.png){kind=icon}
.png){kind=icon}
Return
Seepage and slope stability analysis of earth dams with different drain types under surface and internal modes of clogging
.png){kind=icon}
PRE
AI
D
DOI：10.1016/j.pce.2026.104421.png)
.png){kind=icon}
Original request for help.png){kind=icon}
Share.png){kind=icon}
Save
Abstract
En 中文
This research implements numerical modeling to evaluate the effect of drain clogging on seepage and slope stability of earth dams over impervious foundations. Three base cases are simulated, the no drain, the unclogged triangular toe drain, and the unclogged horizontal drain, to act as a benchmark that clarifies the effect of drain clogging and how it compares to the dam without drain. For the triangular toe drain, outer surface, inner surface, and partial internal clogging were studied for various clogging heights. For the horizontal drain, surface and partial internal modes of clogging were modeled considering different clogging initiation locations and widths. Moreover, the case of full internal clogging was studied for both types of drains, considering a gradual reduction in their hydraulic conductivity. A correlation analysis of the input and output variables is also presented to evaluate the strength and direction of their relationships. The results show that for all clogging modes and both types of drains, clogging blocks the flow, raises the downstream water pressure, forces the phreatic line upwards and toward the dam's downstream face, and reduces the downstream slope's safety. Full outer surface clogging of the triangular toe drain was the most critical in all the studied scenarios of both drain types, with a safety factor of 0.838, which is 56% less than the unclogged toe drain and 38.4% less than the dam without drain. This highlights the detrimental consequences of full clogging of the triangular toe drain's exit face, which can lead to the dam's failure.
Keywords:
Clogged drain
Dam safety
Earth dam
Numerical modeling
Seepage
Slope stability
Journal
IF:
4.1
Papers:
3.3K
Citations:
6.9K
Organization
Cited Papers