Critical Hydraulic Gradient of Internal Erosion at the Soil–Structure Interface

Abstract

Internal erosion at soil–structure interfaces is a dangerous failure pattern in earth-fill water-retaining structures. However, existing studies concentrate on the investigations of internal erosion by assuming homogeneous materials, while ignoring the vulnerable soil–structure-interface internal erosion in realistic cases. Therefore, orthogonal and single-factor tests are carried out with a newly designed apparatus to investigate the critical hydraulic gradient of internal erosion on soil–structure interfaces. The main conclusions can be draw as follows: (1) the impact order of the three factors is: degree of compaction > roughness > clay content; (2) the critical hydraulic gradient increases as the degree of compaction and clay content increases. This effect is found to be more obvious in the higher range of the degree of soil compaction and clay content. However, there exists an optimum interface roughness making the antiseepage strength at the interface reach a maximum; (3) the evolution of the interface internal erosion develops from inside to outside along the interface, and the soil particles at the interface flow as a whole; and (4) the critical hydraulic gradient of interface internal erosion is related to the shear strength at the interface and the severity and porosity of the soil.