Both January and February severe earthquakes provoked land slides on the natural Ilopango Lake drain; consequently, the lake level rose 2m above its maximum level drawing entire communities and tourist facilities on the lake side. The ancient river flows thru one of the must active seismic faults of the area known as the Central Rip and was responsible for the mass destruction and casualties of the cities nearby.
In order to bring back the levels to their original ones, we were commissioned to design a drain system to fulfill these demands. 140,000,000 m3 had to be drained from the lake in such a fashion as no to provoke damages to the down river communities.
As it was economically not viable for the State o El Salvador to excavate the site to the original river bed, every structure had to be designed resting on soft soils, and to perform acceptable under these circumstances. |
