Contributed by Presto Geosystems
During a 40-day rainstorm, six landslides occurred on military service roads at the Wheeler Army Airfield along the side of a ravine in Honolulu, Hawaii. Surface water runoff on the roads triggered embankment failures in clayey silt fill soils and saprolite.
Debris avalanches developed along one of the roadways, eroding the slope and roadway base, leading to cracking and material loss of the asphalt road. The debris flows created vertical scraps and deep gullies draining into the main ravine below the road. Exploratory testing of the site revealed that the soils were primarily pahoehoe lava flows, which although weathered, are known for their high shear strengths.
Landfill repair: Product evaluations and selection…