Analysis of the seepage and stability in a non-homogeneous earth dam under transient conditions: a case study

IF 5.9 2区工程技术 Q1 ENGINEERING, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Ain Shams Engineering Journal Pub Date : 2025-10-23 DOI:10.1016/j.asej.2025.103825

Mohammed Mohsin Salman , Mirali Mohammadi , Behzad Shakouri

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Abstract

Rapid reservoir drawdown poses a critical condition that can compromise the hydraulic behavior and slope stability of embankment dams. This study evaluates the transient seepage response and upstream slope stability of the Gavoshan Dam in western Iran using two-dimensional numerical analyses with the SEEP/W and SLOPE/W. The models incorporated unsaturated flow and time-dependent boundary conditions to simulate reservoir depletion rates ranging from 0.15 to 1.20 m/day. Findings revealed that under the maximum drawdown rate of 1.20 m/day, the seepage discharge decreased from 6.80 × 10⁻⁵ to 1.77 × 10⁻⁵ m³/s/m, while the exit gradient reduced from 0.463 to 0.117 over the 580 day simulation period. Concurrently, the factor of safety (FoS) against sliding decreased from 2.04 to 1.77, remaining within acceptable engineering thresholds. The results highlight the need to consider transient unsaturated flow in dam safety assessments, offering guidance for reservoir operations and risk mitigation to ensure embankment stability during rapid drawdown.

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非均质土坝在瞬态条件下的渗流与稳定性分析：一个实例研究

水库的快速下降是危及堤防大坝水力性能和边坡稳定性的关键条件。采用SEEP/W和slope /W的二维数值分析方法，对伊朗西部加伏山大坝的瞬态渗流响应和上游边坡稳定性进行了评价。该模型结合了非饱和流动和随时间变化的边界条件，模拟了0.15至1.20 m/d的油藏枯竭速率。结果表明，在最大降压速率为1.20 m/d时，580 d模拟期内渗流流量由6.80 × 10−5 m3/s/m减小至1.77 × 10−5 m3/s/m，出口梯度由0.463减小至0.117；同时，抗滑安全系数（FoS）从2.04降至1.77，保持在可接受的工程阈值范围内。研究结果强调了在大坝安全评估中考虑瞬态非饱和流的必要性，为水库运行和风险缓解提供了指导，以确保快速下陷期间堤防的稳定性。

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来源期刊

Ain Shams Engineering Journal Engineering-General Engineering

CiteScore

10.80

自引率

13.30%

发文量

441

审稿时长

49 weeks

期刊介绍： in Shams Engineering Journal is an international journal devoted to publication of peer reviewed original high-quality research papers and review papers in both traditional topics and those of emerging science and technology. Areas of both theoretical and fundamental interest as well as those concerning industrial applications, emerging instrumental techniques and those which have some practical application to an aspect of human endeavor, such as the preservation of the environment, health, waste disposal are welcome. The overall focus is on original and rigorous scientific research results which have generic significance. Ain Shams Engineering Journal focuses upon aspects of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, civil engineering, chemical engineering, petroleum engineering, environmental engineering, architectural and urban planning engineering. Papers in which knowledge from other disciplines is integrated with engineering are especially welcome like nanotechnology, material sciences, and computational methods as well as applied basic sciences: engineering mathematics, physics and chemistry.