Geological Risks and Investigation Items for Mini Hydroelectric Power Plant Project

Structure Site Geological Risks Recommended Geological Investigation

Whole Site Uncertainty and • Geological mapping (walkover survey) based on
ambiguity of rocks large scale topographic maps with a scale of 1:500
and soils, and – 1:2,500
geological
structures
Intake Weir (or Instability of the • Drillings at both right and left banks and the middle
Dam) intake structure; point of the weir axis, and permeability tests
Permeability (Lugeon tests): at least 3 points in total
Waterway Instability of cut- • Drilling with SPT every 200 – 500 meter long and
(Open channel) slopes and structure sites such as culvert sections
embankments
Waterway Slope instability of • Seismic velocity survey (if possible)
(Tunnel) inlet and outlet • Drilling with SPT at the inlet and outlet portals: 2
portals; holes
Rock mass quality; • Drilling with permeability tests (Lugeon tests)
Permeability • Drilling with SPT and Lugeon test every 200 – 500
(sudden water meter long in the middle section of the tunnel.
influx); • Drilling with some in-situ tests such as SPT or
Faults and shear Lugeon test (at risky points such as fault shear
zones zones)
• Periodic (monthly) groundwater monitoring using
existing boreholes
Headpond Bearing capacity of • Drilling with SPT and permeability test (or
rock and soil sounding): at least 1 hole
Penstock Instability of slope; • Drilling with SPT
Bearing capacity of
rock and soil
Powerhouse and Instability of back- • Drilling with SPT in the back-slope: at least 1 hole
Tailrace slope; • Drilling with SPT and permeability (or Lugeon)
Bearing capacity of test at the powerhouse site: at least 1 hole
rock and soil • Drilling with SPT in the tailrace section: at least 1
hole
Others • Laboratory tests of rock and soil (physical and
mechanical tests)