Geotechnical considerations for coastal reservoirs

Abstract

Geotechnology and geotechnical schemes have a significant role to play in conserving the water. This chapter highlights the importance of geotechnology in surface and subsurface water storage and in coastal reservoirs. Groundwater hydrology, soil/rock characteristics and permeability are the major factors governing the efficiency of water storage techniques in the ground. The innovative materials for construction of water storage schemes in the ground and for lining are briefly discussed. The chapter further discusses the concept of the subsurface dike or underground dams and its applicability in storing a large amount of water underground and in check seawater intrusion. The role of geotechnology in construction and maintenance of coastal reservoirs is discussed in detail. Different dike construction methods are discussed considering recent developments on techniques and materials. The major geotechnical components in the design and construction of coastal reservoirs are the stability of sea dike and settlement of the soil below the dike. The geotechnical parameters and the concepts of checking the stability factor of safety and settlement calculations are presented in this chapter. The coastal reservoirs must be safe against earthquakes, and deterministic estimation of seismic hazard is introduced briefly at the end. © 2020 Elsevier Inc.