Flood embankment Flood embankment A flood embankment is traditionally an earth wall used to shore up flood waters. Most flood embankments are between 1 metre and 3 metres high. A 5 metre high flood embankment is rare. Modern improvements to this design include constructing an internal central core made from impermeable substance like clay or concrete, some even use metal pilings. Some authorities call man-made structures levees. Clifton, Rawcliffe, Poppleton and Leeman ings in York River Gowan, Cumbria River Trent This is an animation showing a flood event overwhelming neighbouring properties and the added construction of a flood embankment and flood warning
Embankment dam be calculated in advance of building to ensure that its break level threshold is not exceeded. Overtopping or overflow of an embankment dam beyond its spillway capacity will cause its eventual failure. The erosion of the dam's material by overtopping runoff will remove masses of material whose weight holds the dam in place and against the hydraulic forces acting to move the dam. Even a small sustained overtopping flow can remove thousands of tons of overburden soil from the mass of the dam within hours. The removal of this mass unbalances the forces that stabilize the dam against its reservoir