Seepage Failure Research Articles

Effects on the Potential for Seepage Failure Under a Geotextile Mattress with Floating Plate

The geotextile mattress with floating plate (GMFP) is an innovative scour protection device. This study examines the potential for seepage failure under the GMFP, which has been previously documented. The effects of flow velocity and GMFP configuration on the potential for seepage failure were analyzed. The variation pattern of the sloping angle was first revealed in flume tests, and the bed pressure near the GMFP with various configurations in steady currents was thereafter simulated. The average hydraulic gradient across the GMFP was observed to increase with an increase in the Froude number before reaching a plateau, which can be explained by the coupled effects of the rising Froude number and the decreasing sloping angle. The average hydraulic gradient was approximately inversely proportional to the mattress length upstream of the floating plate. With the decreasing mattress length downstream of the floating plate, the average hydraulic gradient initially rose and then declined when the downstream mattress was relatively short. This trend can be associated with the amplification of the vortices in the top vortex zone downstream of the GMFP with the shortened downstream mattress, which pushed the bottom vortex to the leeside. The shortened downstream mattress could increase the risk of overturning and slipping of the GMFP, although the average hydraulic gradient decreased.

Research on the Characteristics of Seepage Failure in the Surrounding Rock (Coal) of the Goafs

During mining, the brittle fracture structure of coal makes it highly susceptible to disturbance, leading to changes in the permeability of the coal seam from non-conductive to water-conductive, which poses a significant threat to the stability and safety of coal pillars in goafs. Therefore, understanding the damage mechanisms of coal during water–rock interactions is crucial for ensuring mine safety. In this paper, based on laboratory seepage tests, the impact of hydrodynamic forces on the microstructure of fissured coal and its subsequent effect on permeability is examined. The study found that increasing confining pressure causes the “closure” of coal fissures, leading to a reduction in permeability. Additionally, during the initial stage of seepage, fine particles within the coal samples are mobilized due to seepage damage, leading to channel blockages and further reductions in permeability. However, as seepage continues, the hydraulic channels eventually open fully, resulting in a sharp increase in permeability. Furthermore, using a two-dimensional fracture seepage model, the study investigated how the scale of fractures in the water-conducting channels influences seepage behavior. A critical fracture width method was proposed to predict permeability surges, offering a new approach for analyzing the stability of coal pillars in mining areas.

The impact of lenses on the seepage failure of tailings dam.

The presence of lenses such as tailings slurry, frozen soil, and saturated zones disrupts the continuity of tailings dams and their normal seepage patterns, elevating the seepage line of the dam body and significantly impacting local stability. This study, to investigate how lenses affect the stability and failure mechanisms of tailings dams, employs numerical simulation and physical models and constructs a model of the tailings dam, incorporating tailings clay lens and void lens, to investigate variations in hydraulic gradients, seepage velocities, seepage flow, pore water pressure, and the patterns of seepage failure. This research reveals that the tailings clay lens within the dam body increases the hydraulic gradient in its vicinity due to its low permeability and raises the phreatic line. As the tailings clay lens approaches the dam body, the phreatic line tends to escape along the upper part of the lens towards the dam surface. In addition, the void lens could lead to a more pronounced seepage gradient along its path on the dam surface, with a liquefaction beneath it. As the void lens nears the toe of the slope, the dam failure mode transitions from a step-like progressive failure to an arch-shaped settlement failure along the void lens.

Analysis of water inrush of a deep excavation triggered by river bank failure and its reconstruction

Many deep excavation projects are adjacent to river, and hence face the seepage risk. In this study, a through-wall seepage failure of a foundation pit adjacent to river is investigated. It is found that, the accident was initiated by the breakage of revetment along the construction joint and cracks of rubble stone masonry, which further caused the slope failure of river bank and the subsequent seepage of river water through the cold joint of waterproof curtain. The remedial works including construction of cofferdam in the river, backfill outside the foundation pit, reinforcement of cold joint, backfill inside the foundation pit, controllable dewatering outside the foundation pit and axial force adjustment of struts are designed. The monitoring results indicate effective implementation of the remedial works and the following successful reconstruction of the project. A summary of reported seepage failure cases adjacent to river is finally made to provide suggestions for the design and construction of future similar deep excavation projects.

Experimental study on vertical seepage of coarse-grained calcareous sand

Calcareous sand, a special geotechnical material employed as foundation fill in numerous reef constructions, exhibits susceptibility to seepage deformation in complex marine dynamic environments. Its permeability characteristics are notably distinct from conventional terrestrial soil, making the understanding of these properties critical for further applications. This study conducted vertical seepage tests on coarse-grained calcareous sand samples with varying coefficients of uniformity (Cu), coefficients of curvature (Cc), relative compactions (Dr), and soil skeletal structures. These tests utilized a custom-designed apparatus, supplemented with image binarization and particle image velocimetry techniques. Based on the results, the findings revealed a three-stage vertical seepage process: steady seepage, hydraulic adjustment, and seepage failure. The permeability coefficient k20 of the calcareous sand samples was observed to transition from a decreasing to an increasing trend with rising Cu and Cc values. Moreover, the k20 of tightly compacted and medium-tightly compacted samples exceeded that during the steady seepage stage upon entering the second stage, while the opposite holds true for relatively loose samples. The spatial organization of the sample skeleton had a considerable impact on its permeability, with coarse-grained calcareous sand imposing a greater constraint on fine particle migration compared to river sand.

Ultimate water level and deformation failures of the artificial dam in the coal mine underground reservoir

Coal mine underground reservoirs provide a new choice for the protection and utilization of water resources. This paper takes the underground reservoir of Wulanmulun Mine as the background, and takes the MB-1# artificial dam in the goaf of 31104–31116 working face of 3–1 coal seam as the research object. The theoretical model of artificial dam is established by elastic–plastic two-way slab theory, and the theoretical mechanical analysis and calculation are carried out. A similitude physical model for the coal mine underground reservoir was built by using the self-developed nested dual-dynamic-pressure similitude simulation testing system. Later, the mechanical response and deformation failure features of the artificial dam under different water pressure values were analyzed and the ultimate water pressure was determined. In addition, FLAC3D was used to determine the stress-seepage field-coupling model for the artificial dam. Using this model, the influence of water pressure on the multi-load coupling effect of the artificial dam and coal pillar dam was characterized. The dam form is optimized and the safety water level evaluation method of the dam body is proposed. The research results are as follows: (1) Based on the theory of elastic–plastic two-way slab, the theoretical analysis model of artificial dam is established, the expression of the ultimate water level function of artificial dam is derived, and the theoretical ultimate water head is determined to be 18.2 m (2) The seepage law of underground reservoir under different water pressures is obtained, and the ultimate water pressure of the model is determined to be 11.43 kPa. (3) It is clarified that the failure modes of the artificial dam are seepage failure and mechanical failure, and it is revealed that the groove area is the weakest position where the dam is most vulnerable to failure. In view of the failure modes of the dam, the I-shaped structure artificial dam is proposed. (4) A safe water level assessment method is proposed for the constructed artificial dam. According to the analysis of on-site monitoring data of MB-1# dam, the actual water level in the reservoir is within the allowable water level range of the artificial dam, and the whole reservoir is in a stable and relatively safe state at present. The reliability of this assessment method has been verified.

Experimental investigation on the characteristics of seepage failure of landslide dams with strongly permeable zones

Landslide dams are formed by river blockages caused by landslides or other slope instability bodies. They exhibit loose structure, poor stability and strong permeability. Large water head caused by water-level increase can trigger seepage deformation of soil and influence the stability of landslide dams, possibly leading to dam breach and catastrophic damage. Various landslide dam structures also result in differences in seepage characteristics. In this study, multiple physical model tests for seepage failure of landslide dams with strongly permeable zones were designed. The influence of the location and gradation of the strongly permeable zones on the seepage of landslide dams was studied. The characteristics and modes of seepage failure of landslide dams with strongly permeable zones were analysed. The experimental results showed that the cyclic evolution failure of piping and downstream slope collapse was an essential failure mode for the seepage-induced failure of landslide dams with strongly permeable zones. Compared with the strongly permeable zone at the bottom of a landslide dam, the piping caused by seepage evidently promoted the slope erosion of the dam with the strongly permeable zone in the middle. As the permeability coefficient of strongly permeable zones increased, piping was faster and easier to form, and piping failure, slope erosion, and slope collapse were more severe. The seepage failure of landslide dams mainly included the emergence of seepage water, piping, slope erosion, and downstream slope collapse. Piping was caused by the erosion and migration of some fine particles of soil in seepage channels in the dam. When the flow drag force could overcome the resistance force among the soil particles, some fine particles and even large particles on the downstream slope surface were continuously eroded. This study provides new insights into the evolution process and breach mechanisms for the seepage-induced failure of landslide dams with strongly permeable zones.

Failure probability analysis of high fill levee considering multiple uncertainties and correlated failure modes

Such complex causative factors in current failure probability models are represented by simply random uncertainty and completely independent or correlation of failure modes, which can often limit the model utility. In this study, we developed a methodology to construct failure probability models for high fill levees, incorporating the identification of uncertainties and an analysis of failure modes. Based on quantification of stochastic-grey-fuzzy uncertainties, probability analysis involved with overtopping, instability and seepage failure modes was implemented combined with probability and non-probability methods. Given that the interaction among failure modes typically exhibits nonlinear behavior, rather than linear correlation or complete independence, a simple methodology for the binary Copula function was established and implemented in MATLAB. This methodology was applied to the high fill segments of a long-distance water transfer project characterized by high population density. It shows that the failure probability of a single failure mode is overestimated when uncertainties are not considered, because of the randomness and fuzziness of some parameters and the greyness of information. Meanwhile, it is found that the magnitude of failure probability related to levee breach is overestimated without respect to failure modes correlation, especially when the probabilities of seepage and instability are both significant and closely aligned.

Analysis of seepage failure probability for high core rockfill dams during rapid drawdown of reservoir water level

Rapid drawdown (RDD) is an abnormal reservoir flood control operation that may cause seepage failure of high core rockfill dams. In this paper, a novel framework combining Bayesian inference and transient unsaturated seepage simulation is proposed to evaluate the seepage failure probability of the core during RDD. The dynamic hydraulic boundaries utilized in the simulation are first determined by the performance of water release structures. The extreme learning machine (ELM) is then employed as the surrogate model to establish the mapping relationship between material parameters with simulated seepage pressure and hydraulic gradient. The Bayesian inference method is applied to characterize the uncertainty of material parameters based on seepage monitoring data. Finally, the posterior distribution samples of random parameters are utilized to calculate the seepage failure probability of the core. The seepage safety of the core under different drawdown rates is studied with a real 186 m high core rockfill dam. The results reveal that a faster RDD rate can lead to an increased probability of seepage failure. The maximum failure probability is 35.56 % for the four release structures working together (about 0.316 m/h), higher than 23.16 % for the three release structures (about 0.165 m/h). It is also found that the peak of seepage failure probability often occurs in the middle stage of RDD. Therefore, to ensure the safety of the project, it is important to control the RDD rate and carefully monitor the seepage pressure. From the point of view of seepage failure, the proposed method for evaluating the safety of core rockfill dams under RDD is of high guiding significance to the risk assessment of similar projects under extreme conditions.

Investigation on the Prevention and Treatment Measures of Seepage Failure of the Fine-Grained Tailings Dam: A Case of Iron Tailings Reservoir in China

Investigation on the Prevention and Treatment Measures of Seepage Failure of the Fine-Grained Tailings Dam: A Case of Iron Tailings Reservoir in China

A coupled MPM-FDM for seepage failure analysis of saturated ground

A coupled MPM-FDM for seepage failure analysis of saturated ground

Numerical simulation of the critical hydraulic gradient of granular soils at seepage failure by discrete element method and computational fluid dynamics

Seepage failure is a common problem in engineering, and the calculation and analysis of critical hydraulic gradient are of great significance for the safety and protection of engineering. Based on the principle of discrete element method and computational fluid dynamics, the fluid–solid coupled models were established to study the critical hydraulic gradient and particle loss rate of granular soils at seepage failure. The evolution of seepage failure was divided into four stages: seepage development stage, local damage stage, volume expansion stage and overall damage stage. The validity of numerical simulation was demonstrated by comparing the critical hydraulic gradient obtained by numerical simulation and by Terzaghi’s formula. According to the fabric damage and flow velocity variation of the models at seepage failure, the influences of model size and particle size on the critical hydraulic gradient and particle loss rate were analyzed. The results indicate that critical hydraulic gradient and particle loss rate were not sensitive to changes in model size. A wide particle size distribution range resulted in large critical hydraulic gradient and small particle loss rate at seepage failure. The discrete element numerical simulation can not only be used to determine the critical hydraulic gradient of geotechnical and hydraulic engineering, but also offer a visual portrayal of the evolution of seepage failure, serving as an important complement to comprehend the intricate microscopic mechanisms underlying soil seepage failure.

Study of a Tailings Dam Failure Pattern and Post-Failure Effects under Flooding Conditions

Tailings dams are structures that store both tailings and water, so almost all tailings dam accidents are water related. This paper investigates a tailings dam’s failure pattern and damage development under flood conditions by conducting a 1:100 large-scale tailings dam failure model test. It also simulates the tailings dam breach discharge process based on the breach mode using FLOW-3D software, and the extent of the impact of the dam failure debris flow downstream was derived. Dam failure tests show that the form of dam failure under flood conditions is seepage failure. The damage manifests itself in the form of flowing soil, which is broadly divided into two processes: the seepage stabilization phase and the flowing soil development damage phase. The dam failure test shows that the rate of rise in the height of the dam saturation line is faster and then slower. The order of the saturation line at the dam face is second-level sub-dam, third-level sub-dam, first-level sub-dam, and fourth-level sub-dam. The final failure of the tailings dam is the production of a breach at the top of the dam due to the development of the dam’s fluid damage zone to the dam top. The simulated dam breach release results show that by the time the dam breach fluid is released at 300 s, the area of over mud has reached 95,250 square meters. Local farmland and roads were submerged, and other facilities and buildings would be damaged to varying degrees. Based on the data from these studies, targeted measures for rectifying hidden dangers and preventing dam breaks from both technical and management aspects can be proposed for tailings dams.

Reliability analysis of high core rockfill dam against seepage failure considering spatial variability of hydraulic parameters

Reliability analysis of high core rockfill dam against seepage failure considering spatial variability of hydraulic parameters

Microscopic mechanism of the combined effects of confining pressure and fines content on suffusion in gap-graded underfilled soils

Suffusion is a typical form of internal erosion, which is the primary cause of seepage failures in hydraulic geo-structures. Revealing the underlying mechanism of suffusion is crucial for designing hydraulic geo-structures and preventing associated failures. Extensive studies have investigated the combined effects of fines content and confining pressure on suffusion in gap-graded soils. However, few of them have focused on underfilled soil, which may be largely different from overfilled soil. This study aims to study microscopic mechanism of suffusion in underfilled soil using the Computational Fluid Dynamics-Discrete Element Method (CFD-DEM). Three fines content (15 %, 20 % and 25 %) and three confining pressures (50, 100 and 200 kPa) are considered for investigating their combined effects on suffusion. The results show two distinct patterns of macroscopic response for the underfilled soils. That is, the cumulative eroded fines mass decreases with increasing confining pressure, especially for samples with high fines content. Additionally, samples with low fines content exhibit negligible suffusion-induced volumetric deformation, while those with high fines content display significant deformation. Particle migration analysis shows that the samples are subjected to non-uniform erosion along the seepage direction, with minimal changes in the number of particles in the middle section, but a notable reduction near the inlet and outlet sections. Moreover, greater confining pressure results in fewer migrating fine particles, particularly in samples with high fine content. Furthermore, particle contact analysis indicates that in samples with low fines content, effective stress is mainly transmitted through coarse particles, resulting in a reduced impact of confining pressure on the internal stability of fine particles. Conversely, in samples with high fines content, a greater proportion of fine particles and coarse particles jointly form the load-bearing skeleton, making them more prone to confining pressure. Hence, two distinct microscopic mechanisms are proposed to well explain the suffusion behavior of underfilled soil from particle-scale perspectives.

Seepage safety evaluation of high earth-rockfill dams considering spatial variability of hydraulic parameters via subset simulation

Seepage failure of high earth-rockfill dams have devastating consequences, and its safety analysis is of great importance in the design phase. However, the highest safety standards in high dams pose a challenge to the calculated efficiency of safety assessment. To address this problem, a random seepage safety assessment method which can consider the spatial variability of hydraulic parameters is proposed. Firstly, the spatial variability of the hydraulic parameters in the impervious materials is simulated using the covariance matrix decomposition under the framework of the non-intrusive finite element method. Then, according to the safety index of critical hydraulic gradient, the seepage stability formula is established to evaluate the safety state. Finally, considering that the highest safety standards in high dams make the probability of seepage hazard small (low failure probability event), it may require more than 10,000 deterministic calculations to complete the assessment process. Therefore, an efficient method based on subset simulation is proposed to optimize the computational efficiency. After the seepage safety evaluation of a 315 m high dam, the results show that the hydraulic conductivity of the core wall has the greatest influence on the seepage safety of the dam, and even under the influence of strong parameter spatial variability, its seepage failure probability is lower than 10-3. Compared with Monte Carlo simulation, the proposed method requires only 1/11 of the computation time at the 10-3 failure level. In addition, the results of grey relational analysis show that the coefficient of variation and correlation distance have obvious effects on seepage safety, and the autocorrelation distance has a greater effect.

Permeability Tests and Numerical Simulation of Argillaceous Dolomite in the Jurong Pumped-Storage Power Station, China

Due to its poor hydro-physical properties and other characteristics, argillaceous dolomite is susceptible to seepage failure under high water pressure, affecting the seepage stability of a rock mass. To ensure the safety of the project, when the argillaceous dolomite is present, it is necessary to study the conditions pertaining to its seepage failure. Taking the argillaceous dolomite of Jurong Pumped Storage Power Station as the research object, the spatial distribution, occurrence, scale, degree of weathering, and mechanical and hydrogeological characteristics of the argillaceous dolomite were studied. Through on-site water pressure tests and laboratory variable head tests, the permeability characteristics of argillaceous dolomite were analyzed, and the hydraulic conductivity of the argillaceous dolomite in the upper reservoir and underground powerhouse areas was quantified. The argillaceous dolomite specimens were collected, and seepage failure tests were conducted to determine the critical water pressure for its seepage failure. Based on the results of the laboratory tests, a numerical model of groundwater flow was established. By changing the water level of the upper reservoir and the measures of the anti-seepage and drainage, the seepage stability of the argillaceous dolomite was discussed. The actual water pressure of argillaceous dolomite in the underground powerhouse area was identified during the operation of the Jurong pumped-storage power station. The calculations show that when fully enclosed anti-seepage and drainage measures are taken for the underground powerhouse, the maximum head of water is 98 m, which is lower than the critical water pressure of seepage failure for the argillaceous dolomite. Therefore, no seepage failure will occur. The results provide a scientific basis for the anti-seepage and drainage design of the underground powerhouse area.

Seepage Evolution Law and Deformation Failure Characteristics of Porous Media Based on Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics

It is difficult to characterize the whole process of seepage movement by traditional numerical methods, which leads to the unclear mechanism of stress-strain change in soil. Therefore, the meshless method smooth particle hydrodynamics method is proposed to study the seepage law and deformation characteristics of soil. Combined with the strain softening model, a nonlinear cohesive force change model of porous media is proposed to accurately describe the evolution characteristics of soil seepage failure. Secondly, the damping coefficient and stress normalization method are used to better eliminate the defects of numerical stress noise generated by soil deformation after boundary interpolation, and improve the accuracy of SPH method in studying the internal stress of soil deformation. It is concluded that the influence of the viscosity coefficient on the unsteady head is significantly higher than that of the constant head. At the same time, the evolution characteristics of soil seepage instability under linear cohesion change are compared and analyzed. It can be seen that the proposed nonlinear cohesion change model is more in line with the actual failure mode of soil seepage. The research results can provide a new method and idea for the study of slope seepage motion range and stability analysis.

Evolution mechanism of tunnel water and sand inrush considering water-rich sandy dolomite hazard-causing structures

Water-rich sandy dolomite stratum is prone to water and sand inrush disasters during tunnel construction. It is of great significance to explore its hazard-causing structure and water inrush mechanism for disaster control. The physical and mechanical properties of dolomite samples are tested to reveal the difference between unsanded dolomite and sandy dolomite. Based on the advanced geological prediction and geological sketching, three types of water and sand inrush hazard-causing structures are identified. Furthermore, three types of water and sand inrush mechanisms under different hazard-causing structures are explored by using fluid–solid coupling model test. One is the progressive failure type of water and sand inrush caused by crack coalescence for the broken unsanded dolomite outburst prevention structure, another is the failure type in which the seepage failure of sandy dolomite strips promotes the crack coalescence of unsanded dolomite, and the other is seepage failure type for the overall sandy dolomite outburst prevention structure. Finally, fluid–solid coupling simulation is used to discuss the failure characteristics of outburst prevention structure with different factors. The results show that the critical sandy dolomite area ratio of the three types is 25 % and 75 %. The factors affecting the inrush disaster are ranked as follows: sandy dolomite area ratio > unsanded dolomite fragmentation degree > buried depth > water storage structure pore pressure > water storage structure size. The findings provide valuable reference for disaster control in water-rich sandy dolomite area.

Seepage Analysis and the Reservoir Water Pollution Potential under Vertical Dam Structure Planning

A prospective resolution to the intricate predicaments of flooding, sanitation, and the availability of unprocessed water for the populace of Jakarta residents is the implementation of the coastal reservoir paradigm. This paradigm entails harnessing the latent capacity of the Cisadane River flow and its subsequent storage within a retention pond, and then subjecting it to reprocessing to serve as a viable source of raw water. The selection of a vertical seawall design was based on the objective of creating an effective barrier between the reservoir and the sea, while also considering several environmental factors. This design was selected with the aim of minimizing the need for extensive soil excavation and rock placement. However, it is important to note that the risks of construction failure associated with seepage under hydraulic structure and dam stability pose significant challenges. Besides preventing saltwater intrusion and maintaining the integrity of the reservoir as a freshwater source, dam must be designed to mitigate potential seepage failure and intrusion issues. To address these concerns, this study employed numerical simulation using the SEEP/W and CTRAN/W software. The simulation was carried out to analyze seepage discharge under a vertical dam and predict potential seawater intrusion into the reservoir. The dam was examined over a ten-year period, with varying embankment widths of 10m, 20m, and 30m. The analysis considered changes in water level (ΔH) and the addition of a cut-off wall at depths of 5m, 10m, and 15m. The obtained results showed that seepage discharge rates amounted to 3,14x10-4 m3 s-1, 2,67x10-4 m3 s-1, and 2,50x10-4 m3 s-1 for embankment widths of 10m, 20m, and 30m, respectively, under a 1m level difference condition. Following this, the safety factor for piping on vertical embankment was determined as 1.10, 1.34, and 1.39 for widths of 10m, 20m, and 30m, respectively. This factor was found to increase to 4.03 when the embankment distance was widened, and a 15m deep cut-off wall was installed. It is important to note that the seawater intrusion model predicted a seawater concentration of 65,12 g m-3 at the bottom for an embankment width of 10m, while no intrusion was observed at widths of 20m and 30m with ΔH=1m. This study aims to assess potential risks of piping due to seepage and seawater contamination at the Cisadane Estuary.