Wear Degree Assessment of Low-pressure Earth Dams Within Urban Landscape

The article considers the safety of geotechnical structures, namely low-pressure earth dams, operating within urban landscape without qualified staff and test equipment. The main content of the research is the analysis of factors leading to the dam destruction, which in the work are divided into climatic, anthropogenic and water impact. The authors have developed a wear indicator of earth dam (U), including various types of water impact (biological, physico-chemical and mechanical), over time leading to the destruction of the dam. For each type of water impact offers conditions and formulas for conversion in dimensionless form for the subsequent calculation of wear indicator. In the analysis the types of water impact, determined by meteorological parameters, it is recommended to use a Gumbel double exponential distribution. In the evaluation of earth dams wear degree it is proposed to group the dam within one functional area of urban landscape (e.g. industrial or residential), or for the appointment of the water body. In the case of complete wear of an earth dam. (U>0,7) requires detailed assessment of a dam with participation of qualified specialists and application instrumentation.