REHABILITATION AND STRENGTHENING OF MS BUND

ALONG MILE 43/4 TO 44/2

1.

Introduction

Mr. Salman Memon, Project Director, PMU, Flood Emergency Reconstruction Project Sindh,
invited the undersigned to visit MS Bund between mile 43/4 to 44/2 and advise about
rehabilitation and protection works. On July 20, 2012 a meeting was held at Karachi with Asian
Development Bank representatives Mr. Zahoor Ahmad, Water Resources Specialist and
Mr. Waqar Ahmad, Resettlement Specialist and Mr. Abdul Qadir Palijo, Superintending Engineer
Pinyari Circle, Irrigation Department, Sindh. In this meeting the technical issues and
environmental concern were discussed.
The site visit was conducted on July 21st, 2012 in company of Mr. Abdul Qadir Palijo,
Mr. S. Noor Hussain Shah, Executive Engineer, Mr. Moula Bux Abro, Assistant Engineer and
their staff. The background information and necessary maps were provided during the visit. On
the request of undersigned some construction control tests of embankment fill material were
provided which included gradation tests, Atterberg Limits and compaction tests. Latest satellite
imageries of the bund by SUPARCO were provided by Hydrology and Research Division,
Irrigation Department, Sindh.
2.

M.S. Bund Details

The Moolchand Shah Bandar (M.S) Bund was constructed in 1940 as a part of protective
levees along both banks of river Indus. On superimposing the old topographic maps of 1946 on
latest stelite images it is found that the bund exists on same old original alignment (see Figure1). However it is noted that river active course have considerably moved towards left bank.
Presently the active channel is touching the bund in reach between mile 43/4 to 44/2 (see Fig1).
Keeping in view the tendency of river, the stone pitching with stone apron along mile 43/1 to
44/3+600 of MS Bund was provided in 1994 and 2003.
During super flood of year 2010, the subject bund reach was declared most vulnerable point.
Inspite of continued flood fighting operation, due to high flow currents heavy erosion occurred.
As a result stone apron between 43/4+100 to 44/1+455 was launched partially and there was
no apron left in this reach during receding discharges in Indus. The active erosion again took
place in the reach 43/4+300 to 44/2+300, and bund was also eroded and launched the stone
apron during post flood action. Figure-2 gives plan showing erosion ordinates of the said reach
for years between 1993 to 2011. Figure-3 shows detailed plan of the bund.
Typical section of the bund is shown in Figure-4. It may be noted that the bund crest is 22ft wide
having top at RL. 42 to 44. On left side, just abutting the bund there is a metalled road at RL.
33. The ground level in the area varies from RL. 27 to RL. 28. The Darro branch with a
discharge capacity of 4,500 cusecs flows at a distance of about 0.64 mile (1km) parallel to the
1

bund. The full supply level of Darro branch is RL +31. The area between the bund and Darro
Branch is heavily cultivated.
During flood season the river water level reaches to RL. 35. Near the toe of the bund active
channel bed level is found at RL-32, further away the channel is further deep (RL 80). During
the dry season, when there is no flow in the river water level near this bund remains at RL 4 to
5ft.
3.

Problems

The following problems are identified.

(i) Due to acute meander, river flows are hitting the bund and damaging slope
protection works (see Photos). If this damage pattern continues, it may result in
catastrophic breach during high floods.
(ii) During drawdown period when river flows recede, at number of places piping
phenomenon is observed below EL+12. The concentrated seeps bring out large
quantities of soil particles resulting in undermining. This causes loss of support for
stone protection work and settlement of bund crest. This phenomenon has double
damaging effect, disturbance of stones and loss of free board. Combined with flood
currents this is helping the process of damage of bund and may also allow
overtopping failure of bund during a high flood.
(iii) The bund is located in high wind zone. High waves are created during flood, which
are not only encroaching freeboard but have damaging effect on stone protection.
4.

Restrictions
(i) The present loan agreement with Asian Development Bank is restricted to only
rehabilitation works and scope of works should not be beyond that.
(ii) The strict compliance with environmental impact regulations, require that the
construction activities should not enter into private lands and should not disturb local
population.

5.

Assessment of Problems and Selection of Solutions

5.1

Effect of Meandering and Erosion Due to Flow Current

As already explained the MS bund was originally constructed about 1.5 km away from active
river channel. However with the passage of time the river meander has progressed towards left
bund and flow currents are hitting the protective bund and causing damages.
Discharges of the order of 500,000 to 700,000 cusecs pass through river at this section during
high floods. It is estimated that due to acute angle and hitting position, with this range of
discharge a maximum scour of 60 to 80ft depth below river water level is expected. Considering
observed water level of RL+35, the sour pit may go to RL 25 to RL 32. Though it appears
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that meander has reached its ultimate position and may not move further, yet there are chances
of further scour at the toe of bund which may further deepen down further 10 to 15 feet. To
avoid this scour it is necessary that a stony launching apron is provided in the reach under
attack. It is therefore proposed to provide a launching apron of 40ft width at R.L27.
The upper slope may be protected with stone pitching placed over properly graded transition
layers of bajari and spawls.
The velocity of flow during floods is found in the range of 8 ft/sec. As per U.S Army Corps of
Engineers Hydraulic Design Criteria Sheet 712-1 on riprap design, for this velocity the
required average weight of protective stone, W50, will be 45lbs. The resulting D50 size of stone
will be 0.75ft. The lower limit of W 100 stone should not be less than twice the weight of W 50, i.e,
90lbs. The resulting D100 size of the stone will be 1.00ft. The required thickness will be twice the
D50 i.e. 1.5ft.
The thickness of transition layers of graded bajari and spalls will be 0.5ft each. The transition
layer will be provided under the stones of slope and depressions where earth is exposed.
5.2

Leakage towards Slope

The second problem at the bund is leakage appearing at number of places at RL+12 causing
undermining of bund material resulting in disturbance of stone protection, which become easily
erodible during flows. Also due to undermining the bund is disturbed and settled.
The construction control test results show that the bund is constructed of low plasticity clay
(CL). The soil contains particles 93 to 98% finer than No.200 sieve. Its liquid limit varies
between 33 to 38% and plasticity index in the range of 11 to 15%. No further information is
available about the fill and foundation soils. However from circumstances, it appears that these
soils may be containing sodium salts rendering them dispersive nature. This needs to be
verified at later stage. The dispersive clays are highly susceptible to erosion.
It appears that the groundwater in the area between bund and Darro branch is charged by
seepage through Darro branch and from Indus during flood season and by heavy irrigation of
agricultural land. The groundwater level is reported to be at depth of 5 to 10ft below ground
surface. The natural drain in this area is river Indus. When water level drops down in river Indus,
the groundwater flows towards Indus and daylights on face of bund. Due to dispersive nature
soil gets eroded. There is also possibility that at RL+12 and below there exist sandy layer which
allows easy seepage path and erosion.
To understand this problem a finite element seepage analysis was carried. In this analysis
model seepages from Darro branch were also depicted. The analysis gave following results
(see Figure-5):
Condition

Exit Gradient

No cutoff

I:2.34

Cutoff upto RL

I:3.52
3

Cutoff upto RL

I:5.29

From this analysis it is concluded that if a cutoff wall is provided to RL. 0, the exit gradient drops
to acceptable limit. This cutoff will also act as barrier between land and river Indus.
The following three options have been considered for cutoff wall:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)

Clay core
Plastic cutoff wall
Steel sheet pile wall

The clay core construction required deep and wide excavation, which is not possible through
bund. It will also involve heavy dewatering.
The plastic cutoff wall is a possible solution, which can be constructed in given space
restrictions, but due to non-availability of Kelly machine and limited work scope the cost of
construction will be very high.
The only possible solution is steel sheet pile wall, which can be easily installed with small size
machinery of vibratory hammer. The sheet piles will be installed at the heel of bund as shown in
Figure-4.
6.

Recommendations

1.

To protect MS Bund between mile 43/4 to 44/2, against erosion due to meandering river
the bund slope should be protected with 1.5 thick layer of stone pitching placed over 6
thick layers of bajri and spawls. The stone average weight W50 should be not less than
45 lbs and maximum weight W 100 not less than 90 lbs. The specifications already in use
at rehabilitation project may be followed.

2.

To avoid leakage problem which is causing undermining of bund, it is proposed that a

wall of steel sheet piles from top at RL 33 to tip at RL.0 using Larssen 1A type piles. The
specifications for work are appended with this report.

3.

The cost estimate prepared with the assistance of Irrigation Department staff is annexed
with this report. Total cost of above works is estimated to be Rs. 313.572 millions.

(M. Ibrahim Samoon)

Director,
Associated Consulting Engineers-ACE (Pvt.) Ltd.