Numerical simulations of overflow experiments on a model dike

Dike failure due to overtopping is one of the important factors, which should be considered in the dike designing process. Although the overflow is characterized by the relatively low risk of occurrence, in many cases dikes are totally destroyed or seriously damaged. An interesting phenomenon occurring during overflow is the trapping of air in pores of the unsaturated soil material. As the infiltration progresses from all sides, the air pressure in the unsaturated region increases, which may ultimately lead to damage of the dike structure. It happens when the air is expulsed in form of bursts and forms large macropores. Such a behaviour evidenced in laboratory experiments. In this study we attempt to simulate the evolution of stress field in the model dike subjected to overtopping. The results are in qualitative agreement with observations, showing that formation of the first macropores occurs in the direction perpendicular to the minor principal stress in the soil mass along the dike slope edge.