What is piping and sloughing in dam?

Piping is a type of failure that can happen in dams when water seeps through the foundation and washes away the soil or rock beneath it. This can create a tunnel-like hole, or “pipe,” through which more water can flow and cause even more erosion. Piping often happens when the foundation material was not packed tightly enough or when the filters used in construction were not good enough.

Sloughing is another type of failure that can occur in dams when the outer layer of the dam’s embankment starts to slide or collapse. This can be caused by things like unstable soil, too much rain, or not packing the material well enough during construction.

Both of these types of failures can be really dangerous and can cause a lot of damage if a dam collapses. So it’s really important to make sure that dams are built, designed, and maintained properly to prevent these types of failures from happening.