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More About Seepage PDF
More About Seepage PDF
More About Seepage PDF
Discussion on Importance of Seepage Analysis
Through Two Seepage Examples
Seepage Geotechnical Structure Failures
If “exit gradient” due to
seepage in downstream area of Downstream Upstream
dam too high (greater than
critical exit gradient) – meaning
porewater pressure too high,
Then effective stress could be
zero and soil shear strength
could be zero.
Then the dam would be pushed
downstream, and the dam
would fail.
Pushed
Seepage Geotechnical Structure Failures
If “effect of porewater
pressure” due to Weight of
Dam
seepage underneath
dam greater than
weight of dam,
Then the dam would be
uplifted, and the dam Effect of
Porewater
would fail. Pressure
Uplitfed
.
Calculate porewater pressure @
depth 4.5 m from left riverbed
• hp = 3.33 m (from flownet)
• zp = (4.50 + 0.50) m = 5.00 m
• up = (10 (3.33 + 5.00)) kPa =
83.3 kPa
If there were no seepage
(hydrostatic)
• up = (10 9.0) kPa = 90 kPa
Seepage appearing to cause a drop
in porewater pressure
.
Calculate porewater pressure @
depth 4.5 m from right riverbed
• hp = 0.67 m (from flownet)
• zp = (4.50 + 0.50) m = 5.00 m
• up = (10 (0.67 + 5.00)) kPa =
56.7 kPa
If there were no seepage
(hydrostatic)
• up = (10 5.0)) kPa = 50 kPa
Seepage appearing to cause an
increase in porewater pressure
a drop in effective stress and shear
strength
Exit Gradient
• Exit gradient is the most critical
gradient in seepage flownet. If
exit gradient > critical exit gradient
effective stress = 0 shear
strength = 0 or “boiling” / failure
• Exit gradient = total head drop /
distance of last equipotential lines
• Exit gradient ie = 0.33 m / 1.8 m =
0.183
• If sat = 18 kN/m3, critical exit
gradient iC = ’ / W = 8 / 10 = 0.8
• ie < iC OK
.
• Nd = 15 h = 5 / 15 4 m = 1.33 m
• Datum to riverbed = 1.0 m, & riverbed to dam bottom = 1.4 m z = ‐2.4 m
(from datum)
• h – z = 3.73 m u = (9.81 3.73) kPa = 36.6 kPa
• If effect of porewater pressure > dam weight dam would be uplifted : failure