The Need for Redundancy in Seepage Control-Embankment Dams and Their Foundations

At the 1985 Annual Convention of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Dr. Jorj O. Osterberg (1989 ) presented the 21st Terzaghi Lecture. His topic and the title of his paper was &s;Necessary Redundancy in Geotechnical Engineering&s;. Dr. Osterberg quoted the American Heritage Dictionary in defining &s;redundant&s;: &s;. .. duplication or repetition of elements in electronic or mechanical equipment to provide alternative functional channels in case of failure&s;. He then presented his own definition: &s;Designing, incorporation, and including physical and human processes into analysis, design, and construction in such a way that if one element, whether physical or human, fails to function or fails to function in the way intended, other elements take over in such a way that the structure will still function essentially as intended&s;. The lecture developed the theme of redundancy in the following phases of geotechnical engineering: Reconnaissance and preliminary exploration Soil borings Laboratory testing Analysis Design Construction