Integrated Geophysical and Packer Test for the Water Tightness Evaluation of Gullele Botanic Garden Dam Site, Northwest of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

Gullele Botanic Garden is one of the largest botanical gardens in Ethiopia, which is found northwest of Addis Ababa. For this garden, a dam was proposed to be constructed for irrigation and recreational purposes. The intended dam will have a height of 30 m and a dam axis length of around 180 m. The main objective of this work is to investigate and evaluate the engineering geological aspects of the proposed dam site based on detailed geological, geotechnical and geophysical investigations. The investigation conducted in the area includes, electrical resistivity imaging, VES, borehole drilling and single packer permeability test. Geologically the area is covered by the different volcanic rock such as ignimbrite, rhyolite, tuff, basalt, and residual soil; and geological structures such as joint, fracture, flow banding, and cooling joint. The dominant orientations of geological structures are N-S and E-W directions. Results from different investigations revealed that three geotechnical layers were identified. These are overburden (completely weathered ignimbrite and soil), highly to moderately weathered ignimbrite and moderately to slightly weathered ignimbrite rock mass. The rock mass permeability test from six boreholes has Lugeon values ranging from 0 to 9. The maximum Lugeon (permeability of the rock mass) values investigated at the left abutment and riverbed of the proposed dam site showed wash out and dilation behavior respectively. The permeability result indicates that possible seepage problem at left abutment, riverbed and reserviour of the proposed dam. Therefore, during the construction of the dam, those specific locations, which are identified as problematic areas, need effective ground improvement works and special monitoring.