Toe drain size and slope stability of homogeneous embankment dam under rapid drawdown

Mkilima, Timoth

doi:10.54355/tbus/1.3.2021.0001

“…Profound behaviors related to the stability mechanisms of embankment dams encompass complex interactions and responses within the dam structure, such as gradual changes in pore water pressure and soil consolidation, which may influence factors like factor of safety and deformation patterns under various loading conditions [2]. These behaviors also involve the nuanced effects of factors like hydraulic conductivity variations [3], embankment slope configurations [4], toe drain effectiveness [5], and drawdown rates [6], which can impact the dam's overall stability and performance, often requiring analysis and consideration in dam design and management to ensure long-term safety and resilience. The consequences of unchecked seepage can be dire, encompassing potential failures and safety risks.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Delving into Earth Dam Dynamics: Exploring the Impact of Inner Impervious Core and Toe Drain Arrangement on Seepage and Factor of Safety during Rapid Drawdown Scenarios

Utepov,

Mkilima,

Aldungarova

et al. 2023

Infrastructures

Self Cite

4

0

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The study examined the intricate relationships between embankment slope configurations, toe drain designs, and drawdown scenarios. It utilized a unique combination of numerical, physical, and mathematical models. The investigation involved 16 numerical models and 8 physical models with distinct characteristics. The research explored the correlations of key parameters: matric suction, horizontal water conductivity, time, and factor of safety. The factor of safety values varied from 0.62 to 1.03 as a result of the different investigated combinations. For instance, a 1:2 embankment slope without a toe drain under instantaneous drawdown led to the factor of safety values ranging from 1.22 to 1.57. Additionally, incorporating elements like a 30 m toe drain and a 1 m per day drawdown rate influenced these values, with extremes recorded from 1.337 to 2.21, shedding light on embankment stability under diverse conditions and configurations. When subjected to a 1 m per day drawdown, water flow rates decreased significantly at the upstream face and increased downstream, accompanied by an increase in water mass flux at the upstream face and a decrease at the downstream toe, suggesting dynamic changes in water behavior in response to drawdown. Moreover, the findings unveiled significant correlations between matric suction and time (correlation coefficient of 0.950) and factor of safety and water conductivity (correlation coefficient of 0.750). Conversely, a distinct negative correlation emerged between matric suction and factor of safety (correlation coefficient of −0.864). The study’s distinctive insights contribute to our understanding of seepage behavior and dam stability across varied scenarios, offering valuable input for resilient dam construction approaches that will ensure the longevity and effectiveness of these essential structures.

show abstract

“…Prior to the development of computational tools, determining the critical failure surface was a difficult task that necessitated several, time-consuming manual analyses. Nonetheless, technological improvements have made it possible to carry out a variety of examinations [10]. As a result, after numerous rounds, the critical failure surface and its FS can be easily determined.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modeling the impact of soil cohesiveness on embankment stability under rapid drawdown

Mkilima

¹

2022

tbus

Self Cite

1

0

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

For embankment slope stability, soil cohesivity is one of the most important shear strength parameters. The effect of cohesiveness on the slope stability of a homogeneous embankment dam under rapid drawdown loading conditions was examined in this study. With the use of numerical modeling in GeoStudio, different situations were explored based on cohesiveness (0 kN/m2, 5 kN/m2, 10 kN/m2, and 15 kN/m2) under a 1 m per day drawdown rate. The factor of safety value obtained from the long-term steady-state condition under 15 kN/m2 cohesion was equivalent to a 116.8% increase from the one obtained under 0 kN/m2 cohesion. The factor of safety values obtained after subjecting the embankment to different soil cohesion levels yielded a p-value of 1.91 x 10-41, according to the Analysis of Variance. The calculated p-value (alpha value) is less than 0.05, suggesting that the differences between the examined cohesiveness values based on the list of the factor of safety values are statistically significant. The findings derived in this study show that it is significant to capture the effect of material characteristics during the design phase of an embankment dam.

show abstract

The Impact of Soil Cohesiveness on Earth-fill Dam Stability under Rapid Drawdown

Mkilima¹

2022

Preprint

Self Cite

0

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

For embankment slope stability, soil cohesivity is one of the most important shear strength parameters. The effect of cohesiveness on the slope stability of a homogeneous embankment dam under rapid drawdown loading conditions was examined in this study. With the use of numerical modeling in GeoStudio, different situations were explored based on cohesiveness (0 kN/m2, 5 kN/m2, 10 kN/m2, and 15 kN/m2) under a 1 m per day drawdown rate. The factor of safety value obtained from the long-term steady-state condition under 15 kN/m2 cohesion was equivalent to a 116.8% increase from the one obtained under 0 kN/m2 cohesion. The factor of safety values obtained after subjecting the embankment to different soil cohesion levels yielded a p-value of 1.91 x 10-41, according to the Analysis of Variance. The calculated p-value (alpha value) is less than 0.05, suggesting that the differences between the examined cohesiveness values based on the list of the factor of safety values are statistically significant. The findings derived in this study show that it is significant to capture the effect of material characteristics during the design phase of an embankment dam.

show abstract

Toe drain size and slope stability of homogeneous embankment dam under rapid drawdown

Cited by 5 publications

References 12 publications

Delving into Earth Dam Dynamics: Exploring the Impact of Inner Impervious Core and Toe Drain Arrangement on Seepage and Factor of Safety during Rapid Drawdown Scenarios

Delving into Earth Dam Dynamics: Exploring the Impact of Inner Impervious Core and Toe Drain Arrangement on Seepage and Factor of Safety during Rapid Drawdown Scenarios

Modeling the impact of soil cohesiveness on embankment stability under rapid drawdown

The Impact of Soil Cohesiveness on Earth-fill Dam Stability under Rapid Drawdown

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About