ABSTRACT
This article presents the design and execution guidelines of the Carvoeira, Portugal, electrical facility road embankment stabilization. The embankment is 15 m high and has a history of pathologies since construction. In 2011, the embankment collapsed. Despite the implementation of stabilization and reinforcement measures, carried out in 2012, in the last few years, the embankment has showed signs of a continuous and evolutive process that could lead to a new collapse. The failure patterns are discussed based on the initial project data, the history, and main constraints, especially concerning geological, geotechnical and hydrogeologic conditions. The impact of the existing infrastructures and the need to maintain the electrical facility operational are discussed as well. In 2020, a new rockfill solution is presented, highlighting the design process, the criteria to select the rock materials and the strength and drainage capacity of the solution. The main points of the execution phase and some unforeseen events and respective solutions are presented.
