Final Seepage and Flow Net Theory

Seepage and Flow net
Theory
Example: concrete dam

reservoir
concrete dam
soil
Seepage:
Seepage is the concept of using the coefficient of
permeability k to estimate the amount of water seeps
through the soil mass.
Seepage importance:
1. Estimation of amount of water percolating through OR

below Dams, Sheet Piles, etc.
2. Stability analysis of dam earth and Retaining structures.
( Piping)
.
3. Consolidation:
.
Assumptions used in seepage

calculations:
1. Soil is homogenous and isotropic.
2. Soil is incompressible.
3. Soil is saturated.
4. Soil size is constant, i. e. air voids are constant.
5. The flow is laminar and follows Darcys law.
6. Water is incompressible.
Methods of Flow net theory (Water Percolation

Through Hydraulic Structures)
THERE ARE MANY METHOD:
Trail and error OR Graphical method
Mathematical solution of Laplace equation
Khoslas method of independent equation
Method of Electrical analogy
Method of Relaxation
reservoir
clay
core
soil
shell
Mathematical solution of Laplace equation

The integration of Laplace differential equation is possible for
simple cases of a given boundary conditions.
Khoslas method of independent equation

Khosla et.al had developed a method that can solve
the problem by simplifying the hydraulic structure to
a standard known analytical solution.
Method of Relaxation
The analytical solution of Laplace equation for

complicated boundary conditions is NOT possible,
Southwells relaxation method proves to be the most
powerful of the all numerical method to the solution
of Laplace equation.
Method of Electrical analogy

Pavlovsky was the first to suggest an electrohydrodynamical analogy for the solution of problems
for the percolation of water through sub-soil of the
hydraulic structures.
The fundamental basis of this analogy is the
similarity of Ohms law in electricity to Darcy's law of
percolation of water through porous media.
Sheet Piles
,
:
~ resist lateral earth pressures
, used in excavations~
waterfront structures, in dams
and hydraulic structures..etc
~ used in temporary works
Laplace Equation:
Sheet pile
h
H1
H2
dz
dy
dx
zout
xin
xout
dz
dx
q k .i. A . A
q xin x .dy.dz
q zin z .dx.dy
dy
zin
q xout
x
.dx dz.dy
x
q zout
z
.dz dx.dy
z
assume water is incompressible, NO volume change:
qout qin 0
x
z
.
dx
dy
.
dz
.
dx
.
dy
x
z
dx.dy x .dy.dz z .dx.dy 0
x
z
After simplifying we get:
x z
0 (1)
x
z
But Darcys law is:
.i
k.i
h
x k x .ix k x . (2)
x
h
z k z .iz k z . (3)
z
Substitute equation (2) and (3) in to equation (1) we get:
h
h
k x . .
k z . .
0
x x
z z
2h
2h
kx 2 kz 2 0
x
z
This is Laplace Two Dimensional Flow Equation.
By following the same procedure mentioned above,
we can also get The Laplace Three Dimensional Flow
Equation:
2
2
2
h
h
h
kx 2 k y 2 kz 2 0
x
y
z
The equations above also called continuity equation in

anisotropic media
In isotropic soil with respect to hydraulic conductivity k:
kx k y kz
Laplace Equation for isotropic media
h h h
2 2 0
2
x
y
z
2
: Flow lines

.
: Equipotentioal lines

.
The same height of piezometric head
All Pizometers in same level
Flow lines
Equipotential lines
Flow Net
Flow Lines
Equiopotentail lines .
.
.
:
.
.
Flow net drawing (construction):

. 1 S(1) .
.2 :
AK 1.2 ) ( S2
D-N 2.2 ) ( S3
3.2 )S4 .(ABCD
4.2 )S5.(KLMN
. 3
4 6S6 .
.4
S7.
Flow net drawing (construction):

.Nd
Nf .5
H
K
Example (1)
Example (2)
Example (3)
Calculation of Seepage losses and quantities:

q (= ) q / Nf
h =h /Nd )(
Q =k i A but A =1*a
i = h /b q = k. h/b. a*1
q =k. h/Nd. a/b but q= q *Nf or q= k.h/Nd.a/b.Nf
q = k.h.Nf/Nd.a/ b (if square net
q = k.h.Nf/Nd.
a=b)
a
b
H
K
Calculation of pressures (Seepage and Uplift):

Bernoullis equation:
porous) ( water flow)
:( total head) (media
ht elevation Head pressure head (pore water pressure) velocity head

u 2
ht Z
w 2g
( Datum Line)

. ) ( v
Seepage pressure:

. .
)
(
Ps w .h p seepage prassure

A B Seepage
pressure
h p h h.nd
h
h p h nd
Nd
No. of drops to the studied point
Ps h p . w
Pore water pressure Uplift pressure:

) (elevation :
(Pore water pressure head) hu h p Z

) (Datum Line
).(D/S
(Pore water or uplift pressure) w h p Z

hu
Datum
Line
Zb
Za
a
b
A B ) (hu
) (hp
Quick condition and boiling:
Gravity
forces
Seepage
forces
Seepage
forces
Gravity
force
Seepage forces at Exit acts against soil gravity forces

OR for reducing effective stresses and sheas strength.
quick condition occur when:
seepage forces Gravity forces (effective stress)

(strength)
(interlocking between grains will be removed)
sand) ( seepage forces)
(sand boiling condition) ( cohesionless
:( Critical Hydraulic)
If soil possessing a cohesion, the critical i does not apply, since
they have some shear strength even at zero normal stress.
Photo 2: Sand boiling at Shigang dam site, Nantou County
Piping' creates underground tunnel
BAFFLING TUNNEL: The gaping sub-surface tunnel stretching across

. Thirumeni village in Taliparamba taluk in Kannur district
Uplift force=Seepage force
h. w . A
h
down word force L. sub . A

L
Quick condition:
Downward forces=Uplift forces
h. w . A L. A. sub
h. w L
G 1
w
1 e
h G 1
icritical
L 1 e
h sub
icritical
L w
icritical
:From flow net
h
h
Nd
iexit
L
L
h / Nd
icritical
F .O.S
iexit
Piping study adjacent to sheet pile

Terzaghi and Peck 1967
Downward pressure
W= Wt of Prism = * sub * d2
d/2
Upward pressure
Ps= Wt of Prism = hpavg * w * d/2
sub * d2 *
=
hpavg * w * d/2
Ps2=hp2* w
Ps1=hp1* w
.Ps avg
F.O.S=
Piping mechanism
)(Piping
.1 soil grains
.2
Loss of
strength
Quick
condition
Increase
flow
Increase
permeability
Seepage
pressure>effective
stress
Collapse
) (granular :
) (cohesive )(cohesoinless soil
. cohesion
FOS=3 .4
Control of piping condition
icritical
F .O.S
iexit
iexit
N d .L
: Nd i exit
1. Blankets
2. Cutoff walls
.( h) .2
3. Sheet piles
.D/S Filter .3
Control of seepage under dams
q K .h.
Nf
Nd
: q
.Grouting K .1
.Head .2
Increase length of flow path ( ) Nd .3

Blankets. 4
Sheets or Cutoff walls. 5
Filters and design of filters
Filter: soil layers of previous materials designed to protect the

foundation from piping danger.
.
Piping could be caused by:
1. Leaching of fine particles-------soil washing
2. Danger of clogging of pores of filters by soil particles.
Main Requirements:
1. The filter material should be more pervious than the base
materials (coarse material)
( Hydraulic pressure)
.(filter)
K filter 25 K soil
2. The voids and in-place filter material must be small enough
to prevent base material particles from penetrating the filter
and causing clogging of the protective filter system.
( filter)
3. The material of the last layer should be coarse enough to be
carried away through.
4. The grain size curve of filter material should be roughly
parallel to that of the base material.
%
Passing
Grain of soil
base
Filter grading
D15
D15 filter
4-5
D15 Base
D15 filter
4-5
D85 Base
D85
D (mm)
5. The layer of the filter must be sufficiently thick to provide a

good distribution of particles. Minimum thickness is 1.0 m
6. Filter material particles must be prevented from movement
into drainage pipe by providing sufficiently small slot openings
or perforation of addition coarser filter if necessary.
7. To avoid segregation, filter should not contain the particles
less that 0.075 mm
8. For proper working, the filter material should not contain
more than 5% of fine passing 0.075 mm
9. The thickness and area of the filter should be sufficient to
carry the seepage discharge safely.
10. If the filter has to work as a loaded area (filter) the total
thickness should be large enough to provide adequate weight.
Criteria for filter:

1. Bertram and Terzaghi (1940):
D15 filter
4-5
D15 Base
D15 filter
4-5
D85 Base
2. U.S. bureau of reclamation:
12
5
D50 filter
D filter
58 12 15
40
D50 Base
D15 Base
D50 filter
10
D50 Base
Well graded filter
Uniformly graded filter
D50 filter
D15 filter
9
30 6
18
D50 Base
D15 Base
Graded filter of gravel

or angular particles.
3. Water way experiment station:
D15 filter
4
20
D15 Base
D50 filter
25
D50 Base
4. In case of drainage pipe (perforated):
D85 filter
20
daimeter of opening dranage pipe
D15 filter
5
D85 Base
Seepage through dams

Phreatic surface
Horizontal filter-1
Parabola phratic line

M
2a
Directrix
yo
o
Focus
OM=MC
c
a
b
1/3b
Top flow
line
Drain
a
For <= 30
dx
dy
dy
ds
dx
ZZ
Z
E
For > 30
Basic parabola
Focus
Example (4)
Example (5)

Final Seepage and Flow Net Theory

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Final Seepage and Flow Net Theory

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Seepage and Flow net

Example: concrete dam

1. Estimation of amount of water percolating through OR

Assumptions used in seepage

Methods of Flow net theory (Water Percolation

Mathematical solution of Laplace equation

Khoslas method of independent equation

The analytical solution of Laplace equation for

Method of Electrical analogy

assume water is incompressible, NO volume change:

After simplifying we get:

But Darcys law is:

The equations above also called continuity equation in

In isotropic soil with respect to hydraulic conductivity k:

All Pizometers in same level

Flow net drawing (construction):

Flow net drawing (construction):

Calculation of Seepage losses and quantities:

Calculation of pressures (Seepage and Uplift):

ht elevation Head pressure head (pore water pressure) velocity head

Pore water pressure Uplift pressure:

(Pore water pressure head) hu h p Z

(Pore water or uplift pressure) w h p Z

Quick condition and boiling:

Seepage forces at Exit acts against soil gravity forces

seepage forces Gravity forces (effective stress)

Photo 2: Sand boiling at Shigang dam site, Nantou County

Piping' creates underground tunnel

BAFFLING TUNNEL: The gaping sub-surface tunnel stretching across

Uplift force=Seepage force

down word force L. sub . A

:From flow net

Piping study adjacent to sheet pile

Ps= Wt of Prism = hpavg * w * d/2

Control of piping condition

Control of seepage under dams

Increase length of flow path ( ) Nd .3

Filters and design of filters

Filter: soil layers of previous materials designed to protect the

5. The layer of the filter must be sufficiently thick to provide a

Criteria for filter:

2. U.S. bureau of reclamation:

Well graded filter

Uniformly graded filter

Graded filter of gravel

3. Water way experiment station:

4. In case of drainage pipe (perforated):

Seepage through dams

Parabola phratic line

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