Managing ground risks and infrastructure resilience in remote areas

A major problem with engineering in remote and undeveloped parts of the world is the scarcity of relevant ground engineering and environmental data. A number of onshore exploration facilities comprising large heavily loaded rafts and extensive earthwork structures are constructed on the limestone terrain of eastern Jordan desert. The weathered limestone bands underlying the project site are interbedded with layers and pockets of high-porosity gypsum, which are underrepresented in the geological publications for the area. This paper describes how the understanding of the geological history of the site can influence the way in which the associated ground risks are managed. It further discusses the excavatability and suitability of site-won fill material for reuse, describing how the environmental sustainability and resilience of the infrastructure were engineered into the solution.