Date of Award:

5-2013

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Committee Chair(s)

John D. Rice

Committee

John D. Rice

Committee

Joseph A. Caliendo

Committee

Paul J. Barr

Abstract

Earthen dams and levees often use seepage barriers to reduce the flow of water through their foundations and embankments. A seepage barrier is a wall of less porous material built inside an embankment or its foundation. High water pressures and stresses during the curing of seepage barriers have been observed to cause the seepage barriers to crack. These cracks decrease the barrier’s effectiveness in reducing seepage flow and may lead to serious seepage problems. The purpose of this study is to determine, given highly porous soils and high water pressures, whether or not cracks in seepage barriers will erode and enlarge, thus progressing into a potentially dangerous seepage problem.

Tests have been performed on several seepage barrier materials to determine their susceptibility to erosion. The seepage barrier materials that were found to be erosive were then tested to observe the effects of the surrounding soil on the erosion of the barrier materials. Having knowledge of the conditions where problems may occur will aid not only in the selection of barrier types for new barriers and the placement of instrumentation to monitor new and existing barriers, but also in repairing existing
barriers where problems have been identified. The data provided will help engineers assess the possibility for problems to develop from cracks in seepage barriers.

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