A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
Nearly every SRW (segmental retaining wall) system in the market has experienced some sort of failure. Failures attract attorneys and engineering experts. Typically, the attorney for the plaintiff will compile 'expert' reports providing a list of what appear to be the faults in design and/or construction. While such a list clouds the actual reasons for failure, it has the potential to impress a jury or a judge who likely understand very little regarding technical concerns. Consequently, the lesson that should have been learned from a failure, which is so important for advancing safe engineering practice, is blurred. This results in needless future failures of similar structures while creating more chums for attorneys and experts. Though it is well known that SRW may fail due to seeping water, it is felt that an instructive and simple forensic study of a case should be demonstrated. This study shows that some irrelevant aspects are frequently attributed to failure while the major culprit is overshadowed or underplayed. It is hoped that this article will reduce the number of failures in SRW systems associated with water. The described case is hypothetical; however, it is likely that most of the existing SRW systems have experienced a similar collapse or near-collapse situation. Hence, the hypothetical case is both generic and realistic.
Nearly every SRW (segmental retaining wall) system in the market has experienced some sort of failure. Failures attract attorneys and engineering experts. Typically, the attorney for the plaintiff will compile 'expert' reports providing a list of what appear to be the faults in design and/or construction. While such a list clouds the actual reasons for failure, it has the potential to impress a jury or a judge who likely understand very little regarding technical concerns. Consequently, the lesson that should have been learned from a failure, which is so important for advancing safe engineering practice, is blurred. This results in needless future failures of similar structures while creating more chums for attorneys and experts. Though it is well known that SRW may fail due to seeping water, it is felt that an instructive and simple forensic study of a case should be demonstrated. This study shows that some irrelevant aspects are frequently attributed to failure while the major culprit is overshadowed or underplayed. It is hoped that this article will reduce the number of failures in SRW systems associated with water. The described case is hypothetical; however, it is likely that most of the existing SRW systems have experienced a similar collapse or near-collapse situation. Hence, the hypothetical case is both generic and realistic.
The case of the percolating water
Schäden durch Sickerwasser
Leshchinsky, Dov (author)
Geosynthetics ; 26 ; 6-10
2008
4 Seiten, 3 Bilder
Article (Journal)
English
Percolating Water Not Appropriable
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