Slope Stability Evaluation and Monitoring of a Sandy Bluff on the Shoreline of Lake Erie

ABSTRACT: In 2019, a geotechnical investigation and slope stability evaluation for an existing wind turbine site on the northern shoreline of Lake Erie recognized the potential for instability under adverse environmental factors over time. The site features a 24-m high sandy bluff and evidence of past shoreline retrogression is apparent in satellite imagery and field observations. The investigation was therefore followed by real-time geotechnical instrumentation and monitoring with an automated alarm system to provide on-going monitoring of the slope and to provide early warning for ground movements that could potentially affect the nearby wind turbine. Changes in water levels, seepage, rainfall events and soil suction are all expected to influence the stability of the existing slope. Monitoring data from the installed instrumentation combined with periodic field evaluations is anticipated to permit further model refinement and potentially aid in identifying precursory environmental factors leading to further erosion and instability.