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URQUHART STATION ASH PONDS

Beech Island, South Carolina

FME provided geotechnical services for Urquhart Station’s active ash ponds’ earthen perimeter containment system. At the time, Urquhart was a 650-megawatt coal-fired power station that burned 40 tons of coal and four billion cubic feet of natural gas per hour when running at full capacity. Coal fly ash from the plant operations were then processed in a series of two ponds. One pond was used for coal ash sluicing activities while the other was used as a polishing pond.

FME performed a subsurface exploration that included soil test borings with standard penetration tests and cone penetrometer soundings with static cone measurements and shear wave velocity determinations. FME conducted laboratory testing to characterize the soils for development of soil strength parameters and dynamic response parameters, and to characterize the ponds’ perimeter containment system and subsurface soil lithology.

FME also performed structural stability analysis for both static and seismic loading combinations. Analysis was accomplished utilizing seismic design specifications to assess the performance of the pond perimeter earth containment system when subjected to seismically-induced loading. To perform the analysis, FME established the design earthquake and ground motion for the site. Subsequently, FME developed a factor of safety of the dike system for the design loading due to the design earthquake. As part of the overall risk assessment multiple design scenarios were analyzed including the effects of rapid drawdown and liquefaction.