23 February 2023
Digos-Makar Road Paramesh Wall: An Earthquake Resilient Structure
An earthquake resilient structure constructed for the safety and security of the people.
The construction of the Maccaferri Paramesh Earth Retaining Wall, an earthquake resilient structure in Digos-Makar road, enabled to withstand the four (4) consecutive earthquakes that struck Davao del Sur.
Last December 15, 2019, a substantial 6.9 Magnitude earthquake hit the province of Davao del Sur in Mindanao. This earthquake follows the recent three earthquake events in October with intensities ranging from 6.1 to 6.9. Significant structural damages and thousands of families were affected.
The best course of action is preparedness. Maccaferri Philippines provided the design and technical assistance to the Department of Public Works and Highways for the road widening and upgrade of the Digos-Makar Road, a major thoroughfare and an economic lifeline of the province.
A Maccaferri Paramesh Earth Retaining Wall, reinforced with ParaGrid, a high tensile strength geogrid, was constructed in Malalag, Davao del Sur, with a length of 837 meters and a maximum height of more than 20 meters. A Finite Element Method analysis was conducted to confirm the performance and deformation characteristic of the Paramesh wall subjected to seismic loading. The findings of such analysis were presented during the 19th Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines (ASEP) International Convention in Manila.
Compared to the conventional gravity-type earth retaining wall, the lighter construction of the Paramesh wall coupled with its very ductile behavior under large seismic loads enabled it to withstand four (4) consecutive earthquakes with minor non-structural damages.
Up to this day, the Digos-Makar Paramesh wall continues to stand as a testament to Maccaferri’s commitment to providing solutions for disaster risk mitigation and promoting disaster resiliency of key infrastructure.
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