Virtual Dike: multiscale simulation of dike stability

Abstract

We present a Virtual Dike simulation module developed as a part of a flood Early Warning System (EWS) for the UrbanFlood project. The UrbanFlood EWS is a distributed system that analyzes sensor data received in real-time from flood defenses (dikes, dams, etc.) and simulates dike stability, breaching and flood propagation. The aim of the Virtual Dike module is to develop an advanced multiscale multiphysics simulation laboratory for expert users and numerical model developers. This lab is used to validate simulation models, to plan experiments and to investigate physical processes influencing dike stability and failure. In the first stage of the project, we have studied the structural stability of the Live Dike, a dike protecting a seaport in Groningen, the Netherlands. The four cross-sections of the dike are equipped with sensors of pore pressure and inclination. For each section, 2D simulations of flow through porous media and dike deformations have been performed under tidal water load. Simulation results have been compared with the sensors data in order to calibrate soil properties. Pore pressure, stress dynamics and structural stability of the dike have been analyzed.