Project

The project consisted of slope stabilization for a section of an earthen cooling pond embankment in Polk County.

The Problem

Over time, erosion and sedimentation had caused a portion of the twelve foot tall embankment to settle and form a large crack along its length due to partial slope failure.  Prior to utilizing full capacity of the pond and repairing the embankment, the slope had to be reinforced to prevent future failures.

Earth Tech Solution

Initially a system of Micropiles was designed to provide the necessary slope stabilization. Earth Tech was contracted to perform the installation and was able to save the owner time and money by offering a value engineered solution utilizing Ductile Iron Piles (DIP’s). A total of 153 DIP’s were installed and design capacity was verified with a lateral load test.