Centrifuge tests on the uplift and deformation patterns of clay cover layers in deltas

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4. Centrifuge tests on the uplift and deformation patterns of clay cover layers in deltas

As the population in cities all over the world is increasing, the effects of climatic stressors on the resilience of communities are becoming more and more important. The cities situated in deltas are also under strong urbanization demands and these demands in delta areas have to be met with due consideration of the challenges presented climate change, land subsidence and sea-level rise. Within this context, the local geological conditions in the Netherlands present a particularly pressing challenge where water pressure under a clay cover increases. The static equilibrium of the cover layer might be adversely affected, and uplift failure can be immanent.

A recent research program into this failure path have been initiated by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (Rijkswaterstaat) in the Netherlands. Besides the field tests and advanced numerical modelling approaches, the research program also made use of centrifuge tests to quantify the uplift, cracking, and deformation phenomena.

This contribution intends to exhibit the aspects of the centrifuge tests conducted as part of this study. The experimental setup design and design considerations will be explained as well as the instrumentation methodology and the reasoning behind the instrumentation choices. It is hoped that this contribution will shed light into the experimental design aspects for researchers studying a wide array of hydraulic head driven problems.  

18th European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ECSMGE2024)

B - Geohazards