Predicting plastic strain rate in the core of embankment dams subjected to heavy vehicle traffic

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Embankment dams primarily serve as structures for water containment. However, there is a growing demand for alternative usage, particularly from energy, mining, and forestry sectors. Allowing heavy vehicle transit on dam crests would improve access to the structures and the surrounding areas. Nonetheless, concerns arise regarding the safety and efficiency of embankment dams under heavy vehicle loads. There is a demand for innovative tools to facilitate decision-making processes by assessing the performance of embankment dams when subjected to heavy vehicle traffic. In the realm of unpaved road engineering, it is firmly established that the accumulation of permanent deformation under repeated loading is a key indicator of the performance of granular materials and soils. The paper aims to establish a model predicting the plastic strain rate in dam cores subjected to repeated heavy traffic, utilizing field measurements and laboratory testing of permanent deformation.