Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 10
Evaluating Seismic Stability
of Embankment Dams
10.1. Introduction
10.1.1.
AtributetoJeanBiarez
Sometimes Jean Biarez began teaching with a newspaper. He would read and
then comment upon the latest engineering incident. With these news items, that were
likely to capture our attention, he would lead us to think critically about the overall
behavior of the ground and the embedded structure. He pointed out that, well
beyond formulae and regulations, the first rule in geotechnical engineering was
observation. In this respect, his own work was exemplary: he contributed to soil
mechanics by setting up a framework to solve the problems posed by the
contradictions and enigmas between site observation and laboratory testing.
At a time when dams were hardly analyzed, dam failures provided Biarez with
many lessons that he transformed into teaching material. As a member of the panel
of technical experts following the double dam failures at Malpasset and Vajont, he
contributed to developing the critical expertise required by the Permanent Technical
Committee on Large Dams in France, which considered that each site or each dam
was unique, hence requiring unique expertise. For decades, Biarez has been a model
to engineers educated in France, who through experience and critical thinking try to
obtain the particular solution suited to each site. Rather than apply the many existing
standards and recommendations, he encouraged us to collect many observations, to
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