13-Story Tower Topples Over in Shanghai

July 3, 2009 rockman Comments Off on 13-Story Tower Topples Over in Shanghai

A building at the Lotus Riverside complex in Shanghai’s Minhang district collapsed A 13-story apartment tower in the Lotus Riverside Development toppled over almost intact in Shanghai on June 26. The apartment building was still under construction and one worker was killed. According to the Shanghai Daily, there was an excavation for an underground parking garage immediately next to the failed structure. From the photos and video, it appeared that the building fell away from the excavation. More info and video after the break. (Imaginechina via AP Images via Wall Street Journal)

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Failures

Cologne Tunnel Collapse: Investigations Focus on Tiebacks and Groundwater

March 24, 2009 rockman Comments Off on Cologne Tunnel Collapse: Investigations Focus on Tiebacks and Groundwater

image The latest information to come out of the collapse of a subway tunnel excavation in Cologne, Germany is that investigators are evaluating the ground anchors or tiebacks that were holding open the subway tunnel excavation. There doesn’t appear to be much information available to the public yet, and the New Civil Engineer article mostly quoted academics saying an anchor failure “could” have caused the collapse. Apparently at the time of the collapse, the excavation had reached the bottom depth after the slurry walls had been constructed along with the ground anchor system. Crews were supposedly working on the base slab which would have undoubtedly stiffened up the whole system. For what its worth, an anonymous comment left at the bottom of that article indicated that after half of the debris had been excavated, the diaphragm walls were still intact and without apparent displacement. So what other theories have been floated? Read on for more info.  (Image Credit: New Civil Engineer)

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Failures

Video: Freeport Maine Culvert Failure and Road Collapse

March 23, 2009 rockman Comments Off on Video: Freeport Maine Culvert Failure and Road Collapse

imageA colleague of mine sent me an amazing video of a culvert failure and subsequent road collapse in Freeport Maine during a storm. The culvert was unable to accommodate the high volume of water, and it was backing up behind the roadway embankment like a dam, and spilling out onto the roadway. In a span of about 3 minutes, the entire section of road collapsed and was washed downstream. I don’t know the exact date the video was taken, but it appears to be in August of 2008. Click through for the video.

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Destruction from the collapse of a subway tunnel in Cologne, Germany which swallowed Cologne's Historical Archive
Failures

Subway Tunnel Collapse in Cologne Germany

March 10, 2009 rockman Comments Off on Subway Tunnel Collapse in Cologne Germany

Destruction from the collapse of a subway tunnel in Cologne, Germany which swallowed Cologne's Historical ArchiveEarly indications are that a collapse of a subway tunnel station still under construction was to blame for the sinkhole that destroyed Cologne’s Historical Archive, home to documents dating back to 922 A.D. More info after the break. (Photo by DPA via Spiegel Online)

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TVA coal ash dyke failure
Failures

TVA Coal Ash Disaster

January 5, 2009 rockman Comments Off on TVA Coal Ash Disaster

On December 22 of 2008, there was a massive failure of a fly ash landfill (tailings dam?) at the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) Kingston power plant. The failure caused a torrent of coal ash sludge […]