Advancing Earth Dam and Levee Sustainability through Monitoring Science and Condition Assessment

Colorado School Of Mines, Golden CO

Investigators

Abstract

In this project, researchers from Colorado School of Mines, Mississippi State University and the University of Mississippi are collaborating with Dutch and French researchers to advance education and research in the sustainability of earth dams and levees (EDLs). This international partnership will pursue research and education on multi-scale monitoring science to enable a sustainable future for the vast worldwide array of earth dams and levees. EDLs are critical infrastructure that provides flood protection, fresh water storage and renewable energy to developed and developing nations. The science and engineering community knows relatively little about: (1) the internal condition of EDLs, (2) their interaction with the natural environment, and (3) how they will perform with climate change. This partnership aims to improve understanding in these 3 areas through an integrated social-environmental-economic-technical approach to EDL sustainability research and education. The research is broadly interdisciplinary (8 disciplines) and will advance understanding in the following areas: (1) passive geophysical imaging to noninvasively assess conditions within EDLs, including internal erosion; (2) airborne and space borne remote sensing for assessing important surface features of EDLs and surrounding landscape; (3) characterization of levee interaction with surrounding natural environment, including the benefit of natural landscapes; (4) EDL health assessment, early warning of damage and prediction of performance due to climate change; (5) social, economic and policy approaches to EDLs and risk tolerance across countries and cultures; (6) cost-benefit of incorporating monitoring systems into EDLs and how it influences policy on risk tolerance. The research and education plan immerses participating graduate students in EDL sustainability education through rich interactions with European researchers, study abroad and research-intensive visits to these countries, sustainability coursework and interdisciplinary seminar. Graduate students will pursue a minor in EDL sustainability and will devote a chapter of their thesis/dissertation towards economic and societal aspects of EDL sustainability. The benefits of the proposed research are potentially very broad. EDL sustainability is a global issue that affects practically everyone through flood protection, clean water supply and hydropower. The project is funded by NSF's Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE) through the PIRE.