Experimental study of the evolution of the breach and the discharge through the breach resulting from piping due to seepage at the earth-fill dam bottom

Abstract

Piping is one of the main causes of the earth-fill dam failures. Most of the researchers realizing numerical analyses make some simplified assumptions concerning the shape of the breach and the discharge of water flowing through the breach. The aim of this study is to realize experiments to provide data needed to perform numerical analyses by making more realistic assumptions. The dam having a height of 0.6 m, a bottom width of 2 m and a crest width of 0.20 m is built in a channel 1 m wide, 0.81 m high and 6.14 m long. The evolution of the breach and the discharge through the breach resulting from piping due to seepage at the earth-fill dam bottom was investigated experimentally. The evolution of the dam failure is recorded by six cameras located at different locations. The time-varied of the breach areas at upstream and downstream sides are determined by applying the Gauss Area functions. The discharge of water through the breach and average outflow velocity are determined by using the continuity equation.