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Metro to Russ Means 3 November 14, 2007 <br />Bulkhead Cost Estimate File No. M-2007-044 <br />The overburden pressure is the product of the height and the density of the rock overlying the bulkhead. <br />Caterpillar (1993) provides a density for shale of 104 pounds per cubic foot. The minimum height of <br />overburden cover for the bulkhead to prevent hydrofracing can be calculated as follows: <br />__ y x H BP <br />X 06 144in' l ft' 2 <br />where: y= rock density in pounds per cubic foot <br />H = height of overburden in feet <br />Solving for H yields: <br />H 72 x BP <br />= <br />y <br />For the proposed main bulkhead the required minimum overburden height to prevent hyrofracing is 44 feet <br />for the 104 pcf overburden rock densisty and the 64 psi maximum hydraulic pressure, as follows: <br />H _ 72 x 64 _ 44 feet <br />104 <br />This design criterion is exceeded at the location of the proposed main bulkhead where the overburden <br />height is approximately 470 feet. <br />Design for Hydraulic Pressure Gradient, Main Bulkhead <br />The pressure gradient across a bulkhead is the hydraulic pressure, in feet, divided by the length of the <br />bulkhead. Garrett and Campbell Pitt (1961) present a graph indicating an ungrouted plug will withstand a <br />pressure gradient of 21 psi/ft at a safety factor of one. They recommend a minimum safety factor of four in <br />good rock, yielding a recommended maximum. pressure gradient of just over 5 psi/ft. Garrett and Campbell. <br />Pitt (1961) further indicated that low-pressure grouting of the bulkhead concrete/rock contact: would permit <br />pre=sure gradients of 1.65 psi/ft without leakage. Applying the safety factor of four produces a design <br />pressure gradient of 41 psi/tt. Usm.g these criteria allows the following calculations of bulkhead length for <br />the pressure gradient component of the design: <br />Ungrouted Bulkhead <br />Low Pressure Grouted Bulkhead. <br />64 psi <br />L=- - =12.8 feet <br />5 psi l ft <br />64 psi <br />41. psi / i