Hurricane Katrina: Field Study of Off and Inshore Infrastructure Damage

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Hurricane Katrina Field Study of Off- and
In-shore Infrastructure Damage

• Dante Fratta (UW-Madison)
• January 2006

Project supported under NSF grant CMS-0553765
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Hurricane Katrina

• Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the morning of
  Monday 08/29 along the Louisiana-Mississippi
  border moving North at 15 mph with sustained
  winds of 143 mph (Category 4 hurricane)
• The brunt of the wind force was felt by coastal
  Mississippi

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(Source USGS Sterner and Babin 2005)
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Biloxi and Gulfport

• The storm eye traveled along a path 54.9 km (34.1
  mi.) West of Gulfport and 73.4 km (45.6 mi.) West
  of Biloxi.
• The winds in Gulfport and Biloxi reached
  sustained speed of up to 164-198 km/hr (102-123
  mi/hr) with gusts of up to 209-251 km/hr (130-156
  mi/hr - USGS 2005).
• The estimated storm surge up to 25 feet along
  the coast (FEMA 2005)

These sensors stopped functioning before
recording the maximum surge level
Data NOAA 2005
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Biloxi and Gulfport

• Damage was catastrophic in all single family
  dwellings within 0.4 to 0.6 km from the water
  front from the East end of the Biloxi peninsula
  to the storm land fall

(Digital photographs captured on November 11th,
2005)
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Biloxi and Gulfport

• The local population compares Hurricane Katrinas
  destruction to Hurricane Camilles destruction
• Hurricane Camille smashed the Mississippi Gulf
  Coast on Sunday August 17th, 1969 with winds
  greater than 320 km/hr (200 mph) and 6.1 m (20
  feet) storm surge.
• Human toll 131 deceased and 41 missing

Church of the Redeemer
(Digital photographs captured on November 11th,
2005)
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Survey Geographic Distribution
Examples of Damaged Structures 1. Casino
row 2. Beau Rivage and Hard Rock Casinos 3.
Broadwater beach marina 4. Gulfport fishing pier
5. Fishing boat on Industrial Canal 6.
Munro Fuel Tanks Surveyed Zones (dotted lines
indicate subbottom survey lines) a. Navigation
canal b. Highway 90 bridge c. SW to NE
Bay of Biloxi d. I-110 Bridge e. Barge
anchors f. Bay Power Lines g. Broadwater
beach marina h. Port of Gulfport Specimen
Collection i. South-West of I-110 Bridge ii.
North End Bay of Biloxi iii. Beach sand
specimen
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Survey Techniques

• Near shore and offshore geotechnical systems were
  inspected through visual observation, digital
  photography, and by using a subbottom profiler.
• The Tritech subbottom profiler is a
  dual-frequency (200 kHz and 10-30 kHz) sonar
  system that permits obtaining the bathymetry of
  water bodies and the profile of subbottom
  sediments.
• The subbotom profiling was performed from a 7.6 m
  (25 feet) charter fishing boat that permitted
  access to waters as shallow as 1 m deep.

25 feet fishing boat, Tritech Subbottom profiler,
and control system
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Biloxi
Subbottom profiling along Bay of Biloxi
navigation canal Hwy 90 Bridge Subbottom
profiler frequency 20 kHz Boat speed approx
1.57 m/s Data collected on 11/12/2005
Highway 90 bridge
Sonar subbottom profile survey line
Ocean Springs
Approx. distance to draw bridge 400 yds
Pipe?
Pipe?
Pipes?
Pipes?
Canal depth m
Approx. distance 560 m(630 yds.)
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Biloxi
Power lines
Subbottom profile survey line
DIberville
I-110 bridge
24 m
Subbottom profiling along Bay of Biloxi
navigation canal I-110 Bridge Subbottom
profiler frequency 20 kHz Boat speed 1.57
m/s Date 11/12/2005
Bridge center
Time ms
Sediment layering layers seem to continue
across the erosion well
Canal depth m
Underwater Structure?
Approx. distance 375 m
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Erosion patterns

• Subbottom Profiling
• Cross section of the I-110 bridge along the Bay
  of Biloxi main navigation canal.
• The sediment layering seem to indicate that a
  recent erosion event has carved into the sediment

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N
Pile 10 11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
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Biloxi
I-110 Bridge
DIverville
1.8 m (6 ft)
Bathymetry 200 kHz
Erosion pattern
Subobttom profiling 20 kHz
File Sat_12_Nov_10_03
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Erosion patterns
Comparison with other bridges in the Bay
Navigation canal Hwy 90 bridge
Navigation canal Railway bridge
Navigation canal I-110 bridge
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Erosion patterns

• Erosion Profiles around I-110 Bridge Piers

Subbottom profiler 200 kHz signal 1.5 m from
the pier line Data collected on November 12th,
2005
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Erosion patterns

• Erosion Profiles around Hwy 90 Bridge Piers

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Highway 90 Bridge Survey
Ocean Springs

• Storm Surge Damage

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Highway 90 Bridge Survey
Ocean Springs

• Storm Surge Damage
• All but 28 of the 148 bridge slabs collapsed due
  to the action of the storm surge

Biloxi
Digital photograph captured on Nov. 11th, 2005
SE view of the central section of the Highway 90
bridge over the Bay of Biloxi (Digital
photographs captured on November 11th, 2005)
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Highway 90 Bridge Survey
Southwest Section of the Bridge
5.6 m
Biloxi
Ocean Springs
1.8 m
Digitals photograph captured on Nov. 11th, 2005
All the slabs below this pier height collapsed
during the storm surge.
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Highway 90 Bridge Survey
Northeast Section of the Bridge
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Highway 90 Bridge Survey
Ocean Springs

• FEMA Estimated Storm Surge along both shores
  the Bay of Biloxi are
• NE Shore 6.1 m (20 feet)
• SW Shore 6.7 m (22 feet)
• Higher storm surge was expected in the middle of
  the bay.

Biloxi
Highway 90 Bridge
Images FEMA 2005
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Highway 90 Bridge Survey

• Damaged pier
• There was only one damaged pier out of the 148
  piers in the new Highway 90 Bay of Biloxi Bridge

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Highway 90 Bridge Survey

• Damaged pier

Rotational circle
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Highway 90 Bridge Survey

• Damaged pier
• Combination of digital photography and subbottom
  profiles indicate that this failure was caused by
  damage at the foundation. The pier failed at a
  depth more than 4 meter from the water level.

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Marina and Retaining Wall Failure

• Broadwater Beach Marina

East View
South View
Settlement 1 m
President Casino Barge (before storm)
Broadwater Marina
Digital photographs captured on Nov. 12th, 2005
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Marina and Retaining Wall Failure

• Broad Water Beach Marina

Wall tiebacks
President Casino Barge (before storm)
Broadwater Marina
Square footing
Digital photographs captured on Nov. 12th, 2005
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Marina and Retaining Wall Failure

• Broad Water Beach Marina

Seafront Wall East View
Seafront Wall West View
President Casino Barge (before storm)
Broadwater Marina
Digital photographs captured on Nov. 12th, 2005
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Broadwater Beach Marina
Standing water
Exposed tie-backs
Broadwater Marina
Retaining wall failure
Images NOAA 2005 August 30st 2005
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Marina and Retaining Wall Failure
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Barge Failures

• Old design President, Treasure Bay, Grand,
  Magic, Isle of Capri, and New Palace Casino
  Barges

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Barge Failures

• Grand Casinos
• Estimated storm surge 7.3 m (24 ft FEMA 2005)

North View
Northeast View
Approx. 6 m (18 feet)
Approx. 6 m (18 feet)
Failed anchor
Digital photographs captured on Nov. 13th, 2005
Note what appears to be distressing signs in the
caissons and anchors, the concrete blocks and
steel piles are tilted in the general Northwest
directions
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Barge Failures
Before Hurricane Katrina
After Hurricane Katrina
Magic Casino
Highway 90
Highway 90
300 m
560 m
950 m
Barge 1
Barge 2
Grand Casino
Magic Casino
Grand Casino
Grand Casino
Displaced casino barges
Barge 1
Barge 2
Digital photograph captured on Nov. 13th, 2005
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Barge Failures
Old Tavini Hotel
Grand Casino Barge 2
Highway 90
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Barge Failures

• Broadwater Marina and Retaining Wall Failure

President Casino Barges anchors and slip ring
President Casino Barges new resting place
President Casino Barge (before storm)
Broadwater Marina
Original entry way to President Casino Barge
Digital photographs captured on Nov. 12th, 2005
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Barge Failures

• President Casino Barge Displacement

Coliseum and Convention Center
Holiday Inn
1.0 km displacement Storm surge 7.6 m (25 ft)
President Casino Barge (before storm)
President Casino Barge (after storm)
Broadwater Marina
Subbottom profiles
Images NOAA 2005
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Barge Failures

• President Casino Barge Displacement

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Barge Failures

• Imperial Palace Casino Back Bay of Biloxi

In spite of an estimated storm surge of 6 m (20
ft FEMA 2005), this casino barge suffered
little to no damage. Evidence from this barge
seems to indicate that both storm surge and
strong wind action were needed to cause anchor
failures The Imperial Palace Hotel served as
FEMA operation center since the day after the
storm and it was the first casino to reopen (Dec.
22th, 2005)
Digital photograph2 captured on Nov. 12th, 2005
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Barge Failures

• New design Beau Rivage and Hard Rock Casino
  Barges

Beau Rivage Casino Anchor detail
See also Thompson Engineering http//www.thompson
engineering.com/
Digital photograph captured on Nov. 13th, 2005
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Barge Failures

• Two neighboring casino Two different responses
  during Hurricane Katrina
• Beau Rivage Casino suffered minor to no
  structural damage.

Beau Rivage Casino Barge
Katrina Storm Surge Damage
Digital photograph captured on Nov. 13th, 2005
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Barge Failures

• Two neighboring casino Two different responses
  during Hurricane Katrina
• Hard Rock Casino suffered complete structural
  damage
• Barges were anchored with 30 m (97 feet) tension
  piles
• Submerged barged inclined at 30 deg. angle
• Series of events leading to failure unknown
• Reference Roy Anderson Contractors personal
  communication

Hard Rock Hotel
Failed anchors
Digital photographs captured on Nov. 13th, 2005
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Barge Failures

• Hard Rock Casino suffered complete structural
  damage

Hard Rock Casino Barge
Failed anchors
Digital photographs captured on Aug. 31st, 2005
by USGS
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Structural and Foundation Failure

• Gulfport Hwy 90 Walking Bride

Storm erosion
Single footing failure
Digital photographs captured on Aug. 31st, 2005
by USGS
Digital photographs captured on Nov. 14th, 2005
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Storm Surge Damage in the Back Bay of Biloxi

• Oil Tanks Failures Munro Petroleum Terminal
• The oil tanks in this facility were sheared off
  from their anchors during the storm surge. The
  estimate surge at the location was 6.7 m (22
  feet).

Bay of Biloxi
The tank (right in the picture below) floated
above the protection levee and moved NW approx.
40 m with the storm surge.
N
Munro Terminal
Digital photographs captured on Nov. 13th, 2005
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Oil Tank Failures

• Munro Petroleum Terminal

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Storm Surge Damage in the Back Bay of Biloxi
Before the arrival of the Hurricane, fishermen
and charter boat captains tried to protect their
boats in the Industrial Seaway (18.5 km from
Highway 90 bridge at the mouth of the Bay of
Biloxi). The storm surge at this point was 4.9 m
(16 feet) causing many of these boats to run
aground.
East
Digital photographs captured on Nov. 14th, 2005
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Summary

• Harrison County was hit particularly hard by
  Hurricane Katrina both wind and storm surge.
• Biloxi and Gulfport suffered severe damages and
  many casualties were reported. The death toll was
  130.
• In the city of Biloxi widespread damage was
  reported. Most gulf-view restaurants have been
  destroyed and most traditional-construction
  several casino barges had been pulled out of the
  water.
• Residents that survived Hurricane Camille
  estimate that Katrina was "much worse," with a
  storm surge reportedly reaching further inland.

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Summary

• Most geotechnical elements behaved properly as
  few foundation failures were documented. Most
  failures occurred at the structure level and at
  the foundation-structure link.
• Geotechnical failure include casino anchors,
  single pile group in Hwy. 90 bridge, beach front
  retaining wall, and oil tank failure (due to
  apparent lack of preparation)
• Data is still being collected and analyzed.

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Acknowledgments

• National Science Foundation
• J. Carlos Santamarina - Georgia Tech
• Mr. Steve West
• Mr. Craig Schuettpelz
• Isle of Capri Hotel Casino
• The people of Biloxi and Gulfport, MS