AbstractsBiology & Animal Science

Since its completion in 1910, the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal (CSSC) has become a pathway for invasive species (and potentially Asian carp) to reach the Great Lakes. Currently, an electric barrier is used to prevent Asian carp migration through the canal, but the need for a secondary method is necessary, especially when the electric barrier undergoes maintenance. The underwater Asian carp “cannon” (water gun) provides such a method. Analysis of the ground movement produced by an 80 in3 water gun in the CSSC was performed in order to establish any potential for damage to the either the canal or structures built along the canal. Ground movement was collected using 3-component geophones on both the land surface and in boreholes. The peak particle velocities (PPVs) were analyzed to determine if damage would be caused to structures located along the canal. Vector sum velocity ground movement along the canal wall was as high as 0.28 in/s (7.11 mm/s), which is much lower than the United States Bureau of Mines (USBM) ground vibration damage threshold of 0.75 in/s (19.1 mm/s), causing no potential for damage to structures along the canal wall. The dominant frequency of ground motion produced by the water gun is primarily above 40 Hz, so the wave energy should attenuate fairly quickly away from the canal wall, with little disturbance to structures further from the wall.