66. Application of Geo-Synthetics to High Embankment Slopes of Canals – Case of Kachchh Branch Canal, Sardar Sarovar Project, Gujarat

Sardar Sarovar Project being one of the largest of the world in certain respects, various types of challenges have come to its way. Amongst technical challenges, one is high embankment sections of canals. Kachchh Branch Canal is one such and is of very high importance. It passes through dessert with saucer shape, which is in Zone –V from earthquake point of view. It has provided opportunity to work out many alternatives without use of geo-synthetics and with various types of geo-synthetics and make a comparison to come to a proper conclusion. Many adversities are encountered in the same problem and hence it has benefited the designers of SSNNL in terms of understanding and insight. In present time of acceptance of geo-synthetics in highways and earthfills, many products are available, but in canal sections, applications are not much popular. The paper is aimed at providing an overview of Sardar Sarovar Project, and the context in which the problem had been defined and tried to be solved and the configuration that has been worked out. Attempt to provide a useful discussion on behaviors of water and its effect on the embankment and understanding of its response has been made.