34TS.1 27PS
1. Angkor Wat moat south-west embankments:
The Ad Hoc group of experts is satisfied with the detailed preparation of the restoration project for a stretch of the Angkor Wat moat south-west embankments stepped tiers.
Pictures and measured drawings illustrating the project are extremely understandable and have perfectly justified the intervention required in one of the most visited areas of the Angkor Park to avoid the stepped tiers from collapsing.
The APSARA National Authority team previous experiences on this type of intervention, has obviously allowed for validation of this type of project and planned duration (2021-2023), once the Ad Hoc group of experts has visited the site at the June 2021 session.
A first 100m section has been proposed for restoration work. Two options for this job have been suggested: that first to build a concrete slab to support the stepped tiers, that second to backfill anew the moat to stop the thrust coming from the stepped tiers. The latter option does not seem fitting as it would restrain free flow of water into the moat.
A site visit is deemed necessary to get better understanding of the pathology and to make an informed technical recommendation.
Measures to prevent water flow inside the structure and the consolidation of the bearing wall are important, but at the same time, the backfill of the bearing wall (soil layer’s strength and viscosity) needs to be studied. In order for the project to move on, the advice of a soil engineering expert is necessary.