Controlled water-level system for breach analysis of levees within an enhanced acceleration field

Correct scaling of breach analysis of river levees is a challenging task that is not easily accomplished by physical modelling. Several small-scale physical model tests have been conducted at 1-g level, which cannot truly represent the stress-dependency of soils, whereas the scaling issues arising from centrifuge modelling have not been fully explored.Two key features have to be considered when modelling the prototype behaviour. On the one hand, the whole embankment should be included in the model to ensure that flow nets are valid. This is not always easy to achieve due to space limitations within the strongboxes used. On the other hand, full control of water levels, prior and during breaching, is of principal interest.This contribution shows how both of these features can be modelled for levee breaching by taking advantage of the availability of space within a drum centrifuge and its versatile toolplate.