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Shear beauty of the Franschhoek Pass

SUMMARY deep-seated slope failure on the lower


The Franschhoek Pass (R45) is one of western flank of the pass. The solution in- Frans van der Merwe Pr Eng
Engineer: Geotechnics
South Africa’s iconic mountain passes, volved the use of an unconventional slope
SMEC South Africa
serving as a gateway to the Overberg. The stabilisation method synchronous with frans.vandermerwe@smec.com
year 2013 saw numerous cases of slope the surrounding environment (Figure 1).
instability along the route due to unsea-
sonably high rainfall. In response, SMEC INTRODUCTION
South Africa (Pty) Ltd was tasked by the The history of the Franschhoek Pass, Charles Warren-Codrington
Western Cape Department of Transport which is a vital link between the small Engineer: Geotechnics
and Public Works with repairing damaged towns of Franschhoek and Villiersdorp, SMEC South Africa
charles.warren-codrington@smec.com
drainage infrastructure and road sur- stretches back to the early 18th century
facing, implementing erosion-mitigation when a route over the Middagkransberg
measures and stabilising a progressive, was sought by Lord Charles Somerset,

Figure 1: Overview of the primary slope stabilisation works set against a backdrop of the Franschhoek Valley

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the governor of the Cape Colony from
1814 to 1826. Completed in 1825, the
Franschhoek Pass is one of South Africa’s
oldest roads, along which South Africa’s
oldest operational bridge traverses Jan
Joubert’s Gat. Legend has it that a route
over the Middagkransberg was cut into
the mountain side following a popular
elephant migration path, dubbing the
route Oliphants Pad for almost 150 years.
Whether accurate or not, it was these
cuttings that were a major cause for
concern almost 190 years on, following
unseasonably high rainfall in the region
during the latter half of 2013. Surficial
instability in the form of ravelling and
rock falls was prevalent, resulting in a
breakdown of the road drainage infra-
structure, severe scouring, and, in a gully
on the lower western flank, a deep-seated
slope failure.
Remediation measures to reinstate the
safety of the route and mitigate the risk of Figure 2: Unseasonably high rainfall resulted in rock falls, erosion and
future instability-related problems were scouring along the Franschhoek Pass in November 2013
required. These comprised:
■ The stabilisation of a scoured embank-
ment (Figure 2) by means of an an-
chored gabion wall
■ Steel meshing of several cuttings to
mitigate future ravelling
■ Reinstating and improving sections of
the route’s road drainage, including dis-
sipater structures, culverts and debris
barriers
■ Shear reinforcement, by means of soil
nails and high tensile strength steel wire
mesh, of the progressive deep-seated
slope failure along the lower western
flank (the primary focus of this article).
Figure 3: A soil nail and high-tensile strength steel mesh configuration was used to
AN UNCONVENTIONAL APPROACH stabilise the lower reaches of the slope undergoing a progressive, deep-seated failure.
In the design for the remediation of the Dyed sprayed concrete and soil nails were used on the upper reaches. Erosion control mats
deep-seated failure on the western flank, and 12 m inclined purpose-made subsoil drains were used to control seepage
the need to avoid the use of unsightly
concrete anchoring blocks and retaining
walls required an unconventional and
multi-faceted approach, as outlined below
(and illustrated in Figure 3).
■ Optimisation of the slope geometry 1.090
to reduce the slope’s gradient, while
not compromising the slope’s stability
through disturbance to the toe of the
slope – this resulted in a shallow lower
slope and a steeper upper slope.
■ Tecco® high-tensile strength steel wire
mesh, four times stronger than normal
steel wire mesh, was used together with
Figure 4: A combination of limit equilibrium and finite element method modelling techniques
large steel anchor plates on the lower were used to evaluate overall slope stability, as well as the structural capacity of the soil
portion of the slope where anchor loads nails and high-strength steel mesh based on different soil nail spacing, diameter and lengths,
were greatest. groundwater conditions and external loads; this was carried out in accordance with SANS 10160

38 April 2016 Civil Engineering


■ A hydro-seeded erosion control mat surficial rock support system to that of a of rainfall, the groundwater table rises,
was placed between the subsoil and global soil instability problem. However, leading to an increase in pore-water pres-
high-strength steel mesh to mini- this was not without its challenges, most sure and an associated loss in the shear
mise erosion and to aid in the timely notably the numerical modelling of strength of soils. The converse is true for
revegetation of the slope. matric suction and partially saturated soil completely dry soil fabrics. However, this
■ On the upper, steeper portion of the conditions – a common phenomenon in behaviour relates to just two extreme lim-
slope, sprayed concrete was required. decomposed quartzite, granite and talus iting conditions of a soil.
By using various dyes the mottled effect slopes – some details of which are pre- The traditional soil mechanics ap-
closely matched the surrounding soils, sented in the following section. proach was inadequate in describing the
thus providing an aesthetic, pseudo- behaviour of the slope failure, due to its
natural finish. SOME NUMERICAL MODELLING partially saturated nature and the central
■ The surface and subsurface drainage CHALLENGES role that matric suction plays in such
was improved, thus reducing pore- Groundwater is one of the main factors scenarios.
water pressures acting on the failure responsible for slope failures. However, The effect of matric suction is de-
plane. To this effect 12 m deep quantifying its influence accurately can picted graphically in Figure 5 in the
perforated-pipe-and-geotextile drains be challenging. During extended periods extended Mohr-Coulomb plot whereby
were inserted at regular intervals at
several different levels into the slope at
an inclined angle. The surface drainage
was improved by providing a cut-off φ’
trench over the crest of the slope, and
by providing benches to the slope with
drainage channels on each step to col-
lect and rapidly discharge the collected
water.
In order to ensure that the mesh-and- φ’
soil-nail solution worked as intended
– by distributing the high anchor loads
anticipated into the mesh – detailed
analyses of both the geotechnical and
structural elements were required. This
was particularly important, as this system
is conventionally used for shallow super- Figure 5: Extended Mohr-Coulomb failure envelope for unsaturated soils
ficial failures and thus would result in (Fredlund 2012)
over-stressing of the mesh if poorly de-
signed. In addition, as the load deflection
properties of the mesh are specific to the
site conditions, nail spacing, mesh-soil in-
teraction and the associated yield stresses,
detailed geotechnical and structural
analysis were required to ensure that the
design would function as intended.
The geo-structural components were
modelled utilising Limit Equilibrium
(LE) and Finite Element Method (FEM)
software to ensure the integrity of the
chosen system, and that each component
integrated with the overall geotechnical
solution. The nails were spaced and sized
according to these results. Results of one
of the Ultimate Limit State (ULS) analyses
are illustrated in Figure 4.
Thereafter, structural FEM modelling
of the mesh was undertaken to evaluate
the yield characteristics, considering the
specific soil interface at specific applied
loads, whilst varying the spike plate sizes
and nail spacing.
This in-depth numerical modelling fa- Figure 6: Structural FEM analysis incorporating pressures from the
cilitated the application of an established geotechnical FEM analysis

40 April 2016 Civil Engineering


(u a – uw) . tan(φb) results in an increased mesh and to ensure an extended drainage ■ The inlet allowed by a standard
apparent cohesion and associated in- profi le (Figure 5). polymer grid was too small and
crease in shear strength. u a , uw and φb After assessing the effect that clogged easily. Once clogged, the
denote the respective atmospheric and matric suction has on reducing the lat- water would overshoot the inlet,
pore-water pressures, and φb the unsatu- eral pressures, the high-strength steel causing significant scouring of the
rated shear strength angle. Th is influence mesh was modelled in structural FEM road shoulder and side drains. Th is
is often ignored during design due to the software to assess the moments that was overcome by redesigning the inlet
nature of uw to fluctuate, through infi l- would develop in the mesh, as shown in with a narrow slot, and off setting this
tration of groundwater, over the service Figure 6. This was an iterative process within a channelled collector dish.
life of the slope. which involved revisiting the geotech- ■ Furthermore, rock falls and ravelling
Based on the results of back analyses nical FEM models and changing the in the vicinity of the stormwater inlets
and sensitivity evaluations, the drainage nail spacing to reduce pressures, and were deemed to pose an elevated risk
measures implemented on the reme- the associated moments, to acceptable to the functioning of the inlets, as de-
dial slope were designed specifically to levels. In other parts of the world the bris can overwhelm the inlet. Keeping
minimise infi ltration of groundwater. mesh has been doubled up where mo- the inlets open and operational was
Following this, various FEM seepage ments cannot be controlled sufficiently. considered key to the functioning of
models, incorporating soil nails and mesh, the stormwater drainage system and
were constructed to assess the effect of DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE AND minimising damage after heavy rain-
the drainage measures on the water table. ANCILLARY WORKS fall events. Subsequently, at identified
Thereafter matric suction functions, in- A number of stormwater inlet and outlet inlets, the slopes above the inlets were
corporating the Soil-Water Characteristic structures were damaged during the stabilised and or protected from erosion,
Curve (SWCC), were used in the FEM flood events. These were redesigned as either through the provision of gabion-
analysis to assess the increase in stability follows, fi rstly to protect them from theft type structures, or more commonly by
due to negative pore-water pressures. The and vandalism, and secondly to make providing localised steel mesh.
slope geometry was optimised further to the standard provincial design purpose- ■ Dissipating structures were constructed
reduce the effect of overburden pressures suited to the particular challenges faced in regions of concentrated flow to
exerted on the high-tensile strength steel on the project: prevent scouring of inlet and outlet

Civil Engineering April 2016 41


structures and the subsequent under- implemented along the pass. ■ With access to the face of the slope
mining of the road pavement. being difficult, the design solution was
■ Where sprayed concrete was necessary, CONSTRUCTION CHALLENGES tailored for the use of light drilling
this was coloured and shaped to blend Due to the urgent nature of the project, equipment which could be operated by
in with the natural slope. the contract was let out on the basis of a hand, using rope access and harnesses
Retaining walls, with the primary pur- preliminary design for which certain vari- on the slope. This equipment had been
pose of preventing rock debris from ables would need to be confi rmed once developed by the contractor, Penny-
infringing the road, were also required. the contractor had established himself farthing (Pty) Ltd, on previous projects,
These were cladded with packed sand- on the site. This emergency project thus and could therefore be tailored for use
stone rock on the road side to match required on-site design inputs during on this particular slope geometry and
the surrounding mountainside and the construction, with regular oversight or soil nail dimensions.
existing historic dry stone walling along advice from specialist design engineers to ■ As part of the hydro-seeding opera-
the route. However, there existed a risk assist in the on-site problem-solving. This tions, small pockets were excavated
that the cladding could delaminate, espe- was all overseen by the project manager/ into the face of the slope where seeds
cially after an impact. The cladding was engineer who collaborated and kept in and topsoil could be placed, as the
therefore monolithically cast into the regular contact with the client to ensure excavated slope was not an appro-
retaining wall. that his interests were also met. priate growing medium. The slope
Figures 7(a) to (c) illustrate a few of Notwithstanding this, a number of was subsequently hydro-seeded before
the drainage measures and other works construction challenges were faced: a biodegradable erosion control mat

a b c

Figure 7(a), (b) and (c): Improved culvert inlets, energy dissipaters, and stone-clad retaining walls were a few of the measures put in place to
improve the drainage of stormwater along the route

Figure 8: Tailored drilling plant and installation methods were used to ensure a safe and efficient construction sequence for the soil nails

42 April 2016 Civil Engineering


was placed over the seeds, followed by A gradation system was created whereby illustrated this clearly, and showed that a
the mesh. slope stabilisation and other interventions multidisciplinary design team and design
■ In one instance a natural gully on the were focused on higher-risk and/or high- approach, integrated with the contracting
slope needed to be protected from ero- frequency areas. party throughout construction, can reduce
sion, requiring geotechnical stabilisation. The design team formed an integral this uncertainty, resulting in the delivery of
The high-tensile strength steel mesh and part of the construction monitoring, a holistic solution.
erosion control mat was not suited to thereby ensuring that designed elements
high concentrated flows, so this was inte- were suited to the conditions, as some of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
grated subsequently with a bolted down these, due to the nature of the project, The authors would like to thank the
reno-mattress to achieve a strengthened only became evident once areas were Western Cape Department of Transport
mesh facing and the flexible erosion solu- cleared or opened up during construction. and Public Works, notably Mr Llewellyn
tion offered by the reno-mattress. The final solution was a direct product Truter, for kindly allowing the publica-
Figure 8 illustrates the challenging working of the quality of the design process and tion of this article. George Kustner,
conditions, the novel drilling techniques the adaptability thereof to suit conditions project manager, Fernando Pequenino,
and the plant that had been developed. on site, coupled with rigorous quality geotechnical lead, and Johnny Neethling,
assurance monitoring. This attests to engineer’s representative, are also acknowl-
RISK MANAGEMENT the value of maintaining close contact edged for their valuable contribution to the
The project is highly visible and recog- between the geotechnical design team, delivery of this project.
nisable, and the design involved the use the site personnel and the contractor
of a number of innovations in order to throughout construction.
PROJECT DATA
effectively mitigate, at a reasonable cost,
a proportion of the risk associated with CONCLUSION Client: Western Cape Department of
the frequent failures. Ultimately, as with Geotechnical problems are inherently high Transport and Public Works
most underground and geotechnically in uncertainty, requiring solutions that are Engineer: SMEC South Africa (Pty) Ltd
related projects, the solution cannot effective, but adaptable. The stabilisation Contractor: Penny-farthing (Pty) Ltd
be both practical and risk free without of a progressive slope failure and drainage Value of works: R30 million
becoming too robust and uneconomical. improvement on the Franschhoek Pass

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