Setting up a full-scale physical model for backward erosion piping investigation

This contribution briefly outlines the design scheme and construction process of a full-scale river embankment model aimed at investigating the initiation and progression of backward erosion piping, as well as assessing the effectiveness of a nature-based mitigation solution. The experimental set-up, currently under construction at a pilot site in Boretto (Italy), consists of a reinforced earth embankment, built on a fine-grained foundation layer, overlaying a permeable sandy unit. The development of such a large-scale experimental set-up for field testing is part of the research activities carried out within the European LIFE SandBoil project, coordinated by the University of Bologna, Italy.