Soil liquefaction engineering has evolved into a sub-field in its own right, and engineering assessment and mitigation of seismic soil liquefaction hazard is increasingly well addressed in both research and practice.

Over the past decade, major advances have occurred in both understanding and practice with regard to assessment and mitigation of hazard associated with seismically induced soil liquefaction. These materials are present throughout the Mississippi River Valley. The problem soil layers are alluvial fine-grained soils in the dam foundation that are expected to lose significant strength during a major earthquake. The studies included: development of the design earthquake ground motions field investigations including standard penetration testing, cone penetration testing, field vane shear testing, undisturbed sampling, and geophysical testing analysis of liquefaction potential using recently published recommendations evaluation of the post earthquake residual strength of the liquefiable soils using correlations of Cone Penetration Test (CPT) resistance to Field Vane Shear Test (VST) remolded strength and analysis of post-earthquake seismic stability and expected deformations using static equilibrium slope stability analyses, and two-dimensional nonlinear finite element analyses with the computer codes FLAC and TARA3. history, a seismic safety investigation is being performed to determine the expected response of the dam to a major earthquake. Its main function is flood control but it also provides for recreational activities.ĭue to its location near the New Madrid Seismic Zone, the source of three of the largest earthquakes in recorded U.S. Enid Dam is a rolled earth fill zoned embankment and is approximately 8,400 feet long and 85 feet in height above the valley floor. It is one of four flood control dams in the Yazoo River Basin Headwater Project. It is located in northern Mississippi approximately 12 miles south of the town of Batesville, Mississippi.

Army Corps of Engineers Dam constructed in the early 1950’s.

The enid flac