Centrifuge modelling of embankments subject to seasonal moisture changes

Embankments experience seasonal, periodic infiltration/evapo-transpiration conditions. This causes wetting-drying cycles which may lead to serviceability movement of an embankment both producing shrink-swell behaviour and generating gradual down-slope movements. In addition, slope failure may be triggered after a number of cycles due to cyclic softening of the soil. The response of these embankments is particularly relevant in light of global climate change which is likely to exacerbate the climate input conditions. This paper presents a study of the above effects for a compacted clay embankment by centrifuge model testing. This paper describes the apparatus developed and presents results from one example embankment test. Results show the nature of the soil displacements which occur periodically during wetting and drying events and demonstrate the efficiency of the apparatus to investigate the long-term response of embankments.