Cragmont Avenue Retaining Wall

Appeal Brief Appeal Letter Appeal Analysis

Appeal Brief

DisasterFEMA-1203-DR
ApplicantCragmont Avenue Retaining Wall
Appeal TypeSecond
PA ID#001-06000
PW ID#01068
Date Signed2000-08-24T04:00:00
Citation: FEMA-1203-DR-CA; City of Berkeley; DSR 01068

Cross-Reference: Retaining Wall; Landslide; Landslide Policy; Washout; Geotechnical Report

Summary: During the El Ni?o storms of early 1998, floodwaters caused a landslide, which washed out a 160-foot long and 18-foot wide section of Cragmont Avenue and undermined the ground beneath the road. Following an inspection of the damages, FEMA prepared and obligated Damage Survey Report 01066 for $94,229 to repair the road. FEMA also prepared DSR 01068 for $303,771 to fund the construction of a soldier beam and lagging retaining wall to hold the ground below the road surface in place. However, following a review of DSR 01068, FEMA determined that the retaining wall was not eligible for funding and obligated $0 for the DSR. FEMA determined that the retaining wall was intended to stabilize the headscarp of a local landslide. The regional staff based its decision on FEMA's Landslide Policy Relating to Public Facilities (November 30, 1995), which states that no funding will be provided to stabilize areas of previous or known instability, but will fund eligible repairs when the applicant has completed site stabilization at its own expense. On April 6, 1999, the applicant submitted a first appeal, which stated that the retaining wall was only intended to hold the replaced ground atop the stable land and does not impart any stabilization effects to the landslide down slope of the road. The Regional Director denied the appeal based on the determination that the retaining wall was required to stabilize the site. The Regional Director cited the applicant's geotechnical report, which stated that the natural bed rock underlying the road is weak as a result of fracturing and shearing because of its proximity to a Hayward fault lineament. In its second appeal, the applicant asserts that the site is generally stable and the retaining wall is intended to provide lateral support to the road and to hold the replaced fill in place. The applicant has provided documentation from its geotechnical consultant to support its case.

Issues: Is the retaining wall eligible for funding?

Findings: Yes. Due to the steep slope and location of private property just down slope of the damaged road section, a retaining wall was required to provide the lateral support necessary to restore the road to its pre-disaster condition. The retaining wall is a cost-effective solution. Furthermore, FEMA has concluded that the site was stable and the retaining wall was not a stabilization measure. Prior to reimbursement, the applicant must provide documentation of the actual project costs and eligible work performed.

Rationale: Section 406 of the Stafford Act; FEMA's Landslide Policy Relating to Public Facilities, R&R Policy No. 4511.300, dated November 30, 1995

Appeal Letter

August 24, 2000

Mr. D. A. Christian
Governor's Authorized Representative
Governor's Office of Emergency Services
PO Box 419023
Rancho Cordova, CA 95741-9023

Re: Second Appeal; City of Berkeley; FEMA-1203-DR-CA; Cragmont Road Retaining Wall; DSR 01068

Dear Mr. Christian:

This is in response to your January 28, 2000, letter transmitting the above reference second appeal. The City of Berkeley (applicant) is requesting funding in the amount of $350,728 for the cost of constructing a retaining wall just down slope of a section of Cragmont Avenue that was damaged by floodwaters. The retaining wall was not in place prior to the disaster.

Based on the applicant's geotechnical report, FEMA determined that the site was unstable and that the retaining wall was a stabilization measure. In accordance with FEMA's Landslide Policy Relating to Public Facilities (November 30, 1995), FEMA determined that funding for stabilization was the applicant's responsibility. The Regional Director upheld this decision in the first appeal response.

As explained in the enclosed analysis, I have determined that the retaining wall was necessary to restore the damaged road section. Therefore, by copy of this letter, I am requesting that the Regional Director prepare a Damage Survey Report in the amount of $350,728 to fund the eligible costs of the retaining wall. Prior to reimbursement, the applicant must provide documentation of the actual project costs to the State and the State must certify that the applicant's costs were incurred in the completion of the eligible work.

Please inform the applicant of my decision. My decision constitutes the final decision on this matter as set forth in 44 CFR 206.206.

Sincerely,
/S/
Lacy E. Suiter
Executive Associate Director
Response and Recovery Directorate

Enclosure

cc: Martha Whetstone
Regional Director
FEMA Region IX

Appeal Analysis

BACKGROUND
During the El Ni?o storms of early 1998, floodwaters caused a landslide which washed out a 160-foot long and 18-foot wide section of Cragmont Avenue and undermined the ground beneath the road. Due to the landslide, a 10- to 12-foot headscarp developed on the down slope side of the road. The City of Berkeley (applicant) hired Berlogar Geotechnical Consultants to perform a geotechnical study to evaluate the geological condition of the site and provide recommendations for a retaining wall that was to be installed immediately down slope of the damaged road section.

Following an inspection of the damages, FEMA prepared and obligated Damage Survey Report (DSR) 01066 for $94,229 for excavation, backfill, repair of the road surface, replacement of a damaged guardrail and other repair costs. FEMA also prepared DSR 01068 for $303,771 to fund the construction of a soldier beam and lagging retaining wall. However, following a review of DSR 01068, FEMA determined that the retaining wall was not eligible for funding and obligated $0 for the DSR. FEMA determined that the retaining wall was intended to stabilize the headscarp of a local landslide. The Regional staff based its decision on FEMA's Landslide Policy Relating to Public Facilities (November 30, 1995), which states that no funding will be provided to stabilize areas of previous or known instability, but will fund eligible repairs when the applicant has completed site stabilization at its own expense.

The applicant repaired the road by replacing the fill beneath the road surface and installing a retaining wall on the down slope side of the road. The wall consists of steel wide flange soldier piles set in cast-in-place concrete piers drilled into bedrock with shotcrete facing to retain the road fill. The wall is approximately 110 feet in length with pile lengths ranging from 25 to 40 feet.

First Appeal
By a letter dated May 21, 1999, OES transmitted the applicant's first appeal. The applicant stated that the landslide occurred below the roadbed and allowed the toe of the embankment to be eroded by heavy runoff waters thus causing the road embankment to fail and become washed out. In order to rebuild the road, the applicant replaced the embankment and toe, which required a retaining wall to hold the replaced ground. The applicant stated that, "(t)he soldier beam and lagging type retaining wall that was installed is proven to be the most cost effective feasible retaining structure for this situation, otherwise the City would not have chosen to outlay funds to install it." The applicant further stated "the wall is only intended to hold the replaced ground atop the stable land. The new wall does not impart any stabilization effects to the landslide below."

The applicant also referred to FEMA's Guidance, Landslide Policy, FEMA﷓1203﷓DR﷓CA to support that the retaining wall was eligible for reimbursement. Among its citations of the guidance document, the applicant noted, "cost-effective, retaining structures to hold replaced ground can be included in eligible work."

To support its case, the applicant provided an April 1, 1999, letter from its geotechnical consultant, Berlogar Geotechnical Consultants. This letter stated that regional landslide mapping and aerial photographs do not indicate that the damaged section of Cragmont Avenue was located within a known landslide area. Furthermore, the consultant opined that the landslide occurred within a private lot downhill from the road. The landslide steepened and weakened the road embankment by removing a portion of the embankment toe. It also removed most of the vegetation that covered the downhill face of the road embankment. Surface run-off and groundwater seepage further eroded and undermined the road. Therefore, the consultant recommended that a retaining wall be built along the downhill limit of the right-of-way of the road to hold the replaced fill for the road reconstruction. The consultant stated that the retaining wall was not intended to stabilize the down slope landslide.

By a letter dated October 4, 1999, the Regional Director denied the first appeal on the basis that the retaining wall was required to stabilize the site. The Regional Director cited the applicant's geotechnical report, which stated that the natural bedrock underlying the road is weak as a result of fracturing and shearing because of its proximity to a Hayward fault lineament. The Regional Director further noted that due to this condition, the retaining wall piers were required to be set into deeper more stable bedrock to resist the lateral movement of natural ground, as well as the road's structural fill. Although movement had not yet occurred in the ground below the road bed, the Regional Director determined that the lost support resulting from the steep head scarp required it to be stabilized by the retaining wall. In accordance with FEMA's Landslide Policy, the costs of natural ground stabilization are not eligible for Public Assistance funding. Therefore, construction of the retaining wall was not eligible for funding.

Second appeal
By a letter dated January 28, 2000, OES transmitted the applicant's second appeal. In its appeal, the applicant refutes FEMA's assertion that the retaining wall was necessary to stabilize the site. The applicant believes that FEMA misinterpreted some statements made in the geotechnical report to mean that the site was unstable. The applicant contends that the bedrock below the road is stable and provides resistance to the lateral forces of the retaining wall piles. From the report's conclusions and recommendations, the applicant asserts that the lateral resistance begins at the top of the bedrock, the bedrock is stable, and the bedrock does not need to be supported. The applicant further notes that, " most of the bedrock in the San Francisco Bay Area is fractured and sheared due to faulting. However, it is usually stable and competent to impart horizontal resistance." The applicant concludes that the retaining wall does not provide stabilization for the natural ground, but rather, serves as support for the roadbed.

In support of its second appeal, the applicant provided a letter dated October 28, 1999, from Berlogar Geotechnical Consultants, which states that the retaining wall was not intended to stabilize the landslide down slope of the damaged road or any landslides that may exist in the vicinity of the site. Because of the hillside condition, the retaining wall was founded on drilled cast-in-place concrete piers that derive lateral support from the sheared and fractured bedrock located immediately below the landslide debris. The letter refutes FEMA's statement that the retaining wall was set into deeper more stable bedrock in order to stabilize the unstable ground beneath the road. The letter states that the piers of the retaining wall were designed to use the passive resistance from the top of the sheared and fractured bedrock to the bottom of the piers. The consultant asserts that the bedrock underlying the site is generally stable.

Another letter dated October 28, 1999, from another consultant for the applicant, URS Greiner Woodward Clyde, states that the soldier pile retaining wall was intended to retain the road fill. The letter furthered comments on the wall design stating that "(a)lthough the rock is fractured, even the top portion of the rock is competent to resist lateral forces from the piles.In all cases, the pile is supported at the rock line, in no case was it assumed that the wall supported the rock."

With the second appeal, the applicant provided a summary of its costs for the project. The applicant claims a total of $350,728 for the project. Of this total, construction costs are $303,771, engineering and design services,7, did not provide complete documentation of the claimed costs.

DISCUSSION
As explained in FEMA's Landslide Policy, under 5172 of the Stafford Act damaged or destroyed public facilities and the related integral ground mass are eligible for restoration. However, before funding to restore the facility is approved, the stability of the site must be ascertained. If the site is found to be stable, the cost to restore the facility at the original site (including integral ground restoration) is eligible. However, if the site is unstable, it is the applicant's responsibility to stabilize the site. After the site is stabilized, the cost to restore the facility is eligible for FEMA funding.

FEMA's Regional staff denied funding for the retaining wall because they interpreted the applicant's geotechnical report to mean that the site was unstable. More specifically, the report states that the bedrock underlying the road is friable and highly weathered. In addition, the site is also located near a previous landslide area and the Hayward Fault. Due to these conditions, FEMA considered the retaining wall to be a stabilization measure in an unstable area. Accordingly, FEMA determined that the cost of retaining wall was the responsibility of the applicant.

Based on the report's descriptions of the ground beneath the road and in the general vicinity of the site, one could infer that the site is unstable. However, the report does not state that the site is unstable or is in a known landslide area. Conversely, in later letters to the applicant, the geotechnical consultants assert that the bedrock below the road is generally stable and the site is not located in a known landslide area. The consultant further states that the purpose of the retaining wall was to provide lateral support to the road and was not intended to stabilize the area. Based on this, FEMA considers the site to be stable.

In some situations, it is possible to repair a road wash-out by replacing the lost fill and providing a stable, mildly sloped shoulder to provide lateral support to the road. But due to the steep topography of the scarp and the immediate down slope location of private property, this solution is not feasible for this situation. There is not enough space within the right-of-way to provide an appropriate supporting shoulder without encroaching into private property. Therefore, a retaining wall was the only viable option for providing the lateral support necessary to restore the road to its pre-disaster condition. Based on the site conditions and the opinions of the geotechnical consultants, the soldier pile and lagging retaining wall was the most appropriate alternative.

CONCLUSION
We have concluded that the site was stable and that the retaining wall was not a stabilization measure. Rather, the wall was necessary to provide lateral support to restore the function of the road. For this situation, we have determined that the soldier pile and lagging retaining wall is a cost-effective repair method. The Regional Director will prepare a DSR for $350,728 to fund the construction, applicable engineering and design, and project management costs. However, prior to reimbursement, the applicant must provide documentation of the actual project costs to the State and the State must certify that the costs were expended on the eligible work.
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