CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Dams are large structures constructed across a river, stream, estuary, or

valley mainly to control, store, and supply water for industrial uses, agricultural

purposes, and human consumption in arid and semiarid regions. They are used

to lower the peak discharge of floodwater caused by strong storms, to raise the

depth of water in a river to facilitate easier navigation for barges and ships, and

to increase the amount of water available for the production of hydroelectric

power. Additionally, it serves as a reservoir that stores water for use during dry

seasons and functions as a large water bank. This water that has been stored is

used as potable drinking water, as irrigation for crops, and as materials in

industrial operations. Also, dams can create lakes that are used for boating,

fishing, and swimming for recreational purposes. Lastly, one of the main

components of a multifunctional plan intended to preserve water resources

locally could be a dam. In developing nations, where a single dam may have a

major beneficial effect on the production of hydroelectric power, the development

of agriculture, and the expansion of industry, multipurpose dams can be

especially important. (Brown & Jackson, 2024)

In terms of engineering, dams can be classified into different types

according to their hydraulic design, function, building materials, and structural

type. According to the US Society of Dams (2023), there are 12 types of dams,

namely, arch dams, buttress dams, cofferdams, diversion dams, embankment

dams, gravity dams, hydropower dams, industrial waste dams, masonry dams,

overflow dams, regulating dams, and lastly, saddle dams. And the types of dams

being built in a specific location may vary depending on the soil stability of the

location, the materials available, the accessibility of transportation on the site,

and the financial capability of the project owner. In modern dam engineering, the

choice of materials is usually between concrete, earthfill, and rockfill. Although

joint masonry was used to build a number of dams in the past, concrete has

largely replaced this technique in the modern era. Buttress dams, thin arch dams,

and large gravity dams are all constructed with concrete. The advent of

roller-compacted concrete made it possible to use machinery designed initially to

move, distribute, and compact earthfill to lay high-quality concrete. Because they

are made of enormous mounds of rock and earth that are assembled into

imposing man-made embankments, earthfill and rockfill dams are typically

grouped as embankment dams. (Baker, Willcocks & Cotton, 2024)

The design engineer of dams must always act with integrity and must

always consider the purpose of the project in accordance with the safety of the

community. The strength of the dams is determined by their structural design and

construction quality. It must always be designed with a high factor of safety to

avoid failure. Therefore, in designing dams, civil engineers must always take into

consideration different static and dynamic loadings, such as the dead load of the

dam itself, seismic loads, uplift pressures, and hydrostatic pressure, or the force

of the water pressing against the dam. Moreover, a dam's foundations have to be

strong and stable enough to support the loads that the structure puts on them,
both during the initial stages of reservoir filling and over time, without

experiencing unacceptable deformation. Careful site investigation, geotechnical

testing, detailed foundation plans, properly mixed concrete and masonry, and

grouting techniques are used to ensure a sustainable foundation for the dam

(El-Sayed, 2016). Lastly, according to Corps of Engineers Washington, DC

(1993), seepage control design is essential for dams to avoid excessive uplift

pressures, piping through the foundation and embankment, sloughing of the

downstream slope, and soil erosion due to loss into open joints in the foundation

and abutments. With that, it ensures the longevity of the structure, its reliability,

and its sustainability.

Based on the data from the Bihar Public Service Commission (2022), 40%

of earth dam failures are due to hydraulic failures, 33% of the earth dam failures

are due to seepage failures, and 25% of the earth dam failures are due to

structural failures. From 1965-2020, the total number of dam failures, specifically

of large reservoir facilities, is estimated to be 394- 608 incidents (Evans, et. al,

2022). On the night of July 23, 2018, 175 billion cubic feet of water were poured

over by a hydropower dam named Xe Pian-Xe Namnoy Dam in Laos when it

collapsed and is reported to have flooded 19 villages, killing 71 people, displaced

14,440 locals in Champassak and Attapeu provinces, and left many more

missing. It is reported to be the worst flooding in the decade experienced by Laos

(Whong, 2018). Moreover, the Xingjian Hydropower Station Dam Incident in

China in 2020 involved a dam breach following heavy rainfall and released a

large amount of water, causing damage to infrastructure and agricultural land

around the area (Reuters, 2020). Both incidents based on investigation were

caused by foundation instability, seepage concern and weak structural integrity.

In the Philippines, there were no recorded massive scale dam failures for

embankment dams . A lot of dam related incidents are due to unannounce

release of water due to heavy rainfall, like the incident in Cagayan Valley, which

is said to be the worst flood experienced by the said region in the past 40 years,

affecting Isabela, Cagayan, and the lower part of the region, killing 10 people and

affecting a total of 336 barangays (Mercado, 2020). However, a lot of incidents

relating to tailing dam failure are recorded, according to the article released by

Wise-Uranium Org (2002), on September 11, 2002, low-lying villages in

Zambales were flooded with chemicals and mine waste from Dizon Copper Silver

Mines Inc. (DCSMI) in San Marcelino, Zambales. A minimum of 250 households

in Barangays Buhawen, Sta. Fe and Poblacion were quickly evacuated following

the spillway's rupture at 1 p.m. during a particularly heavy downpour. Authorities

from the town and province, headed by Governor Vicente Magsaysay, were

concerned that mine waste that spilled from the spillway might endanger the lives

of villagers, even though no injuries were reported. Additionally, on August 1,

2012, a massive mining accident at the Philex Padcal mine in Benguet province

resulted in the discharge of 20.6 million tons of hazardous tailings into water

bodies. It destroys the livelihood, indigenous culture, and ancestral residence of

the Igorot tribe (Mina, 2022). The potential factor based on the historical date

globally relating to these failures suggests that multiple factors often interact and

contribute to the event, namely, foundation instability, seepage, overtopping, and

construction flaws. Additionally, human factors such as carelessness, operational

mistakes, or insufficient monitoring, can cause dam failures.

Given that the foundation plan, reinforced concrete design, and seepage

control designs are the backbone of the dams, a lot of ways are proposed to

ensure their longevity, integrity, and strength. Traditional grouting methods are

often employed for dams, it is a technique involving using specially drilled holes

to inject portland cement under pressure into the underlying rock formations to fill

joints, fissures, fractures, bedding planes, and other soil openings. It is necessary

to effectively reduce water leakage and infiltration to avoid potential damage to

the dam and instability of the foundation. Moreover, solidifying the soil prevents

water from seeping through and also compromises its integrity (Geo-Solution,

2018). However, the traditional grouting method relies on Portland cement, and

its production is highly energy-consuming. It has a heavily polluting process and

substantially emits carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, which impacts

the environment. Moreover, traditional grout is mostly made up of non-renewable

materials like limestone and clay, which raises concerns about its sustainability

and potential resource scarcity. Lastly, since cements are also made up of

chemicals like calcium bentonite, health is also at risk for those who are exposed

to them and also for the community (Naeimi, et. al., 2020).

In this study, researchers are proposing a bio-inspired grouting method

using a mycelium network of Trichoderma harzianum, a genus of fungi known for

its ability to colonize various materials, including concrete and bricks, to be

implemented in dam foundations in the Philippines.Through laboratory

experiments and investigations, researchers will assess the structural stability,

durability, longevity, economic viability, and scalability of bio-inspired grouts

compared to traditional methods. Overall, this research aims to address the

limitations of traditional grouting methods by exploring a bio-inspired alternative

using fungal mycelium networks. It contributes to the development of sustainable

and resilient dam foundation solutions, aligning with the Philippines' focus on

environmentally friendly infrastructure development.

Statement of the Problem

Structural stability and durability of the dam are two of the challenges

faced by civil engineers to ensure the project’s longevity and the safety of the

community. One of its areas of risk is seepage, or the movement of water through

the soil and ground due to the poor or absence of a grouting method. Moreover,

traditional grouting methods usually use portland cement, a main material whose

production contributes to the environmental problem of gas emissions and also

poses health risks to its users and the community. Lastly, durability is also a risk

for traditional grouting methods when it is exposed to chemicals and infiltrated by

water, necessitating maintenance. Due to this, researchers would like to

investigate and evaluate the potentiality of mycelium network of Trichoderma

harzianum as a bio-inspired grouting solution for the mitigation and remediation

of seepage in dam foundations.

 Specifically, this study aims to answer the following:

1. What are the potential effects of Trichoderma harzianum on

human health and environmental sustainability?

2. What are the contributions of the Trichoderma harzianum to the

overall structural stability of the dam structures considering the

weather and seismic conditions in the country?

3. How feasible utilizing Trichoderma harzianum as bio-inspired

grouting solution in terms of longevity and water resistance

capability

4. How scalable are Trichoderma harzianum based grouting materials

to meet the demands of large-scale dam projects?

5. What is the significant difference between the economic viability of

utilizing Trichoderma harzianum as grouting solutions for dam

foundation compared to traditional grouting methods in terms of

development, production and implementation?

6. What is the significant difference between the effectiveness of

utilizing Trichoderma harzianum as grouting solutions for dam

foundation compared to traditional grouting methods?

Research Objectives

This research study aims to define the capability of Mycelium Network of

Trichoderma harzianum as a bio-inspired grouting solution for dam foundations

as well as evaluate its properties, qualities and effectiveness as an alternative

grouting solution for dam foundations.

Directing the goals of the study are stated in the following:

1. To identify the qualities and characteristics of Trichoderma harzianum.

a. Water Resistance

b. Grouting Efficiency

c. Availability

d. Compatibility

e. Cost

2. To know the application and usefulness of Trichoderma harzianum to the

overall structural stability of dam foundations.

3. To address the limited methods of grouting by producing more sustainable

and efficient method of grouting, a mycelium network of Trichoderma

harzianum

4. To provide a scientific recommendation into the potentiality of biomimicry

for solving critical engineering issues in the Philippines

Scope and Delimitations

This study will focus on the potentiality of Trichoderma harzianum, a type

of fungus that may colonize and reinforce a variety of materials as a bio-inspired

grouting material for seepage mitigation and restoration in dam foundations. In

line with this, this study will cover the current condition of limited grouting

methods in the Philippines, grouting challenges, and its implementation. Lastly, it

targets determining whether Trichoderma harzianum may improve soil stability

and reduce seepage, two issues that frequently arise while building dams, and to

improve water resistance of soils near the dam. The study, investigation and

experimentation will be held in the vicinity of Batangas and the Batangas State

University Alangilan Campus.

However, this study is limited and does not take into account the potential

of other fungal species as a grouting solution. The study attempts to enlighten

on the advantages of Trichoderma harzianum as bio-inspired grouting solutions

with its properties. Additionally, it only addresses concerns of dam construction in

the Philippines that are connected to structural stability, seepage reduction and

longevity. Lastly, it is limited to determining the economic viability, environmental

sustainability and scalability of the proposed mycelium network grouting solution,

leaving out other general issues.