Investigating the mechanical behavior of a surface repository for low and intermediatelevel short-lived radioactive waste (2017)
Andra operates a surface repository in Aube (“CSA”, North‐Eastern France), where some of the concrete canisters containing low and intermediate‐level short‐lived radioactive waste are stacked in concrete structures, then filled with gravel (Fig 1). ITASCA Consultants SAS, together with EGIS Industries, has studied the mechanical behavior of the assemblies, in the framework of design and safety demonstration programs.
Liquefaction Risk Mitigation using Jet Grouting and Earthquake Drains (2017)
Boldwing Continuum Architects Inc. has contracted Itasca Consulting Group to perform a liquefaction analysis and evaluate several soil improvement designs for the Langdale Ferry Terminal Project in Vancouver, Canada. The terminal sits on a deltaic granular deposit prone to liquefaction. The new expansion of the ferry terminal has to be designed in compliance with the 2017 Canadian Building Code, which requires the analysis of 11 different earthquake time histories. The most challenging requirement is to design the ground improvement to limit any lateral soil spreading within 100-150 mm.
Karowe Mine Groundwater Flow Model and Predictive Dewatering Simulations (2017)
Karowe Mine, located approximately 16 kilometers (km) southwest of the town of Letlhakane, is a diamond mine where the second largest diamond ever found on record, with a weight of 1,111 carats, was discovered. This project involved simulating mine dewatering and excavation to evaluate future dewatering requirements, as well as providing guidance for future monitoring borehole and piezometer designs.
Investigation of Mine Access Tailings Storage in an Open Pit (2017)
The mine is interested in using the decommissioned open pit for storage of tailings from the underground mine, as this would be beneficial both from an environmental and an economical perspective. The implementation will be a technical challenge since portions of the crown pillar separating the open pit from the underground mining has been extracted.
Dynamic Soil Structure Interaction Analyses of North Shore Pump Station (2017)
Located near Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, North Shore Pump Station is a part of the North Point Wet-Weather Facility (NPF), which provides primary treatment for disinfection of wastewater. The facility is a two-story building that is completely embedded in soil, and the subsurface conditions include potentially liquefiable sand layers and soft Bay Mud deposits sitting on bedrock sloping toward the east side waterfront. The building is supported by piers extending all the way into the Franciscan Complex bedrock.
Mechanical testing of a model baked anode material with PFC (2017)
A baked anode is a complex material, that results from the mixing and baking of different petrol coke grains, with different size distributions, with a pitch. A preliminary study (ICSAS16-CST-MFG-35143-01) developed a PFC2D model accounting for the microstructure of a baked anode, using the Bonded Particle Model (BPM).
Rock Mechanic Analysis for Crown Pillar Extraction at Tara (2017)
Boliden Tara Mines is Europe’s largest zinc mine, with an annual production of 2.6 million tones of ore, and has been in operation since 1977. This project was part of the required planning application to the authorities regarding crown pillar extraction in the norther portion of Boliden Tara Mines. It was conducted in two phases – first a continuum model was analyzed in FLAC3D, which was then followed by a discontinuum modelling in 3DEC with included faults.
Practical Open Pit Rock Mechanics (2017)
Open pit mining often result in high rock slopes, sometimes combined with difficult rock conditions. This is further augmented by large blasting rounds resulting in high vibrations. Reinforcement of pit slope walls is also difficult and many times associated with high costs and loss of production. Bench slope stability is vital for a safe working place for all personnel in the mine as well as for avoiding production loss. Itasca Consultants AB is providing technical, on-site rock mechanics expertise to several open pit mines in northern Sweden.
Modeling and Calibration of a Blocky Granite Rock (2017)
In the framework of the development of a subsea tidal turbine, the design of the foundations has to be optimal. Cathie Associates, on behalf of HydroQuest, wanted us to investigate the penetration of a single steel foundation pin in a granitic rock mass by using a discrete numerical approach and follow the state of the damaged zone around the tip during penetration.
Modelling concrete slab on rigid inclusion reinforced soil (2017)
In the context of a wine cellar extension project, a 20cm thick concrete slab is to be constructed on a soil reinforced by rigid inclusions. Itasca France has been called by the design office to verify the mechanical resistance of the concrete slab and assess its settlement under a uniform load.
Sjömalmen — Cave Modeling and Prediction of Ground Deformations (2017)
The city of Kiruna is partly located on the hanging wall side of the LKAB Kiirunavaara Mine. In the long-term perspective, it is not possible to have any residential buildings or infrastructure within the fracture zone and cave zone resulting from mining. An urban transformation process for the Kiruna city center is thus currently underway. The current prognosis is empirical based on observations since the early 1960s until today.
Reinforcing a tunnel face using grouted fiberglass bolts (2016)
The aims of this work is to study the influence of face reinforcement on the tunnel stability and to check if the creep behavior of the rock may induce a potential jamming of the TBM during the excavation stop.
Parking Ramp over Light Rail Station (2016)
A parking ramp expansion has been proposed at Terminal 1-Lindbergh to be constructed over the north end of the Metro Transit Light Rail (LRT) station. Itasca assessed the magnitude of the principal impacts by conducting three-dimensional geostructural analyses of the LRT station using 3DEC. Of the six designs evaluated, all but one option were predicted to be geostructurally feasible.
Regional-Scale Stress Model of the Stockholm Area (2016)
New metro lines are planned in Stockholm, comprising a total length of approximately 20 km with 10 new stations, mostly located underground. One of the new lines will pass under Saltsjön (a bay of the Baltic Sea) and through a major regional large-scale geological structure. The stress magnitudes and orientations around the structure are highly uncertain, and stress measurements are not practically possible near the structure. To quantify possible stress conditions near the structure, discontinuum threedimensional numerical modeling was conducted.
Liquefaction Risk Mitigation using Jet Grouting Cells (2016)
Trevi Group has been involved in the design-build of a commercial building in Turkey in an area prone to liquefaction. The foundation of the building is located approximately 10 m below original grade, which still leaves about 10-12 m of potentially liquefiable sand underneath the bottom slab.