Development of an Integrated Methodology for Assessing Integrity of Levees Protecting Natural Gas Infrastructure
Study will develop non-invasive geotechnical technology to assess the structural stability of levees protecting the Delta and the risk to natural gas infrastructure from their potential failure.
InfraTerra, Inc.
Recipient
Oakland, CA
Recipient Location
7th
Senate District
18th
Assembly District
$504,973
Amount Spent
Completed
Project Status
Project Result
This project has ended, and the final report has been published. The research team has developed levee models with increasing complexity consistent with Delta region levee profiles. Geophysical data was processed and preliminary cross plots of electrical resistivity and seismic shear wave velocity for one field study site were developed. This was accomplished by overlaying resistivity and velocity point-by-point and identifying soil type through a soils type database.
View Final ReportThe Issue
Levees in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta were built as simple peat dikes resting on marsh soils and are therefore highly vulnerable to damage from floods, wave action, seepage, subsidence, burrowing animals, earthquakes, and sea level rise. The structural integrity of levees in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) has for decades been a subject of investigations and continues to be a source of concern. This study leveraged a wealth of information from previous studies and optimized non-invasive geophysical data acquisition technologies to identify potential vulnerabilities of gas infrastructure to levee failures in the Delta.
Project Innovation
The Recipient developed a comprehensive Geographical Information System (GIS) database that includes three major data sets: geohazards, levee condition, and gas infrastructure. These data sets were combined to develop a map that delineates the Delta area into distinct regions with similar cumulative susceptibility for detailed geophysical data acquisition. Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data was used to identify and characterize the distribution of geohazards in conjunction with the database. Geophysical investigations were performed for these levees with four geophysical survey techniques to obtain complete subsurface and structural levee profiles and to develop an understanding of the most effective method(s) for identifying gas infrastructure vulnerabilities from the Delta levees and environment. The results of the geophysical investigation were validated by the GIS database and existing soil boreholes made by the Department of Water Resources. The research team conducted pipeline performance modeling to understand the vulnerabilities of the gas infrastructure within the Delta system.
Project Goals
Project Benefits
The project identified areas of high risk to gas infrastructure in the Delta and tested multiple geophysical methods for assessing levee integrity. This testing was conducted at several Delta sites and includes seismic surface wave surveying, electrical resistivity, ground penetrating radar, and electromagnetic surveying. The research team also conducted pipeline performance modeling to understand which potential levee breaches or geohazard impacts may cause pipeline failure. Understanding the thresholds where pipelines may perform well or fail is essential for fossil gas investor-owned utilities to (1) prioritize mitigation locations, and (2) allocate economic and work force resources where needed.

Reliability
The study used non-invasive geotechnical technology to develop a methodology for assessing the structural stability of levees protecting the Delta. Failure of these levees may affect gas pipelines and storage facilities.
Key Project Members

Ozgur Kozaci
Subrecipients

The Regents of the University of California, on behalf of the Berkeley Campus

The Regents of the University of California on behalf of the Los Angeles Campus

California State University, East Bay

Storesund Consulting

Match Partners

InfraTerra, Inc.
