Evaluation of the Maximum Bending Moment of an Embedded Cantilever Flood Wall Measured by Distributed Strain Sensing Fibers
Evaluation of the Maximum Bending Moment of an Embedded Cantilever Flood Wall Measured by Distributed Strain Sensing Fibers
This paper details an experimental study that uses centrifuge modeling and distributed fiber-optic strain sensing to evaluate the maximum bending moment on an embedded cantilever flood wall. The primary objectives were to demonstrate the successful instrumentation of a model wall with high-resolution fiber optic sensors and to validate the structural bending response of a flexible "I-wall" during gap formation at its base. The experiment, conducted at 50g, subjected to a scaled, instrumented aluminum wall embedded in a clay model to simulate flood conditions. The results show that fiber-optic sensing provides detailed, continuous strain measurements that are difficult to obtain with conventional methods. The study confirmed that as the gap between the wall and the soil widens, the peak bending moment increases, which is consistent with previous numerical modeling and field tests. The paper concludes that distributed fiber-optic sensing is a highly effective and robust tool for physical modeling, improving the understanding of complex soil-structure interactions and advancing flood wall design methodologies.
A. Bowman; G. Eichhorn; Matthew Bray; J. Westcott; Andrew Trautz; Clint Barela
11th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics (ICPMG2026)
Special Session 1: Physical modelling – from Practice/Industry to Academia
https://doi.org/10.53243/ICPMG2026-291