A centrifuge dam-break wave generator: development and measurements
A centrifuge dam-break wave generator: development and measurements
Fluid-soil-structure interaction (FSSI) underpins the performance of coastal infrastructure but remains challenging to experimentally study due to the coupling of geotechnical and hydraulic processes. Large-scale wave flumes can have long horizontal extents to model natural wave propagation and attenuation but are often limited in terms of the soil depth that can be modeled. By contrast, geotechnical centrifuge models can recreate large depths of soil but are likely more limited in terms of recreating long period waves. The current study presents a recently developed dam-break wave generator, compatible with the University of Colorado Boulders 400 g-ton centrifuge, to explore FSSI under extreme wave loads. An overview of the equipment design is first given. Following this, illustrative interpretations of fluid pressure and pore pressure measurements at the soil surface and at depth are shown, as well as a comparison to wave-height tracking obtained from a high-speed camera. These comparisons motivate careful interpretation of the gravimetric, hydrodynamic, and other transient components of the pore pressures induced by the propagating water wave. Finally, total head distributions and excess pore pressure time histories are calculated to inform evolving strength changes in soil. Broadly, the present study informs measurement and interpretation techniques for future FSSI centrifuge studies.
Angela Mink; S. S. C. Madabhushi
11th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics (ICPMG2026)
Session 2: Scaling laws and fundamentals
https://doi.org/10.53243/ICPMG2026-137