Author(s): Yi Pan; Cuiping Kuang; Lin Li; Farshad Amini
Linked Author(s): Cuiping Kuang, Lin Li
Keywords: Levee; HPTRM; Combined Wave and Surge Overtopping; Failure Mechanics
Abstract: Investigations after Hurricane Katrina showed that most earthen levee damage occurred on the levee crest and land-side slope as a result of either wave overtopping, storm surge overflow, or a combination of both, which is the most dangerous condition. Full-scale flume tests and Erosion Function Apparatus (EFA) tests were conducted to investigate the erosion resistance performance of a levee strengthening technique – High Performance Turf Reinforcement Mat (HPTRM) under combined wave and surge overtopping conditions. In this paper, a comparison is made between the results of flume tests and the EFA tests. On the basis of the relationships between soil loss and both shear stress and average overtopping velocity from full-scale tests and EFA tests, a conceptual model for soil loss from levee surface is tentatively proposed. The conceptual model explains the test measurements and answers the question of the relationship among the erosion, flow velocity and shear stress.
Year: 2013