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Chap 8

This document discusses seepage and flow nets in geotechnical engineering. It covers Laplace's equation of continuity, constructing and using flow nets to calculate seepage, accounting for anisotropic soils, determining uplift pressure, and calculating seepage through earth dams resting on impervious bases.

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Parwiz Yosofi
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35 views

Chap 8

This document discusses seepage and flow nets in geotechnical engineering. It covers Laplace's equation of continuity, constructing and using flow nets to calculate seepage, accounting for anisotropic soils, determining uplift pressure, and calculating seepage through earth dams resting on impervious bases.

Uploaded by

Parwiz Yosofi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Geotechnical Engineering

(Soil Mechanics)
1
Chapter Eight
• Seepage

Mododi,
Fall 1402 Principles of Geotechnical Engineering, 9th Edition, Braja M. Das
2 8.1 Introduction

 In many cases the flow of water through soil is not in one


direction only, nor is it uniform over the entire area
perpendicular to the flow.
 As water flows through soil it exerts a frictional drag on the
soils particles, resulting in head loss.
 The frictional drag is called seepage force in soil mechanics
 The groundwater flow is generally calculated by the use of
graphs referred to as flow nets.
 The concept of flow net is based on Laplace’s Equation of
Continuity

Mododi,
Fall 1402
3 8.2 Laplace’s Equation of Continuity

 Let 𝑣𝑥 and 𝑣𝑧 be the components of the discharge velocity in


the horizontal and vertical directions respectively.

Mododi,
Fall 1402
4 8.2 Laplace’s Equation of Continuity

 Assume that water is incompressible and that no volume


change in the soil mass occurs, the inflow rate is equal to
outflow rate.

𝜕2ℎ 𝜕2ℎ
𝑘𝑥 2 + 𝑘𝑧 2 = 0
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑧

𝜕2ℎ 𝜕2ℎ when the soil is isotropic with


+ = 0 respect to permeability (kx=ky)
𝜕𝑥 2 𝜕𝑧 2
Mododi,
Fall 1402
5 8.3 Flow Nets

 The continuity equation in an isotropic medium represents two


orthogonal families of curves—that is, the flow lines and the
equipotential lines.
 A flow line is a line along which a water particle will travel
from upstream to the downstream
 An equipotential line is a line along which the potential head
at all points is equal
 A combination of a number of flow lines and equipotential
lines is called a flow net.
 Flow nets are constructed for calculation of groundwater flow
and elevation of heads in the media.
Mododi,
Fall 1402
6

 The strip between any two adjacent flow line


is called a flow channel

Mododi,
Fall 1402
7 8.3 Flow Nets

 To complete graphic construction of flow net, the following


must be considered
 The equipotential lines intersect the flow lines at right angles
 The flow elements formed are approximate squares

Mododi,
Fall 1402
8 8.4 Seepage Calculation from a Flow Net

𝐻𝑁𝑓
𝑞=𝑘
𝑁𝑑

Mododi,
Fall 1402
9 8.4 Seepage Calculation from a Flow Net

 If the flow net elements are not square, the equation can be
modified as
𝐻𝑁𝑓
𝑞=𝑘 𝑛
𝑁𝑑
𝑏1 𝑏2
 𝑛= = =⋯
𝑙1 𝑙2

Mododi,
Fall 1402
10

Mododi,
Fall 1402
11

Mododi,
Fall 1402
12 8.5 Flow Nets in Anisotropic Soil

 In nature, most soils exhibit some degree of anisotropy. To


account for soil anisotropy with respect to hydraulic
conductivity, we must modify the flow net construction
 Adopt a vertical scale (z-axis)
 Adopt a horizontal scale (x-axis) such that
ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑧𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑒 = 𝑘𝑥 𝑘𝑧 × 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑒
 With scales adopted in steps 1 and 2, plot the vertical section
through the permeable layer parallel to the direction of flow
 Draw the flow net, with flow lines intersecting equipotential lines
at right angles and the elements as approximate squares
𝐻𝑁𝑓
 The rate of seepage per unit length is: 𝑞= 𝑘𝑥 𝑘𝑧
𝑁𝑑
Mododi,
Fall 1402
13 8.5 Flow Nets in Anisotropic Soil

 When the flow nets are


drawn in transformed
section, the flow lines
and the equipotential
lines are orthogonal.
 When they are
redrawn in true section,
these lines are not at
right angles

Mododi,
Fall 1402
14

Mododi,
Fall 1402
15 8.7 Uplift Pressure Under Hydraulic
Structure

 Flow nets can be used to


determine the uplift
pressure at the base of a
hydraulic structure

Mododi,
Fall 1402
16 8.8 Seepage Through an Earth Dam on
an Impervious Base
 It is assumed that 𝑎’𝑏𝑐 is parabolic
 the slope of the surface can be assumed to be equal to the
𝑑𝑧
hydraulic gradient. 𝑖 ≅
𝑑𝑥

Mododi,
Fall 1402
17 8.8 Seepage Through an Earth Dam on
an Impervious Base
 Figure shows a homogeneous earth dam resting on an
impervious base.
 The free surface of water passing through the dam is 𝑎𝑏𝑐𝑑

Mododi,
Fall 1402
18

𝑞 = 𝑘(tan 𝛼)(𝐿 sin 𝛼) = 𝑘𝐿 tan 𝛼 . sin 𝛼

𝑑 𝑑2 𝐻2
𝐿= − 2
− 2
cos 𝛼 cos 𝛼 sin 𝛼
Mododi,
Fall 1402
19 8.8 Seepage Through an Earth Dam on
an Impervious Base
 Step-by-Step procedure to obtain the seepage rate q (per unit
length of the dam) is as follow
 Obtain 𝛼
 Calculate Δ and then 0.3 Δ
 Calculate 𝑑
 With known values of 𝛼 and 𝑑, calculate 𝐿
 With known value of 𝐿, calculate 𝑞
 The preceding solution generally is referred to as Schaffernak’s
solution (1917) with Casagrande’s correction, since Casagrande
experimentally showed that the parabolic free surface starts
from a’, not a
Mododi,
Fall 1402
20

Mododi,
Fall 1402
21 8.12 Summary

 Laplace’s Equation of continuity and its application in


seepage calculation
 Flow nets are very powerful tools for seepage and uplift
pressure calculation.
 The procedure to calculate seepage through an earth dam
 Using the assumption that the hydraulic gradient is constant
 And using the improved procedure of Casagrande
 The principles of designing a protective filter

Mododi,
Fall 1402
22 Assignments

 Read all of Chapter 8


 Do the Problems: 8.3, 8.5, 8.8

Mododi,
Fall 1402

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