Seepage and Stability Analysis of Earthen Dam in Slow and Rapid Drawdown Conditions

EasyChair Preprint 5011

Abstract

Embankment dams are large rock or earthen dam which withhold the water pressure of upstream reservoir  by the shear strength of the compacted soil used in the construction of dam. Various materials like sand ,gravel, clay etc. are used along with semi-pervious waterproof natural covering for the construction of any earthen dam. Along with semi pervious materials , impervious materials are used for the construction of core in the center of dam. This act as a protection against problems like seepage erosion and piping. The friction and interaction of particles plays a vital role in binding the materials together and act as stable mass.

Slope stability during reservoir drawdown is the most important consideration for embankment dam design. Reservoir water pressure has a stabilizing effect on the upstream dam faces under operating condition . The stabilizing effect of the water is lost during rapid drawdown condition but the pore water pressures that remains within the embankment, may remain high. Due to which the dam stability along the upstream face of the dam, may decrease until the high pore water pressure within the dam dissipate. Dissipation of pore water pressure depends on the permeability and storage characteristics of the embankment materials. Highly permeable materials drain quickly but low permeable materials takes time to drain during rapid drawdown condition.

Keyphrases: Instantaneous drawdown, Seepage, slope stability, slow drawdown

@booklet{EasyChair:5011,
  author    = {Subodh Shrivastava and Sanat Nalini Sahoo},
  title     = {Seepage and Stability Analysis of Earthen Dam in Slow and Rapid Drawdown Conditions},
  howpublished = {EasyChair Preprint 5011},
  year      = {EasyChair, 2021}}