The Dadu Pumping Station plays a crucial role as a water facility in Dadu District, Taichung, Taiwan.The water supply embankment upstream of the pumping station is often breached by floods in the Dadu Creek, resulting in considerable risks of flooding in local agriculture fields. In this study, several model tests were conducted to identify the likely improvement measures of embankments. The displacement behaviors of model embankments were examined in terms of different construction methods. This study provides the following three major findings. First, embankment failure not only causes soil loss but also progressive retrogressive erosion. Second, the differences in seismic signals
recorded during embankment failure, such as complex slides, intermittent slides, and compound slides, are recognizable.
Third, a strong correlation exists between water storage capacity and embankment seepage. To determine changes in
the upstream water level of embankments, a hydrograph was used along with the Puls method. Overall, the results of
this study can serve as a reference for future embankment design.
Key Words: embankment, model test, Puls method, seismic signal, landslide, erosion