Laboratory Investigation on the Breaching of Biopolymer-Treated Dams and Embankments
Publication: World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2024
ABSTRACT
Biopolymer additives have been shown to increase soil resistance to erosion, but the utility in real world applications is unclear. Here, we present results of experiments on the role of biopolymer-treated (xanthan gum) soils to increase dam and levee resistance to breaching due to overtopping. Laboratory experiments were conducted with compacted sand with 0%, 0.05%, 0.1%, and 0.15% xanthan gum concentrations. The upstream reservoir water level was kept constant until dam failure. Breach discharge and topography were measured. Results confirm that adding xanthan gum decreases sand erodibility, and breach development in biopolymer-treated laboratory dams was slower than in untreated sand dams and failure time increases with xanthan gum concentration.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2024
Pages: 802 - 807
History
Published online: May 16, 2024
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Analysis (by type)
- Compacted soils
- Dam failures
- Dams
- Design (by type)
- Disaster risk management
- Disasters and hazards
- Embankment dams
- Engineering fundamentals
- Engineering materials (by type)
- Failure analysis
- Failures (by type)
- Geomechanics
- Geotechnical engineering
- Hydraulic engineering
- Hydraulic structures
- Load and resistance factor design
- Load factors
- Man-made disasters
- Materials engineering
- Polymer
- Soil mechanics
- Soils (by type)
- Structural design
- Structural engineering
- Structures (by type)
- Synthetic materials
- Water and water resources
Authors
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