Hydro-mechanical behavior of an embankment during inundation

The paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the hydro-mechanical response of an embankment subject to inundation. The Modified Cam-Clay model extended to unsaturated conditions and formulated in terms of Bishop’s effective stress is used to predict the mechanical behavior of the sand-clay mixture. The model’s ability to accurately reproduce the embankment response is evaluated by comparing the numerical predictions with the results of the physical model. Time evolution and spatial distribution of the wetting-induced displacements are analyzed together with the stress paths resulting from the imbibition process. The influence of after-compaction conditions on the embankment performance is examined focusing on the occurrence of the volumetric collapse.