The effect of isolating the core of earthen dams on their permeability

¹ Lecturer, Civil and Infrastructure Engineering Department, Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
² Student, Civil and Infrastructure Engineering Department, Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Seepage via embankment dams is a crucial factor in the engineering and safety of dams. In order to provide a barrier against water movement, embankment dams are usually built using materials like soil, rock, or a combination of both that have been compressed into layers. Seepage can still happen through the dam construction, nevertheless, despite these measures. Seepage occurs in all Earth fill dams due to water slowly seeping through the foundation and body dam itself. A number of seepage issues and earth-fill dam failures have been attributed to insufficient seepage control techniques. Insulating the core of earthen dams is one of the most important solutions to resist seepage, reduce the risk of dam failure and collapse, and increase their lifespan. This research aims to simulate the seepage through the body of a salt earth dam, analyze the impact of insulation on seepage. This was done by creating three simulation models: one for the real dam soil, the second for the dam soil with added gypsum salts, and the third with the addition of the insulator. The results showed that adding gypsum salts at a rate of 5% increases the amount of Seepage through the dam body by 21.75% at the first peak of flow. It also showed a change in the course of the water and a difference in the amounts of seepage from the initial model. However, after adding the insulator, it was found that the amount of leakage in the presence of salts decreased to 83%.