Numerical interpretation of regressive localized internal erosion in a real-scale levee physical model

Numerical interpretation of regressive localized internal erosion in a real-scale levee physical model

Callari, Carlo
Pol, J.C. (TU Delft Hydraulic Structures and Flood Risk)

2022

This paper presents the numerical interpretation of a recent experiment on a real-scale levee physical model, in order to investigate the process of Backward Erosion Piping (BEP) and validate a recently proposed finite element formulation able to model both the simultaneous processes observed in backward erosion piping, i.e. the propagation of the pipe tip and the enlargement of the conduit cross-section, as well as the time-dependent effects. In previous papers, the numerical formulation already demonstrated its ability in reproducing available experimental data of full-scale physical models of levees, e.g. for the IJkdijk and for the Delta Flume tests. In the present work, as a further validation for the aforementioned formulation, we consider the numerical interpretation of the regressive localized internal erosion observed in the newly constructed real-scale levee at the Flood Proof Holland facility test site in Delft, The Netherlands. This test was mainly focused on the experimental evaluation of the time-dependent effects typically observed in these phenomena. To this purpose the levee foundation was equipped with an effective and accurate pore water pressure monitoring system. The aforementioned formulation was considered for the numerical interpretation of the test, in view of its ability in modeling the time-dependent effects in backward erosion piping. Indeed, a good agreement between calculated and measured piezometric heads and pipe tip propagations was obtained.

Localized internal erosion
Backward erosion piping
Levees
Finite elements
Erosion kinetics
Multiphase porous medium

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:1cb24c8f-aecb-4a2d-bb4f-ca5fed088efa

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gete.2022.100395

2023-07-01

2352-3808

Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment, 32

Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.

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© 2022 Carlo Callari, J.C. Pol