Seminar - Anirban De - Geotechnical aspects of New Orleans levee failures during Hurricane Katrina

Tuesday 1 September 2009, 1.10 pm - 1.55 pm
Civil Engineering Lecture Theatre 3

The School of Civil Engineering is pleased to welcome Anirban De, from Manhattan College, NY, USA.

Abstract:
Several civil engineering factors contributed to the disastrous failures of floodwalls and levees in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. My presentation will focus on those factors that were geotechnical in nature, primarily related to site characterization and design. The original investigations conducted at the time the floodwalls were designed will be discussed, along with post-Katrina investigations, to find what lessons can be learned from the disaster. The original design of the flood protection system will be discussed. This presentation is especially targeted towards civil engineering students, who have completed introductory courses in soil mechanics and foundation design to understand the role of proper site characterization and design.