Assessing Slope Behaviour of Reservoirs - M'Jara Case

Abstract

The  objective  of  studying  reservoir  slope  behaviour   is  not   only   to  detect   pré-existing and  potential  sliding  areas  with   disastrous   consequences,   but  also  to  foresee  the  nature  and  extension of constructed and natural environment damage.

The method used for the Morocco M'Jara reservoir study (storage volume 3800 Mm3, 180 km perimeter) covered the following steps: (1) inventary and delimitation of potential sliding areas,

(2) classification of sliding risks, (3) volume evaluation of sliding masses, (4) failure mechanisms and sliding velocities predictions, (5) detailed analysis of critical zones {sloping foundations for structures and roads along the reservoir), (6) estimate of water waves sizes, that may be generated by land sliding into the reservoir, including propagation towards the dam and runup for overtopping risk evaluation.