Sustainability assessment of liquefaction instability mitigation solutions for the World’s highest observation wheel project in Dubai

’Ain Dubai’, located on Bluewaters Island in the UAE, is the world’s tallest observation wheel, standing at a height of 250 meters. Built between 2015 and 2021, the project includes an artificial island with residential, retail, and leisure spaces. The 12-meter-high shoreline protection structure sits on a 3-meter-thick loose marine sand layer, underlain by competent strata. The initial revetment design accounted for liquefaction risks, and dimensions were set accordingly. However, modifications to the landscaping plan later required raising the platform by 4 meters, reducing the revetment’s factor of safety in deep-seated stability. To address this, the designer proposed one primary and three alternative stabilization strategies: (1) jet grouting the existing liquefiable layer, (2) cement stabilization of the top fill, (3) reinforcing the top fill with high-strength geogrids, or (4) extending the quarry run trench for additional toe support. The geosynthetic stabilization option was selected due to its techno-commercial benefits. This paper presents a detailed back analysis of solution options to mitigate liquefaction-induced instability in shoreline protection works through the ’Ain Dubai’ case study, providing one of the first comparative evaluations using real project data to encourage sustainable practices for future similar projects in the Arabian Peninsula.