Description
This session will explain the latest volcanic episodes in Iceland—a constant threat to nearby town and infrastructure in the Reykjanes Peninsula. In November 2023, the 4,000-person town of Grindavík was evacuated. Working in close cooperation with the Civil Protection of Iceland, Verkís designed and managed the construction of lava diversion barriers to protect the 225 MW geothermal power plants at Svartsengi, the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, and Grindavík. HEC-RAS was used to model lava flows using the latest topographical drone mapping of the surface and fresh lava. The barriers were designed and modeled in Civil 3D software, and Autodesk Construction Cloud was used to communicate design and stakeout data to multiple contractors. This study will show how the barrier design was optimized during the volcanic eruption by comparing theoretical models against actual lava flow behavior. Now 11 km of massive lava barriers have been built, which worked successfully against the lava flow and saved the town of Grindavík.
Key Learnings
- Learn about mitigating the challenges created by volcanic activity near towns and vital infrastructure.
- Discover the success factors in management, cooperation, and quick decision making on all levels during the national crisis.
- Discover a workflow that can be used in other volcanic crises all around the world.