Print Email Facebook Twitter Study upon the possible influence of animal burrows on the failure of the levee of San Matteo along the Secchia river Title Study upon the possible influence of animal burrows on the failure of the levee of San Matteo along the Secchia river Author Taccari, M.L. Contributor Jommi, C. (mentor) Jonkman, S.N. (mentor) Schweckendiek, T. (mentor) Van der Meij, R. (mentor) Faculty Civil Engineering and Geosciences Department Geoscience & Engineering Programme Geo-Engineering Date 2015-07-13 Abstract Animal burrowing can be a main cause of initiation thereby be a cause of breaching of flood defences. However, little guidance and literature is available on this subject. This Master Thesis investigates the contribution of badgers, porcupines and foxes to the failure of the levee of San Matteo (Modena, Italy) on 19th January 2014. Firstly, the study is initiated with literature research on the Investigative Evaluation Report (“Relazione tecnico-scientifica sulle cause del collasso dell’argine del fiume Secchia avvenuto il giorno 19 gennaio 2014 presso la frazione San Matteo”) which analyses the breach and presents data that will be used in the following analyses. Second, the thesis investigates the properties, geometry and distribution of animal burrows, in order to draw networks for the analyses. Finally, the literature review focuses on possible failure mechanisms caused by animal burrowing and historical cases. The assumed method evaluates first the influence of animal burrows on the water pressures in the embankment during rainfall and a high water tide. The influence of the burrowing is assessed through a transient FEM flow analysis. Starting from the documented entrances situated in the vadose zone, different scenarios for the internal distribution of tunnels and chambers are proposed. The analysis is carried out with the software PLAXIS 2D and 3D. Finally, the most likely failure mechanism and representative network for the stability of the dike is assessed. Indications around the influence of animal burrowing for the safety of a levee are stated and recommendations on their analysis in future cases are presented. Subject dike failureSecchia riveranimal burrowinggroundwater flowmacro-stabilityinternal erosionbadger settsunsaturated zone To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:e9a171a4-306d-4a6b-9104-f62415e5ed7b Embargo date 2015-07-13 Part of collection Student theses Document type master thesis Rights (c) 2015 Taccari, M.L. Files PDF Thesis__MariaLuisaTaccari.pdf 8.39 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:e9a171a4-306d-4a6b-9104-f62415e5ed7b/datastream/OBJ/view