Learning from Failures: A Geotechnical Perspective

Abstract

Engineering failures are hard to define. They may form catastrophic disasters that are serious threats to public safety; yet, at other instances, they may be a shortcoming in the behavior or function of structures. A functional shortcoming, unforeseen and unplanned for, of an engineered element, may sometimes be considered a failure while at other times seen as tolerable or even advantageous. Engineers always regard failures as their greatest enemy; ironically, failures may be considered as their foremost teacher as well. Without failures, much of the current advances in design would not have been gained. Studying well-documented failures is important as the findings can be used to improve the designs and performance of structures. In this article, the different aspects related to failures and their prevention are explored. A conceptual model for the cost of failures is also presented. Additionally, some of the well-documented case histories of failures encompassing a wide range of geotechnical practices are highlighted and the learnt lessons are emphasized. It is demonstrated that failures may be substantially reduced by carrying out proper geotechnical site investigations, adopting flexible designs that incorporate observations during construction, applying strict site supervision, implementing geotechnical instrumentation programs and embracing risk management principles.