Project Title

Geotechnical Assessment for the Leyte Geothermal Business Unit


Client

Energy Development Corporation


Location

Ormoc, Leyte

Energy Development Corporation Leyte Geothermal Business Unit (EDC LGBU) has been identified in previous seismic hazard assessments of AMH as the only business unit highly susceptible to faulting. This was validated when a magnitude 6.5 earthquake hit Leyte on July 6, 2017. The tremor was an extreme event such that even slopes with moderate landslide susceptibility ratings failed. Major facilities, such as power plants, pipelines, and access roads were heavily damaged.


AMH was commissioned by EDC to conduct a post-earthquake hazard assessment of several facilities affected. Nine (9) areas within the reservation were tagged as high risk areas, thus, detailed engineering was done to provide mitigation/reduction of possible recurrence of hazards. Soil nailing system, mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) wall, micropiles as cut-off wall, and slope regrading were proposed as landslide mitigating measures. Moreover, rapid geohazard assessments were conducted on other areas tagged as low to moderate risk areas, providing short, and long term recommendations.