Contribution of the Applied Geodesy to the prevention of accidents and to the rehabilitation of fill structures

Abstract

The wide range of materials used in the construction of embankments leads to highly differentiated structural behaviours and sometimes to accidents. Therefore, namely in higher hazard works, such as dams, it is necessary to periodically assess their safety. That assessment is done by site visits, to perform visual inspections, and the reading of certain quantities. Those variables are not to exceed certain values, which are related with the behaviour models predicted in the design. Applied Geodesy plays a significant part in the measurement of surface displacements. The visual inspections are a complement to the data obtained in those measurements, as zones of differential settlements, deviation, fissures, cracks, etc. This paper presents the contribution of the Applied Geodesy to detect the causes of accident in two embankment structures, as well as to the decisions adopted for their rehabilitation.