Career Episode I

CE 1.1 On my first episode, I am going to present the Project which I was involved
with in the year of 2010 during six months. The Project was consisted on a
feasibility/basic design of a 12 MW Pequena Central Eletrica PCH (Small
Hydroelectric Dam). That PCH is located in the State of Rondonia, North of
Brazil, and it belongs to Centrais Hidreltricas Taboca Ltda. Two offices had
worked on this project: Earth works designed by Solosconsult Engenharia,
which I was on a full time basis geotechnical engineer and CAD Engenharia,
a structure engineer office.

CE 1.2 Brazil is the second-largest producer of hydroelectric power in the world. The
country depends on hydroelectricity for more than 75% of its electric power
supply. Much of Brazil's hydroelectric potential lies in the country's Amazon
River basin in the north, which helps the growth of local area away from the
big southern metropolis.

CE1.3 In a context of abundant natural resources, as well as water ressources,

Hydropower company Taboca Ltda lodged to the Governmental authorities
presenting the feasibility Studies of PCH Cachimbo Alto, belonging
to River Amazon Basin and Sub-basin of Madeira River, at the State of
Rondnia.

CE 1.4 The project consists in delivering studies to the Governmental

Authorities including complete plans and reference to standard specifications,
hydrology studies, determination of dam alignment, reservoirs, flood area
management, borrow areas, social and environmental considerations. My role
was to determine the best layout for the dam, combining Principal Engineer
experience knowledge and Cad and Mapping Softwares, also to determine
catchments areas and flow peaks, flood hydrograph to the water management
team. On the basic project itself I was in charge to determine borrow areas,
define in-fill material and slopes, seepage and security of the dam using Finite
Elements Method (FEM) softwares,

CE 1.5 I worked for Solosconsult Ltda as a geotechnical engineer and suposed to

report to the Senior Engineers. The organizational structure of Solosconsult
consisted in:
CE 1.6 In the beginning of the project my activities were to determine an alignment in
order to suit the Government Specifications: the river basin Taboca is located
in the State of Rondonia, a region largely inhabited by indigenous people. This
region under special attention from the National Indian Foundation (FUNAI),
towards the demarcation of land for preservation of indigenous
people and their culture.

CE 1.7 Having in mind this reality, it was made a preliminary consultation to FUNAI, in
order to preserve any kind of probable conflicts upon those lands of our
studies. Having a digital mapping from the area made by others, combined to
demarcation land by FUNAI, I created a few option where the alignment of the
dam could be. Seniors and principal decided the final decision of its location.
Still using mapping technology I gave options of borrow areas for the clay core
of the dam and determined field investigation programs to evaluate the
drainage and strength conditions of the soil tested.

CE 1.8 After Lab tests on-site visits and senior experience, Typical Sections were
chosen by the seniors engineers, a clay-core and 23 meters high dam. I was
in charge to analyze their option by using the input soil strength from lab results
and 2d modelling of the typical section and to determine its safety factor. In
general earth dams it should be designed in accordance to the slopes of
upstream and downstream face sure of being flat enough to limit shear stress
of the embankment with an adequate factor of safety, and avoid freely
seepage occurring erosion of the toe. The critical stages in an upstream slope
are at the end of construction and during rapid drawdown. The critical stages
for the downstream slope are at the end of construction and during steady
seepage when the reservoir is full.

CE 1.9 By following these premises, I was in charge to certify a Factor of safety (FS)
of the slopes using limit equilibrium softwares. The modeling consists into
determine deterministic input of material strength and coefficient of seepage
from Triaxial (CU & UU) lab tests. The soil strength is based on the Mohr-
Coulomb soil model and need to be evaluate from mohrs circles results from
Traixial tests. The Software gives output using The simplified Bishop method,
which uses the method of slices to discretize the soil mass and determine the
FS.
CE 1.10 In addition to that, I was in charge to determine seepage flow through the
embankment in the use of FEM softwares and soil seepage characteristics. All
the water from the embankment and foundation must be lead to internal
drains in order to avoid free flow of the water, occurance of toe erosions
known as piping. Given the flow rate of the output from the FEM software it
is possible to determine internal drains by using coarse material
characteristics and ensure transitions materials to compose its filter in order to
ovoid carrying out materials. The Design of the drainage follows Darcys Law
and the determination of velocities.

CE 1.11 On a final Report I presented studies for three important conditions of a

Hydroeletric Dam Lifetime:

End of construction where most slope failures occur. Pore water pressures
depend on the placement water content in the way the fill is a big concern for
this condition, so its important to have an effective stress parameters for the
infill material, since a total stress analysis would result in an over conservative
design. An effective stress analysis is therefore preferred.

Steady seepage when the reservoir has been full for some time, conditions of
steady seepage establishes, with the soil below the top flow line (phreatic
level) in the fully saturated state. Internal erosion is a particular danger when
the reservoir is full, because it can arise and develop within a relatively short
time, seriously impairing the safety of the dam.

Rapid drawdown of the reservoir after a condition of steady seepage will result
in a change in the pore water pressure distribution. If the permeability of the
soil is low, a drawdown period measured in weeks may be 'rapid' in relation to
the dissipation time and the change in pore water pressure.

CE 1.12 The slope and seepage analysis report elaborated by me was reviewed by
senior engineers and it was part of secondary studies like design of the
catchments channel, bench superficial drainage of the slopes, and definition
of instruments safety plan, using instruments like Piezometers and
displacements plates.

CE 1.13 After the approval of the government authorities, our project was eligible to
detail on its next stage. This came to certify our job in order to follow its
premises of being valuable enough to the National improvement by helping
new families to have quality service of energy..

CE 1.14 Our difficulties were to deal with such a delicate area of my country, an
indigenous land, a very delicate matter of cultural responsibility . The main
concern of our work was to deliver a good service to our client offering the
guarantee of a safe condition to our historical culture. I believe that I did my
best and I am sure the skills of engineering and soil mechanics of mine were
dedicated at all to achieve those so important goals.