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Analysis of slope stability factors of the access channel to the Guayaquil Maritime Port

Abstract:

In global maritime transport, "economies of scale" reduced costs of transportation (TEU); however, the Guayaquil Maritime Port does not meet the current navigation requirements, which does not allow the entry of Post Pánamax vessels at full load. This research aims to verify the theoretical factors of stability conditions of the slopes in the access channel to the Maritime Port of Guayaquil, main waterway of maritime transport in Ecuador. The slopes (10: 1), which were dredged according to designs developed by consultants (2013), were unstable. This outlines the hypothesis that the soil resistance parameters are not correct, and it proposes a retro-analysis of the failed slopes. By considering mathematical models for equilibrium limit, the stabilization parameters for the slope were determined, parameters that differed from the dredges. The slopes determined in the retro-analysis are concordant with the stabilized ones (30: 1), achieved in the experimental /investigative construction process (2014, 2015-SERDRA), and they are not being used in the current dredging, There is a constant change of sediments, due to natural dynamic conditions in the channel. It is crucial to consider this sediment change for the slope stabilization for the analysis in future dredging.