Centrifugal tests on minimization of flood-induced deformation of levees by steel drainage pipes

Abstract The rise in the river water level in a levee raises the phreatic surface. This facilitates the development of positive pore water pressure in the region below the phreatic surface, and consequently, reduces the shear strength of the soil. Steel drainage pipes that can provide both drainage and reinforcement functions could be a better option for levee protection against flooding compared to the traditional method of protection which can provide only one or the other of these functions. This paper presents the results of a series of centrifugal tests for six cases conducted to investigate the effectiveness of newly designed steel drainage pipes for minimizing the flood-induced deformation of levees. The test results reveal that the installation of these steel drainage pipes (1) allows the levee to withstand a higher flood water head and extended flood duration and (2) is effective for limiting the continuation of the slip line in the slope. The quick drainage of the seepage water can restrict the development of positive pore water pressure in the slope, and the mobilization of the axial force in the pipes minimizes the flood-induced deformation of the levee.