Discussion of “Critical Hydraulic Gradients of Internal Erosion under Complex Stress States” by D. S. Chang and L. M. Zhang

Abstract

The authors present results of a series of internal erosion tests on gapgraded soils under complex stress states. This interesting study on the critical hydraulic gradient of internal erosion is extremely useful for the design and safety assessment of earth dams. To further improve the understanding on the topic, the discussers would like to highlight the importance of the fines content on the initiation of internal erosion and discuss the applicability of the test results in real-life problems.