Development of deformation criteria for predictive monitoring system for levees

Performance monitoring and real-time data analysis are essential tools to evaluate the integrity of infrastructure. Among other techniques, non-contact deformation measurement techniques such as satellite or drone-based methods are usually low-cost options, not requiring expensive sensors to be installed on target structures. The techniques are particularly economic for large structures such as levees, major slopes or dams. This study introduces lower bound and upper bound deformation concepts for levees. These two bounds are the deformation at which local failure is about to initiate and at which general failure is about to initiate, respectively. This study compared numerically computed lower and upper bounds deformation to field data from a full-scale loading test for a section of the levee at London Canal Avenue, New Orleans, and it showed that the two deformation criteria could be used to monitor and evaluate the integrity of levees.