Complex Geotechnical Engineering for a Levee Project-Video

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Video Summary

The presentation covers the geotechnical design and ongoing construction of the Paddy’s Run pump station, part of Louisville’s 26-mile levee system. The station’s capacity is being upgraded from about 900 to 1,900 million gallons per day, while the existing station remains operational and flood protection is maintained.<br /><br />Key challenges included a constrained site, a 50-foot levee, weak clay over deep alluvial sands, high groundwater, and uneven loading. A 1,200-mm-thick diaphragm wall provides a dry excavation and seepage cutoff, with rock sockets and load-bearing elements supporting the permanent structure.<br /><br />Construction uses a top-down sequence: excavation proceeds in stages as concrete capping beams, struts, walers, and the base slab are installed. Temporary bracing and plunge columns support the wide excavation. The design team used Plaxis modeling to evaluate soil-structure interaction, pore pressures, and stresses locked into the walls during construction. The project illustrates the importance of coordinating temporary construction stages with the permanent design.

Keywords

geotechnical design

pump station upgrade

diaphragm wall

top-down construction

soil-structure interaction