Geological Consulting has supported Stantec on several New Zealand dam safety projects. They have provided desktop studies and site investigations; where a good understanding of the local geology, dam and foundation materials, instrumentation, and wider dam safety issues including flooding, internal erosion and seismicity has been required. They have consistently exceeded expectations in terms of technical delivery, programme, safety, and end-client satisfaction.
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Project
Cardinia Dam – Safety Upgrade Concept Design
Client: Aecom Australia Pty Ltd
Location: Victoria, Australia
Date: 2022 to 2023
AECOM has been engaged by Melbourne Water (MW) to undertake the design of the dam safety upgrade (DSU) of Cardinia Dam, Melbourne. Cardinia Dam is a critical asset within MW’s portfolio of dams and supplies water to Melbourne’s south-east and the Mornington Peninsula. Cardinia Dam comprises an approximately 85 m high zoned embankment, and four zoned embankment saddle dams totaling approximately 2.5 km in length and with a maximum height of 15 m.
To support the DSU, AECOM is updating the risk assessment and considering the credibility of internal erosion and piping through the foundations of the saddle dams. The saddle dams are founded mainly on residual soils and extremely weathered granodiorite, which is soil-like but has some rock texture and fabric.
Geological Consulting is assisting AECOM with the investigation and characterisation of the saddle dam foundations. This includes both a desktop study of available information and new field investigations. A key consideration is a potential for piping along relict defects within the extremely weathered foundation material and so their detailed characterisation is critical for updating the risk assessment. Investigations have also been completed of intrusions (dykes) mapped within the granodiorite foundation and their potential for piping in the saddle dam foundations.