Professor Michele Jamiolkowski, Politecnico di Torino
Michele Jamiolkowski began his academic career in 1969 at the Department of Geotechnical Engineering, University of Torino, Italy where he is currently Professor Emeritus. In 1979 he was one of the founders of the first Doctorate Programme in Geotechnical Engineering in Italy. In 1964 he founded the Engineering Consulting Company “Studio Geotecnico Italiano”.
He is author of over 200 publications and reports and holds many prestigious awards, including the De Beer Award from the Belgium Geotechnical Association, the Karl Terzaghi and Ralph B. Peck Lecture Awards from the ASCE, and the Italian “Saviour of the Art” Award. Since 1988 he has been Honourable International Member of the Japanese Geotechnical Association. He served as President of the ISSMFE (1994 - 1997) as well as the International Committee for Safeguarding the Leaning Tower of Pisa (1990 - 2001).
He is Foreign Associate of the US National Academy for Engineering, Corresponding Member of the Polish Academy of Sciences, International Member of the Group of Consultants for the European Bank involved in reconstruction and development of the nuclear power plant in Chernobyl (1998 - current), Chairman of the International Panel of Experts for the Zelazny Most tailings pond (1991 - present) and Member of the National Lagrangian Academy of Sciences.
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Date
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20 MARCH 2013
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Time
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17:30 - 19:30
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Event Type
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Associated Society
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Soil Mechanics and the observational method: Challenges at the Zelazny Most copper tailings disposal facility
Geotechnical and geophysical methods used for site characterization, as well as instrumentation for geotechnical monitoring, have advanced enormously in recent decades. As a consequence, a deeper understanding of the mechanical and physical properties of natural deposits, including their spatial variability in situ, is now possible. Modern monitoring systems allow the observational method to be applied to a greater range of situations with increasing confidence.
The combined use of modern soil mechanics and the observational method often represent the only viable option for tackling the challenges posed by large or unusual structures in difficult geological and geotechnical environments. This is particularly the case when the duration of the project allows one to maximise the benefits of applying the observational method. The lecture will illustrate this with reference to the long-term project at Zelazny Most, Poland, the largest tailings storage facility in Europe and one of the largest of its kind in the world.
Construction of the Zelazny Most tailings dam commenced in 1977 and up to 2012, 506 million cubic metres of tailings have been stored. The 14.3 km long ring-dam has reached heights of between 31 and 60 m and current plans are to raise it by a further 15 m. Significant geotechnical hazards have been identified about 20 years ago and now two dam sections are being monitored. The monitoring has showed the commencement of horizontal displacements along deep shear planes which are a result of glacio-tectonic phenomena during three major periods of glaciation. These displacements are continuing and are of great concern to all involved in the project.
Contact Shelagh Fleming at
bga@britishgeotech.org.uk or 020 7665 2007 for further information.
Please visit the BGA website at
www.britishgeotech.org.uk for further information
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