Working Round-the-Clock To Safely Repair the Oroville Dam
24/7 operations
We set up an accredited mobile lab and an onsite curing facility that operated 24/7 for continuous quality control and fast-tracked repairs.
Rapid response
Our field and laboratory technicians worked multiple shifts around the clock to meet the project’s tight timeframe.
Extensive testing
We provided extensive testing services, including field materials testing and laboratory testing of soils, aggregates, aggregate base, and concrete.
2017 saw Northern California experience its wettest winter in almost a century. After weeks of heavy rain, the Oroville Dam’s main and emergency spillways experienced a significant structural failure.
As the tallest earthen-filled dam in the United States, any structural fault risked widespread disruption – and endangered thousands of lives downstream. We were engaged by the Department of Water Resources to provide field and laboratory testing of soils, aggregates, aggregate base, and concrete for the repairs.
The Challenge
A combination of factors were identified as causes, including weaknesses in the spillway design and construction, poor bedrock quality, and deteriorated spillway chute conditions. With heavy rain creating more intense flows from the retained reservoir, over 180,000 residents downstream were evacuated.
Adding to the complexity of the challenge were time constraints. Any repairs needed to be finished by the start of the next season, meaning we had to work fast, without sacrificing quality or accuracy.
The Solution
Further erosion of the emergency spillway could potentially release a 30-foot-high wall of water downstream. As the quality control representative, the accuracy and responsiveness of our work was critical to meeting meeting deadlines and ensuring safety.
We established an onsite curing facility for concrete cylinders and an accredited mobile lab for 24/7 materials testing. We ensured technicians were onsite 24-hours a day with no gap in service. This contributed to the repairs being completed by the start of the next winter season in November 2017.
Why Certerra?
At Certerra, we have the capabilities and the expertise to go above and beyond for clients and communities. That’s why we are the partner of choice in materials engineering and the earth sciences.