A Mathematical Model for Determination of the Critical Hydraulic Gradient in Soil Piping

Abstract

Piping erosion is one of the main causes responsible for dam and barrage failures. The issue of most important concern is to estimate the critical hydraulic gradient that triggers piping. Using the Kovacs’s pore channels model, Darcy’s law, Stake’s law and a critical tractive stress condition, a mathematical model was developed for the critical hydraulic gradient. The model was verified with lab tests, which means the model is effective and could be used to predict the critical hydraulic gradient with different parameters.