Backward erosion piping: Initiation and progression

Backward erosion piping is an internal erosion mechanism during which shallow pipes are formed in the direction opposite to the flow underneath water-retaining structures as a result of the gradual removal of sandy material by the action of water. It is an important failure mechanism in both dikes and dams where sandy layers are covered by a...

Incorporating Observations to Update the Piping Reliability Estimate of the Francis Levee

Piping failure of levees is one of the main contributors to flood risk. Piping occurs when the head difference over a levee results in uplift of the inland blanket, followed by backward erosion in the aquifer due to high local flow velocities. Whether piping occurs, highly depends on local geo-hydrological circumstances which are uncertain due...

On reducing piping uncertainties: A Bayesian decision approach

Dikes and levees play a crucial role in flood protection in deltaic areas such as the Netherlands. Internal erosion piping or under-seepage is a major cause of levee failures and a main contributor to the probability of failure of river levees due to the large (mostly geotechnical) uncertainties. The present thesis investigates how geotechnical...

Zandmeevoerende wellen

In het onderzoeksrapport Zandmeevoerende Wellen zijn de resultaten van het onderzoek dat in het onderzoeksprogramma Sterkte & Belastingen Waterkeringen (SBW) Piping is uitgevoerd. Doel van het onderzoeksprogramma Sterkte & Belastingen Waterkeringen (SBW) Piping project is het hervalideren van de piping toetsregels, het identificeren van...

Experimental benchmark and numerical validation of a free heaving airfoil

In order to validate fluid-structure interaction solvers, a one degree of freedom (1 DOF) aeroelastic experiment is performed. A rigid wing with an harmonically actuated flap, is suspended by springs to allow a free heaving motion. Displacements and time dependent aerodynamic forces are measured for reduced flap frequencies ranging from k = 0.1...

Technical report on sand boils (piping)

Piping and hydraulic fracturing (heave) are phenomena which can threaten the stability of flood defences. These phenomena can arise when, in the case of large-scale hydraulic head, particles of soil in layers of earth which are susceptible to erosion are transported underneath the flood defence by the seepage flow, as a consequence of which...