SLURRY TRENCH CONSTRUCTION OF A VERTICAL FOUNDATION FILTER AT WASCO DAM Gary Fisk, P.E.

1 Steven Day,
3

Jack Gagliardi, P.E.2

ABSTRACT A modified slurry trench method was used on a small dam remediation project to quickly and economically excavate a vertical filter trench through foundation soil across the toe of Wasco Dam and up the 3:1 slopes on one groin of the dam. Generally, the slurry excavation method is used for cutoff trenches to create a barrier to seepage. This modified slurry excavation method uses a synthetic biopolymer slurry to form a temporary seepage barrier that was chemically degraded after sand placement allowing the filter to regain its permeability. The proximity to a pristine stream in a popular recreation area precluded the use of other degradable slurries that relied on biocides additives. . Excavation of the slurry trench and backfilling with filter sand was accomplished in one week using a small crew with two hydraulic excavators and a portable slurry mixing plant. After the filter trench was completed and backfilled, a second-stage gravel drain and a perforated toe-drain pipe were installed in a 4-foot-deep trench downstream of the filter trench. This project showed the economic feasibility, constructability and benefits of using slurry construction on other small dams where foundation seepage problems require remediation. This paper highlights the nonstructural and structural remediation alternatives considered, compares the benefits and costs of slurry construction to mass excavation, compares guar gum slurry to polyacrylamide biopolymer slurry, shows the applicability of slurry trench excavation for placing a two-stage filter, and discusses pertinent construction issues. INTRODUCTION Seepage through the foundation and seepage exiting the downstream face of Wasco Dam had been occurring since the early years after the dam was constructed in 1959. The reservoir rarely fills to its normal maximum pool elevation, 3515.4, and the reservoir behind Wasco Dam has reached elevation 3514.4 only six times since construction was completed. As a result of significant seepage, eight piezometers were installed in 1988 and regular piezometer readings were commenced. In 1996 heavy precipitation caused the reservoir to fill to normal maximum pool for the first time in twenty years, giving urgency to dam safety studies. At all reservoir levels the ground surface was saturated at the toe of the dam, and at reservoir levels above elevation 3505, unprotected seepage occurred on the downstream face of the embankment. Photo No. 1 shows this surface ditch at the downstream toe. A Modification Decision Analysis (MDA)4 completed in 1996, identified unfiltered seepage on the downstream face and
1

Civil Engineer, U. S. Bureau of Reclamation, PO Box 25007, Denver, CO 80225 Civil Engineer, Team Leader, U. S. Bureau of Reclamation, PO Box 25007, Denver, Co 80225 Vice President, Geo-Solutions Inc., 26 W. Dry Creek Circle, Littleton, CO 80120

at the toe as a dam safety deficiency. A subsequent Corrective Action Study (CAS)5 considered nonstructural and structural rehabilitation alternatives and calculated the construction of a foundation filter and toe drain to be the lowest cost structural alternative. In 1999, the foundation filter was constructed with slurry trench excavation methods more quickly and at lower cost than a conventional mass excavation foundation filter could have been constructed. The Dam Site Wasco Dam is located on Clear Creek near the outlet of Clear Lake, a natural lake, 14 miles south of Mt. Hood and 90 miles east of Portland. The dam is owned by U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and is operated and maintained by the Juniper Flat District Improvement Company (District), Maupin, Oregon. Project water is used to irrigate farmland in the Tygh Valley area, about 33 river miles downstream of Wasco Dam. Clear Lake has become a recreation destination for Portland and adjacent areas. The active storage capacity at elevation 3514.4 is 11,900 acre-ft. The crest is at elevation 3526.

The zoned embankment has a structural height of 51 feet, a hydraulic height of 28 feet, a crest length of 417 feet, a crest width of 20 feet, and a downstream toe length of 150 ft. The embankment consists of a core that is flanked on both sides with shell material. An upstream cutoff trench was incorporated into the original design, extending through a sedimentary zone (Qs) and into the fractured andesite foundation. The andesite bedrock was not grouted, and no internal chimney filter and drain was provided downstream of the core, as is now standard Reclamation practice. There was no mention in the construction reports of slush grouting, crack filling or dental concrete having been placed on the exposed bedrock at the bottom of the cutoff trench. The upstream and downstream slopes of the embankment are approximately 2.5:1 and 2:1, respectively. The cross-sections of the original embankment design and the current modifications are shown in Figures 1 and 2, respectively. The uncontrolled, unlined emergency spillway was excavated into andesite on the left abutment about 100 feet from the embankment. The spillway sill elevation is 3520.0 feet, and the spillway has a capacity of 800 cfs at elevation 3524.7 feet, the design maximum water surface. The emergency spillway has never been used.
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Modification Decision Analysis, DEC-WO-8311-1, October, 1996, Jack Gagliardi, US Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO 5 Corrective Action Study, DEC-WO-8311-2, August, 1997, Jack Gagliardi, US Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO

The outlet works in the embankment near the left abutment consists of a vertical intake structure and a 4by 5-foot conduit with 3- by 3-foot slide gates. Two overflow weirs in the outlet works with crest elevations 3,514 feet, as originally constructed, function as the service spillway. A hydraulic jump stilling basin dissipates energy. With the reservoir water surface at elevation 3,524.7 feet, the capacity of the outlet works is 560 cfs.

The primary overburden materials are Quaternary sediments of glacial and alluvial origin, which are designated as sedimentary deposits (Qs). These deposits are predominately reworked moraine and outwash origin at the dam site. Except for the cutoff trench, portions of the foundation deposits were not completely removed during construction. The embankment materials are designated as cores composed of compacted silty sand (SM), downstream rockfill shell composed predominately of gravel with cobbles and boulders in a matrix of silty sand with gravel (GP-GM). Rehabilitation Alternatives The Corrective Action Study compared non-structural and structural alternatives to prevent the occurrence of unfiltered seepage. Non-structural alternatives were: 1) Increase visual monitoring and

instrumentation, 2) Restrict reservoir to elevation 3505, the elevation at which unfiltered seepage appeared on the downstream face, 3) Weld open the outlet works gates to prevent storage, or 4) No action. Structural alternatives were: 1) Construct a soil-cement-bentonite cutoff wall through the dam extending into the permeable part of the andesite foundation, 2) Excavate the downstream shell and foundation down to andesite bedrock, install a designed chimney-blanket filter and drain system, and replace the shell material, or 3) Place a filter and drainage system on the downstream face, and extend the filter and drain system through the foundation materials to andesite bedrock using the slurry trench excavation method. The Slurry Trench Alternative After one season operating under a reservoir restriction, the District decided to cost-share a structural alternative that would allow the reservoir to operate up to normal pool elevation 3514.4. Once it was decided to construct a filter and toe drain, the quickest and lowest cost way was studied. The advantages and advantages of slurry trench excavation, compared to mass excavation, are summarized in Table 1: Advantages of Slurry Construction No design required for dewatering, unwatering No stream discharge permits required Reduce construction and pumping time by about three weeks Reduced probability of cost overruns Concern of embankment instability during construction is lower Less working space required for construction Filter located at toe, rather than some distance away because of cut-slopes Increased safety because no personnel required to enter the trench Construction cost about $10/sf lower than mass excavation The greatest attraction of slurry excavation was the reduced time and expense required to perform the construction with the least reservoir drawdown. Excavation using an excavator and trench box was considered, but concerns over difficulty moving the trench box in the trench, and the slow pace of excavating within the trench box made this option unattractive. Slurry excavation was preferred, but only if the slurry did not reduce the filtering ability or permeability of the sand filter material. This requirement eliminated the use of bentonite slurries (leaving a permanent filter cake on the trench walls), and required the use of a degradable biopolymer slurry. The vertical slurry trench method of excavation was investigated at the suggestion of an independent consultant6 even though the design of a mass excavation trench was partially completed. As confidence grew in slurry excavation, it was decided that the specification would allow only slurry excavation, with no option for mass excavation. The primary objections to slurry trench excavation came from Reclamation own inspection and field personnel who s
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Disadvantages of Slurry Construction Inability to see bottom of trench during excavation Better site investigation is required. Unanticipated boulders could result in a claim Specialty contractor is required Slurry trench excavation on slopes is more difficult Skepticism from construction and field personnel Synthetic slurry must be used in place of guar gum slurry in environmentally sensitive areas

Mr. John France, URS Corp. 8181 E. Tufts Avenue, Denver, CO 80237

had no previous experience with degradable slurry excavation, but were very experienced and confident with mass excavation. The types of degradable slurry available are natural guar gum and polyacrylamide synthetic biopolymer. The most common use of degradable slurry is for contaminated groundwater recovery. Throughout the industry, guar gum is favored by at least 4:1 over synthetic slurries. The function of the slurry is to impose the slurry shear strength (viscosity) and density on trench walls to exert hydrostatic pressure to preclude caving during excavation. To achieve the hydrostatic pressure required to keep the trench open, the slurry level was maintained at the top of the trench. Some minor caving occurred in the excavation when the slurry level was not maintained to the top of the trench. The degradable slurry does not form a filter cake on the trench walls like bentonite but rather a gelatin-type coating that binds together individual soil particles on the trench wall. Guar gum slurry is the most common and economical type slurry. Because guar gum is part of the seed of living organism, it is attacked and degraded by natural bacteria in the soil causing it to break down (lose viscosity) and lose its effectiveness. Degradable biocides are available to kill the molds and bacteria in the slurry to extend the life of the guar gum slurry. Typically, these biocides are safe when properly used, and will degrade through natural and/or chemical means. The use of biocides is common and generally safe in everyday human activities. Some biocides degrade with age (i.e. have a half-life of about 30 days) or by the addition of certain chemicals like hypochlorite. These products are EPA registered and can be hazardous to aquatic life if mishandled. Biocides are much less of a concern when guar gum is used on trenches in contaminated sites because the contamination is a much greater risk than the biocide. Wasco Dam is a recreational destination in a pristine area and the State of Oregon would not permit biocides to be brought on site. Because the biocide could have entered the groundwater or the river as part of the excavation process, there was no way to isolate and remove the biocide, even if degraded, after the excavation was completed. Polyacrylamide slurry is inert and for this reason was specified for Wasco Dam. It was marginally more expensive and provides less viscosity (less shear strength and density) than guar gum would have provided, but it did not require a biocide to prevent degradation during excavation. Because it degrades slowly, it can be left unattended in the trench longer (possibly over the weekend, but not advised) without losing its effectiveness. Also, because polyacrylamide degrades slowly, the slurry must be chemically degraded at the conclusion of the excavation to allow the filter to regain its permeability. After the trench was backfilled with sand, a mild hypochlorite solution (e.g. HTH), similar to the concentration in a swimming pool, was circulated through the sand filter several times until the effluent that was pumped out (using well points that were placed in the sand as the trench was backfilled) was similar in viscosity, appearance and chemical composition to water. Some of the degraded slurry, posing no environmental threat, infiltrated into the foundation as the coating on the trench walls degraded. A small holding pond was constructed near the slurry trench to contain excess degraded slurry after it was pumped out of the trench. The construction specifications required that the slurry subcontractor have a crew of experienced personnel on site to direct the slurry excavation. A well-written specification should specify a minimum of 5 projects and 10 years of experience to ensure that the project doesn become on-the-job training for a t slurry contractor. This is a critical requirement since it is a specialized process that, if not done properly, could result in trench wall caving, a contaminated filter, a filter with reduced permeability, or other problems. Determining the right amount of dry-mix polyacrylamide to be mixed in the batch plant is part science and part art. Too little polymer will not allow the gel to form and will allow excessive slurry loss into the foundation. Too much polymer is wasted money. Once the proper viscosity is obtained and the slurry stabilizes the trench walls, slurry losses decrease, and then the amount of polymer can be decreased. At the start of the Wasco Dam excavation, the slurry losses were high, as evidenced by milky

slurry briefly appearing as abutment seepage. The slurry trench subcontractor, Geo-Solutions of Littleton, CO, brought the mixing plant onto the site on a flatbed trailer in late September, and set up on top of the dam near the left abutment. A frac tank was mobilized to the site and used to store and recirculate the slurry prior to use in the trench. Water for slurry was pumped to the plant from the reservoir. The excavation began the day after arrival, and was completed in seven calendar days. For the subcontractor price of $32,000 (out of a total construction cost of $447,000), the slurry subcontractor provided the premixed slurry consisting of dry-mix polyacrylamide in mineral oil for the biopolymer slurry. The slurry was made by mixing 5-gallon buckets of premixed slurry with water. The amount of premix and water was varied from 1:200 to 1:400. The mixing plant was run by a single operator under the supervision of the slurry specialists during the construction of the slurry trench. The equipment for excavating the trench included a Caterpillar 330 excavator, a Kobelco SK200 excavator, and a Caterpillar 950 wheel-loader to tram-trench spoils to a disposal area. The smaller excavator was used to place the filter sand in a tremie hopper to convey the sand into the trench with a minimum of segregation and disruption to the trench walls. The subcontractor worked with the general contractor crew and together they completed the trench excavation and backfilling. This permitted the s more efficient use of available equipment and operators without the need for redundant crews on site. The general contractor equipment and operators that worked on the slurry trench later completed the s rest of the berm earthwork after the subcontractor had demobilized. The trench wall had an estimated area of 3,400 square feet, for a specialty subcontractor cost of about $10/sf. The cost of the excavation equipment, operator and sand procurement added about another $10/sf to the filter cost. This compared favorably to $20 to $30 (typical) for mass excavation and backfill. Other Features of the Design Pipe clean-outs were specified at the upper end of the toe drain on both groins (the toe-drain daylights with a long-radius curve) to allow cleaning and inspection by video camera as routine maintenance. Current Reclamation specifications require a video camera inspection of a new toe drain upon completion of the drain. The purpose of the slurry trench was to filter foundation seepage. As an additional precaution against seepage which might have been occurring from the embankment into the abutments, although no evidence supported this possibility, the filter trench was extended up both groins to the elevation of observed seepage on the face of the embankment. The toe drain on the left groin added to the cost, but was considered preferable to returning at some later date if a problem were found. The toe drains flow along the toe from the abutments into a centrally located inspection well containing Parshall flumes that measure and transmit flow measurement readings. Included in the inspection well are sedimentation traps that are periodically monitored for the collection of sediments. There have been no reports of significant accumulations. Reclamation historically has used single-stage and two-stage filters for seepage remediation. A singlestage filter is broadly graded and acts as both filter and drain. A two-stage filter has a separate sand filter and a separate gravel drain. Although two-stage filters are more expensive, they better restrict the migration of fines and sands through them because of their narrower gradations and they have greater long-term reliability and predictability. A two-stage filter was specified for Wasco Dam, in accordance with Reclamation design standards, based on the well-known Cedergren criteria incorporated into Reclamation design standards7. In this design, the sand filters the foundation alluvium, and the gravel
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U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Design Standards, Embankment Dams No. 13.5.8., and Cedergren Seepage, Drainage, and Flow Nets, 3rd ed., p 154.

(containing the toe-drain pipe) filters the sand. The two-stage design allowed placement of narrowly/moderately graded sand (Cu = 4) in the slurry trench without segregation. A single-stage filter would have required greater care in placement of the filter material to prevent segregation. Discussion of Construction Issues The sand and gravel in the two-stage filter must meet the gradation specification, free of significant contamination, to perform as designed. The width of the slurry trench was specified as 3.0 feet and appeared to be wide enough so that any minor caving that occurred did not affect performance. On small jobs, such as this, the job may be finished by the time the contractor has learned the correct slurry level and excavation technique to control caving, so it is prudent to specify a slightly higher trench width than required for filtration so that there is a higher degree of confidence that contamination will not affect filter performance. Good knowledge of the subsurface geology was critical to avoid construction delays and possible claims. Pre-construction reports and logs were excellent sources and were studied by competent geologists. Every detail of the excavation was studied by the designer, so that the correct excavation equipment could be specified. Knowing that the bedrock was no deeper than 20 feet, the specifications required an excavator with a stick able to reach 25 feet. Excavation underwater allowed no geologic logging of the trench and increased the difficulty of verifying that the excavation had proceeded to refusal. The equipment operator had to be trusted to feel when the bucket hit refusal. An unexpected large boulder above bedrock can cause the excavation to stop short of the target. A poorly maintained excavator with leaking hydraulic seals or a weak hydraulic pump could have reduced the power available to dislodge cobbles and to scrape the bottom of the trench at full boom. Some surficial cracks appeared in the ground surface, which was probably due to local instability, and although the cracks appeared unstable, large-scale caving was not seen (Photo No. 2). Considering that the soils where primarily sand, gravel, cobbles, and boulders, the trench walls were remarkable stable and nearly vertical. Slurry trench excavation was more difficult and slower on the sloped surface proceeding up the right groin. Constructing temporary benches to withstand the slurry pressure and support the weight of the excavating equipment had safety implications and was time consuming. The specifications showed a series of three stepped benches to accomplish this and required the contractor to submit a plan showing how this would be accomplished. In the lower two benches slurry was used but in the upper bench the contractor

found that the trench stayed open without the use of slurry probably a function of a shallower trench and lower groundwater levels. Placing a sand filter in the groin with slurry excavation resulted in much less excavation into the embankment than would have occurred with traditional mass excavation. The contractor began the slurry excavation midway up the groin, but in retrospect should have begun on the toe because the knowledge gained with the soils present would have been instructive for working on the more difficult groin. Slurry trench excavation on long sloped surfaces may not be cost-competitive with other placement methods and the costs should be studied carefully. The sand was placed in the trench with a contractor designed tremie that minimized the drop height. As noted earlier, segregation was not a concern as much as was low density pockets of sand forming. There was no evidence of low density pockets. Pumping of the hypochlorite solution used to degrade the polyacrylamide caused settlements observed to be 4 to 6 inches at the surface that probably consolidated any low density pockets. Photo No. 3 shows the slurry trench under construction looking from the left abutment toward the right abutment. Note the benches on the right abutment. The location and depth of the toe drain was documented on as-built drawings after the construction was completed. This is sometimes overlooked, to the chagrin of the owner when repairs may be required in later years. Although the toe drain was located above the bottom of the excavated filter trench, the design intent was satisfied: the toe drain lowered the phreatic surface at the toe and prevented seepage through the downstream face, and the foundation filter below the toe drain filtered seepage through the foundation. The success of the filter and drain modification was shown by: 1) the dry ground at the toe of the dam and elimination of seepage on the downstream face (caused by a lowering of the phreatic surface, as shown in Figure No. 1, 2), 2) the lack of sand or fines deposited in the sediment trap in the inspection well, i.e., the filter prevented piping of materials, and 3) the piezometer readings showing that the filter was not raising the phreatic surface behind the filter, i.e., the filter was sufficiently permeable. In addition, the foundation filter below the toe drain provided filtration where observation was not possible. CONCLUSION Slurry trench excavation was used successfully on Wasco Dam to construct a foundation filter. The benefits of slurry excavation, compared to mass-excavation, were: 1) elimination of dewatering (and

stream discharge permits), 2) reduced construction time and lowered construction cost, 3) no cost overruns, 4) reduced concerns over embankment stability during construction, 5) ability to work within a confined space, 6) optimum location of the foundation filter trench, and 7) increased safety because no personnel in trench where in the trench. The filter has operated for one full season since construction, satisfying piping criteria (no evidence of fines or sands piping into the measured toe-drain flows), and satisfying permeability criteria (evidenced by no seepage on the downstream face of the embankment and no ponding at the toe. The slurry contractor fee was about 8% of the total construction contract cost. The slurry excavation s was the first item of work performed and was done in one week, and the slurry subcontractor was able to demobilize quickly to allow other work to begin. Coupled with good site geology information, an experienced slurry subcontractor, good coordination with the general contractor, and a good inspection crew, the excavation proceeded with no interruptions. Future Reclamation applications may explore the placement of geotextiles and toe drain pipes in the bottom of the slurry trench, and deeper and longer excavations at sites with accommodating subsurface geology. This project showed the economic feasibility, constructability and benefits of using slurry construction on other small dams where foundation seepage problems require remediation.