Breach mechanism and numerical simulation for seepage failure of earth-rock dams

In this study,a numerical model,which can capture the full process of the development of seepage passages,the collapse of dams and the failure due to overtopping,is proposed for earth-rock dams.The critical incipient velocity for the occurrence of seepage failure is derived by analyzing the forces acting on soil particles in the seepage passage.The sediment transport formula is proposed to simulate the erosion process and the evolution of breach within the dam.In this model,the grain size distribution,the compaction density and the strength of dam materials are reasonably accounted for.Furthermore,the influences of the direction of seepage paths,the slope of the dam and the velocity of water flow on the amount of erosion are also taken into consideration.The proposed model and the corresponding numerical programs are employed to simulate the development of breaches and discharge of two typical cases due to seepage failure.The development of breaches,the history of discharge and the peak flood flux predicted by the numerical models are rather comparable to the measured data,which confirms the validity of the proposed model and the feasibility of applying the model in evaluating the disaster consequences and preparing the emergency counter measurements in the case of dam collapse.

Experimental Study on the Sinking and Leveling of A Large-Capacity Offshore Wind Turbine Five-Bucket Foundation in Sand

As offshore wind farms expand into deeper and farther ocean regions and the unit capacity of offshore wind turbines(OWTs)increases,there is a pressing need for a new foundation structure that can accommodate deep-sea conditions and support large capacities while maintaining economical and safe.To meet this goal of integrated transportation and one-step installation,a novel five-bucket jacket foundation(FBJF),with its suction installation and leveling methods in sand,has been proposed,analyzed and experimentally studied.First,seepage failure experiments of the FBJF at various depths were conducted,and a formula for calculating the critical suction of seepage failure suitable for the FBJF in sand was chosen and recommended for use with a range of values for the permeability coefficient ratio.Second,through leveling experiments of the FBJF at different depths,the maximum adjustable leveling angle during the sinking process was defined using seepage failure and the adjustable leveling angle of the foundation as control criteria.Various leveling control strategies were proposed and verified.Finally,an automatic sinking and leveling control system for the FBJF was developed and experimentally verified for feasibility.

Study on Seepage Characteristics of Composite Bucket Foundation Under Eccentric Load

Under the effect of eccentric loads,when the suction pressure of the composite bucket foundation is leveled,the seepage failure is very easy to occur.The seepage failure occurrence causes the foundation to settle unevenly and impairs the bearing performance.This study uses ABAQUS finite element software to establish a composite bucket foundation model for finite element analysis.The model simulates the seepage of the foundation penetrating process under eccentric load to reveal the induced seepage characteristics of the bucket foundation.The most vulnerable position of seepage failure under the eccentric loading is elucidated.Critical suction formulas for different offset eccentric moment strategies are derived and compared with existing literature formulas.Then the derived formula is supplemented and corrected according to the pressure difference between adjacent cabins.Conclusions can be drawn:(1)Under eccentric loads,the critical suction decreases about 7%−10%.(2)The pressure difference between adjacent cabins impacts significantly on the seepage field,and the critical suction,at most,can be reduced by 17.56%.(3)the offset strategies have little effect on the seepage field.Efficient and appropriate strategies can be selected to meet the requirement of leveling in engineering project.

An experimental study on embankment failure induced by prolonged immersion in floodwater

Prolonged immersion in floodwater is one of the main causes of embankment failure or dam breaks, although failure mechanisms have not been extensively studied. In this study, an embankment model was constructed to investigate the influence of prolonged immersion in floodwater on the failure of an embankment. The results indicate that： （1） the phreatic surface gradually rises and negative pore pressures gradually dissipate with the time of prolonged immersion in floodwater, and, finally, a stable and fully saturated state is reached; （2） observable cracks and a heave phenomenon are found near the downstream toe and in the top stratum of the foundation, which are attributed to the large uplift pressure on the interface between the top stratum and the pervious substratum, the tremendous impact effect induced by the rapid rise in water level, and the reduction of shear strength of heavy silt loam. The present study enhances our in-depth knowledge of the mechanisms of embankment failure induced by floodwater, and provides experimental data for validation of mathematical models of the embankment seepage failure.

Upper bound limit analysis of roof collapse in shallow tunnels with arbitrary cross sections under condition of seepage force

The analytical solutions for predicting the exact shape of collapse mechanisms in shallow tunnels with arbitrary excavation profiles were obtained by virtue of the upper bound theorem of limit analysis and variation principle according to Hoek-Brown failure criterion. The seepage force was included in the upper bound limit analysis, and it was computed from the gradient of excess pore pressure distribution. The seepage was regarded as a work rate of external force. The numerical results of roof collapse in square and circular tunnels with different rock parameters were derived and discussed, which proves to be valid in comparison with the previous work. The influences of different parameters on the shape of collapsing blocks were also discussed.

Penetration Tests of Multi-Bucket Foundation in Sand for Offshore Wind Turbines

Suction foundations are generally installed with negative pressures to overcome the resistance of soils and complete the penetration,but excessive negative pressures are also avoided to cause seepage damages.In this paper,the model test method was used to analyze the movement characteristics of multi-bucket foundations in the process of sinking in sand,and the common calculation methods of sinking resistances are verified.The critical negative pressure corresponding to the seepage failure of foundation was determined under the action of increasing negative pressure step by step and the characteristics of soil failure were studied.The calculation formula of critical suction in sand was verified in application,and according to the test results,the value of seepage coefficient was modified,which provides an example for the study of suction foundation in sand soils.

Hydro-mechanical coupling mechanism on joint of clay core-wall and concrete cut-off wall

The joint of clay core-wall and concrete cut-off wall is one of the weakest parts in high earth and rockftll dams.A kind of highly plastic clay is always fixed on the joint to fit the large shear deformation between clay core-wall and concrete cut-offwall,so the hydro-mechanical coupling mechanisms on the joint under high stress,high hydraulic gradient,and large shear deformation are of great importance for the evaluation of dam safety.The hydro-mechanical coupling characteristics of the joint of the highly plastic clay and the concrete cut-off wall in a high earth and rockfill dam in China were studied by using a newly designed soil-structure contact erosion apparatus.The experimental results indicate that：1） Shear failure on the joint is due to the hydro-mechanical coupling effect of stress and seepage failure.The seepage failure will induce the final shear failure when the ratio of deviatoric stress to confining pressure is within 1.0-1.2; 2） A negative exponential permeability empirical model for the joint denoted by a newly defined principal stress function,which considers the coupling effect of confining pressure and axial pressure on the permeability,is established based on hydro-mechanical coupling experiments.3） The variation of the settlement before and after seepage failure is very different.The settlement before seepage failure changes very slowly,while it increases significantly after the seepage failure.4） The stress-strain relationship is of a strain softening type.5） Flow along the joint still follows Darcian flow rule.The results will provide an important theoretical basis for the further evaluation on the safety of the high earth and rockfill dam.

Model test study on the formation and development of underground erosion ground fissures in the Kenya Rift Valley

The Kenya Rift Valley is relatively prone to underground erosion ground fissures and associated disasters,which gravely hinder local engineering construction and economic development.In this research,we performed field and experimental studies on ground fissures in the Kenya Rift Valley area,and determined the structural characteristics of underground erosion fissures.Based on a geological survey of the area,we generalized a geological model for typical ground fissures and reproduced the intermediate process of ground fissure propagation using a large-scale physical model test.Further,the development process of underground erosion fissures were categorized into four stages:uniform infiltration,preferential infiltration,cavity expansion,and collapse formation stages.During the development of underground erosion fissures,water content was distributed symmetrically along the fissures,and these fissures acted as the primary infiltration paths of water.When the ground collapsed,the increase in negative pore water pressure was greater,whereas the increase in positive pore water pressure was less in the shallow soil;moreover,in the deep soil,the increase in positive pore water pressure was greater than that of negative pore water pressure.Additionally,the earth pressure increment initially increased and then decreased with the development of erosion.During underground erosion collapse,the water content and pore water pressure appeared to increase and decrease rapidly.These results can be employed to predict the occurrence of underground erosion ground fissures and the resulting soil collapse.

Permeability and Sedimentation Characteristics of Pleistocene Fluvio-glacial Deposits in the Dadu River Valley,Southwest China

There exist many fluvio-glacial deposits in the valley of Dadu River, Southwest China, which dates back to the Pleistocene. As some of the deposits are located within the seasonal water fluctuation zone of reservoirs, the seepage of groundwater acts as one of the key factors influencing their stability. Investigation into the sediment properties and permeability is, therefore, crucial for evaluating the sediment stability. In this study, in-situ permeability and sieving tests have been carried out to determine grain size distribution, correlations of permeability and hydraulic gradients, and relations between permeability and sedimentation properties. Test results indicate that the deposits are composed mostly of sands, gravels, cobbles and boulders, and the percentage of fines is less than 5%. The sediments have high densities, low porosities and natural moisture contents. At low hydraulic gradients, the seepage velocity obeys the Darcy＇s law, while a non- Darcy permeability is observed with hydraulic gradient exceeding a certain value （about 0.5 - 0.7）. The linear permeability coefficient ranges from 0.003 to 0.009 cm/s. Seepage failure occurs above a threshold between 1.1 and 1.5. The test data fit well with the non-linear permeability equations suggested by Forchheimer and Izbash. The non-Darcy permeability proves to be in accordance with the seepage equation suggested by Izbash with the power ＇m＇ of about 0.6 - 0.7. The characteristic grain sizes of the studied deposits are found in a narrow range between 0.024 and o.o31 mm, which is much lowerthan the effective grain size （dlo）.

FLOW-PIPE-SEEPAGE COUPLING ANALYSIS OF SPANNING INITIATION OF A PARTIALLY-EMBEDDED PIPELINE

The initiation of pipeline spanning involves the coupling between the flow over the pipeline and the seepage-flow in the soil underneath the pipeline.The pipeline spanning initiation is experimentally observed and discussed in this article.It is qualitatively indicated that the pressure-drop induced soil seepage failure is the predominant cause for pipeline spanning initiation.A flow-pipe-seepage sequential coupling Finite Element Method（FEM） model is proposed to simulate the coupling between the water flow-field and the soil seepage-field.A critical hydraulic gradient is obtained for oblique seepage failure of the sand in the direction tangent to the pipe.Parametric study is performed to investigate the effects of inflow velocity,pipe embedment on the pressure-drop,and the effects of soil internal friction angle and pipe embedment-to-diameter ratio on the critical flow velocity for pipeline spanning initiation.It is indicated that the dimensionless critical flow velocity changes approximately linearly with the soil internal friction angle for the submarine pipeline partially-embedded in a sandy seabed.