Team Louisiana Forensic Levee Investigation

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Team Louisiana
Forensic Levee Investigation


Images of a flooded New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina Levee breaches (photo: Dallas Morning News)

DOWNLOADS: Team Louisiana Report [ftp site] Submittal letter with recommendations (file size: 2 MB) DOTD Secretary Bradberry response letter (file size: 530 KB) Team Louisiana Report: Cover page, table of contents, executive summary and introduction (2 MB) Part I: Chapter 1 (4 MB) , Chapter 2 (2 MB), Chapter 3 (30 MB) Part II: Chapter 4 (801 KB), Chapter 5 (4 MB), Chapter 6 (40 MB), Chapter 7 (13 MB) Chapter 8 (Conclusions) (2 MB) Acknowledgements, references and appendices (26 MB)

Team Louisiana researchers discuss forensic developments at a section of the 17th Street Canal breach (photo: Team LA 2005)	The New Orleans Hurricane Protection System (HPS) is comprised of approximately 350 miles of different types of levees, including earthern levees and concrete canals, pumps and an extensive drainage system. Numerous investigations have taken place to study why and how the New Orleans HPS was compromised during and immediately after Hurricane Katrina, flooding much of New Orleans. 'Team Louisiana' was funded by the Louisiana State DOTD to complete an independent, in-depth forensic investigation into the levee failures.

This team is made up of Louisiana-based academic and private sector experts, researchers and engineers. The Louisiana Team submitted a final report in February 2007, released by the DOTD on March 21, 2007. [Go to the DOTD press release] Team Louisiana has worked to provide solid historical and scientific evidence into the causes of the failed system, and outline clear strategies and recommendations for Louisiana and its citizens to move forward from the disaster. It is hoped the report will serve to ensure better science, engineering, construction, and review - both today and in the future - to mitigate future deficiencies in flood protection which caused so much loss of life and property.	Dr. Hassan Mashriqui, PE, of Team Louisiana takes a high water mark from a debris line to help determine the height of floodwaters (photo: Team LA 05).

Damage to the London Avenue Canal at Robert E. Lee, Hurricane Katrina (photo: Team LA 05)	Additional reports on the New Orleans levee breaches following Hurricane Katrina have been released by the following agencies and teams: U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Interagency Performance Evaluation TaskForce (IPET) Engineer Research and Development Center (Final Draft Report, June 1, 2006) --- National Academy of Sciences (NAS) review of IPET (Feb 24, 2006) --- ASCE External Review Panel of IPET (Nov 29, 2006) Independent Levee Investigation Team (ILIT) - UC Berkeley and American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) (Final Report, Jul 31, 2006)

Related News Articles on Team Louisiana Investigations: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC FEATURE: NEW ORLEANS LEVEES, May 2007 Weak Spots Leave Area Vulnerable, New Orleans Times Picayune, May 9, 2007 Protecting New Orleans, Scienctific American, February 2006 Senate Hearings on Hurricane Katrina --- "Why Did the Levees Fail" U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Hurricane Katrina (November 2005-) Investigators Link Levee Failures to Design Flaws, Washington Post, October 24, 2005 Louisiana Group Studies Levee Failure: Team hopes to speak with nearby residents, New Orleans Times-Picayune, October 12, 2005 DOTD's 'Louisiana Team' to Collect Data on Levee Failures, News in DOTD, October 10, 2005 Experts Say Faulty Levees Caused Much of Flooding, Washington Post, September 21, 2005	Ezra Boyd of Team LA surveys a gap in a canal wall that may indicate problems in underlying sheetpile (photo: Washington Post).
Team Louisiana researchers include: LEAD - Dr. Ivor van Heerden, LSU Dr. G. Paul Kemp, LSU Dr. Hassan Mashriqui, PE, LSU Dr. Radhey Sharma, LSU Billy Prochaska, PE Dr. Lou Capozzoli, PE Art Theis, PE S. Ahmet Binselam, LSU Kate Streva, LSU Ezra Boyd, LSU

Numerous levee breaches after Hurricane Katrina had to be plugged and temporarily filled before repairs could be made. Above: the 17th Street canal breach (photo: LA DEQ 2005)

Images of a flooded New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina Levee breaches (photo: Dallas Morning News)

DOWNLOADS: Team Louisiana Report [ftp site]

Submittal letter with recommendations (file size: 2 MB)
DOTD Secretary Bradberry response letter (file size: 530 KB)
Team Louisiana Report:
Cover page, table of contents, executive summary and introduction (2 MB)
Part I: Chapter 1 (4 MB) , Chapter 2 (2 MB), Chapter 3 (30 MB)
Part II: Chapter 4 (801 KB), Chapter 5 (4 MB), Chapter 6 (40 MB), Chapter 7 (13 MB)
Chapter 8 (Conclusions) (2 MB)
Acknowledgements, references and appendices (26 MB)

Team Louisiana researchers discuss forensic developments at a section of the 17th Street Canal breach (photo: Team LA 2005)

The New Orleans Hurricane Protection System (HPS) is comprised of approximately 350 miles of different types of levees, including earthern levees and concrete canals, pumps and an extensive drainage system.

Numerous investigations have taken place to study why and how the New Orleans HPS was compromised during and immediately after Hurricane Katrina, flooding much of New Orleans.

'Team Louisiana' was funded by the Louisiana State DOTD to complete an independent, in-depth forensic investigation into the levee failures.

This team is made up of Louisiana-based academic and private sector experts, researchers and engineers. The Louisiana Team submitted a final report in February 2007, released by the DOTD on March 21, 2007. [Go to the DOTD press release]

Team Louisiana has worked to provide solid historical and scientific evidence into the causes of the failed system, and outline clear strategies and recommendations for Louisiana and its citizens to move forward from the disaster.

It is hoped the report will serve to ensure better science, engineering, construction, and review - both today and in the future - to mitigate future deficiencies in flood protection which caused so much loss of life and property.

Dr. Hassan Mashriqui, PE, of Team Louisiana takes a high water mark from a debris line to help determine the height of floodwaters (photo: Team LA 05).

Damage to the London Avenue Canal at Robert E. Lee, Hurricane Katrina (photo: Team LA 05)

Additional reports on the New Orleans levee breaches following Hurricane Katrina have been released by the following agencies and teams:

U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Interagency Performance Evaluation TaskForce (IPET) Engineer Research and Development Center (Final Draft Report, June 1, 2006)
--- National Academy of Sciences (NAS) review of IPET (Feb 24, 2006)
--- ASCE External Review Panel of IPET (Nov 29, 2006)

Independent Levee Investigation Team (ILIT) - UC Berkeley and American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) (Final Report, Jul 31, 2006)

Related News Articles on Team Louisiana Investigations:

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC FEATURE: NEW ORLEANS LEVEES, May 2007

Weak Spots Leave Area Vulnerable, New Orleans Times Picayune, May 9, 2007

Protecting New Orleans, Scienctific American, February 2006

Senate Hearings on Hurricane Katrina --- "Why Did the Levees Fail" U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Hurricane Katrina (November 2005-)

Investigators Link Levee Failures to Design Flaws, Washington Post, October 24, 2005

Louisiana Group Studies Levee Failure: Team hopes to speak with nearby residents, New Orleans Times-Picayune, October 12, 2005

DOTD's 'Louisiana Team' to Collect Data on Levee Failures, News in DOTD, October 10, 2005

Experts Say Faulty Levees Caused Much of Flooding, Washington Post, September 21, 2005

Ezra Boyd of Team LA surveys a gap in a canal wall that may indicate problems in underlying sheetpile (photo: Washington Post).

Team Louisiana researchers include:

LEAD - Dr. Ivor van Heerden, LSU
Dr. G. Paul Kemp, LSU
Dr. Hassan Mashriqui, PE, LSU
Dr. Radhey Sharma, LSU
Billy Prochaska, PE
Dr. Lou Capozzoli, PE
Art Theis, PE
S. Ahmet Binselam, LSU
Kate Streva, LSU
Ezra Boyd, LSU

Numerous levee breaches after Hurricane Katrina had to be plugged and temporarily filled before repairs could be made. Above: the 17th Street canal breach (photo: LA DEQ 2005)