Methods for Estimating Internal Erosion in Embankment Dams

Historical data shows that piping failure is one of the most common modes of failure in dams. To evaluate the safety of dams it is necessary to estimate the internal erosion rate based on precise geotechnical and soil hydraulic properties. This paper presents two methods for estimating the internal erosion through embankment dams. The findings of this paper indicate that a combination of these two methods can lead to a more robust and reliable set of results when estimating internal erosion of embankment dams