Growth Fault Design for Katy Freeway Reconstruction Project IH-10, Houston, Texas

This paper addresses the fault design issues associated with the IH-10 Katy Freeway Reconstruction project in Harris County, Texas. The project alignment in west Houston, Texas, extends from east of the IH-610/IH-10 interchange to west of Katy, a distance of approximately 20 miles. The project includes modifications to or reconstruction of four multilevel interchanges within the limits of the project. At two of those interchanges active growth faults have a significant impact on the design. Potentially impacted structures planned across the active faults include connector ramps, embankments, retaining walls, pavement, and bridges. Fault impacts mitigation is dependent upon the sensitivity of structures involved, the potential activity of the fault, and the ability to identify the fault zone in an urban environment where many features are obscured due to recent construction. Bridges located crossing faults were designed to accommodate differential. Key elements of the structure's design include the width of the primary and secondary hazard zones, the dip angle of the fault, and the horizontal angle of the roadway with the strike of the fault.