Filling a two km fissure in Grindavík

The project to strengthen the so called Stamphólagjá fissure that runs through Grindavík is ongoing, but the fissure is about two kilometers long. It is hoped that the defensive walls will be nearly completed by next weekend, according to Jón Haukur Steingrímsson, a geoengineer at Efla Egineers.

The purpose of strengthening Stamphólagjá fissure is to improve the town's ability to cope with the possible earthquakes coming their way.

Besides building a defensive wall, one of the projects has been to fill the gap. “The fissure is being dug up and reinforcements, or fillings, are being put in place so that the streets can better handle some movement,” says Steingrímsson. He says reinforcements are most important where there are transportation routes.

Not feasible to build at the same location again

Steingrímsson says it is not desirable to rebuild houses that lie over the fissure, even if it has been filled.

“There are always movements on these kinds of cracks,” he says, mentioning that according to the construction regulations, it is not permitted to build over cracks. It is more unclear, however, how close to cracks can be built. The crack has had the most impact on houses in Víkurbraut and the Hóphverfi area.

The work on the walls of defense ends next weekend

How long do you think this work will take?

“We are hoping that the defensive walls will be in place by next weekend,” he says, “but it is four kilometres of walls.”

Steingrímsson also says that the town is working to make Grindavík operational.

“It should maybe be possible to do so sometime next weekend, without any formal evaluation. That is something we don’t think is impossible. However, the decision is always always with  the Civil Protection and Emergency Management to lift the evacuation. As it is, the town is not functioning and it’s obviously dangerous- ecause of fissures.”