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EXIT GRADIENT IN ANISOTROPIC POROUS MEDIUM

By Govinda Chandra Mishra 1 and A. Siva Reddy, 2 A. M. ASCE

ABSTRACT: The inclination of flow lines at the exit on the downstream side of
a hydraulic structure has been found for a known degree of anisotropy and a
given direction for the principal permeability. An analytical procedure is pre-
sented to find the exit gradient for steady confined flow in an anisotropic po-
rous medium from known exit gradient of the corresponding fictitious isotropic
flow domain. Results have been presented for distribution of exit gradient on
the downstream side of a vertical sheet pile embedded in a homogeneous an-
isotropic porous medium of infinite depth. It is found that the zone vulnerable
to piping on the downstream side of a vertical sheet pile is larger for the case
of horizontal stratification than for vertical stratification.

INTRODUCTION

Field and laboratory tests have indicated that most man-made and nat-
ural porous media exhibit directional variations in permeability (1-4,7,8).
The ratio of maximum to minimum coefficients of permeability—the de-
gree of anisotropy—is reported to be as high as 40 (10). A ratio of 2-4
is very common for natural soil deposits.
To analyze steady-state flow in an anisotropic homogeneous porous
medium, the flow domain is converted to an equivalent fictitious iso-
tropic domain by an appropriate coordinate transformation, and a so-
lution to the Laplace equation is sought in the fictitious flow domain.
Examples of this transformation process have been presented by De Wiest
(5), Harr (6), and Palubarinova-Kochina (11).
After obtaining the solution in the fictitious flow domain, either by
conformal mapping or by numerical methods, the solution correspond-
ing to the actual flow domain is obtained by a reverse transformation.
This procedure does not cause any difficulty in calculating pressure at
a point in the actual flow domain and the quantity of seepage, but the
exit gradient in the anisotropic flow domain cannot be obtained unless
the Laplace equation is solved either by drawing a flow net or by nu-
merical methods.
Verigin, as presented in Harr (6), has analyzed flow around an in-
clined sheet pile embedded in a homogeneous isotropic porous medium
of infinite depth by using conformal mapping. Using Verigin's solution,
only the pressure distribution along a vertical sheet pile in an anisotropic
'Reader, School of Hydrology, Univ. of Roorkee, Roorkee, India.
2
Prof., Dept. of Civ. and Hydr. Engrg., Indian Inst, of Sci., Bangalore, India.
Note.—Discussion open until November 1, 1983. To extend the closing date
one month, a written request must be filed with the ASCE Manager of Technical
and Professional Publications. The manuscript for this paper was submitted for
review and possible publication on April 9, 1983. This paper is part of the Journal
of Hydraulic Engineering, Vol. 109, No. 6, June, 1983. ©ASCE, ISSN 0733-9429/
83/0006-0897/$01.00. Paper No. 18049.
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J. Hydraul. Eng. 1983.109:897-904.

 porous medium can be derived. Reddy, et al. (12) have derived an
expression for the exit gradient along the flow direction in an anisotropic
domain, which they mistook as the expression for an hydraulic gradient
at the exit. As a matter of fact, the flow direction and the gradient di-
rection do not generally coincide in an anisotropic flow domain.
This paper presents a methodology to find the exit gradient in a ho-
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mogeneous anisotropic flow domain from the exit gradient of the cor-
responding fictitious isotropic flow domain.

ANALYSIS

Figure 1 shows a section through a homogeneous anisotropic flow re-

gion on the downstream side of a hydraulic structure, referenced by an
X, Y coordinate-axis system. The direction of maximum coefficient of
permeability makes an angle, 6, with the X axis. \i and X are orthogonal
axes chosen parallel to the directions of maximum and minimum coef-
ficients of permeability, respectively. The relation between the X, Y and
|A, X coordinate-axis systems is given by Palubarinova-Kochina (11):
|x = X cos G - Y sin 6 (1)
X = X sin 6 + Y cos 9 (2)
To transform the anisotropic flow domain into an equivalent isotropic
domain, an expansion in the direction of X or a contraction in the di-
rection of |x can be made. Electing the former, the ordinate in the di-
rection of X is expanded using the multiplying factor (KJK^12, in which
K^ and Kx are the principal coefficients of permeability in the direction
of JU and X, respectively. Defining T| = X(K|1/KX)1/2 and replacing the value
of X from Eq. 2:

FIG. 1.-—Steps for Deriving Inclinations of Streamlines

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J. Hydraul. Eng. 1983.109:897-904.

 (K \V1
•n = ( —) (X sin 0 + Y cos 0) (3)

(x and T) thus constitute the new coordinate-axis system to which the

original flow domain is to be transformed. The real downstream bed is
described by the equation Y = 0. The straight line, Y = 0, transforms to
the straight line, OX, in the new isotropic domain which is governed
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by the equation

Mfrf- <*>
The X and Y axes are chosen parallel and perpendicular, respectively,
to line OX which is the downstream bed alinement in the new or ficti-
tious domain.
Let point Q in Fig. 1 locate the unknown exit point of a flow line in
the anisotropic flow domain. P is a point on the flow line adjacent to
point Q. The direction of PQ is not known. P and Q = the corresponding
points in the fictitious isotropic flow domain. The direction of PQ is known
because PQ is the flow direction as well as the gradient direction which
is perpendicular to the downstream bed in the fictitious flow domain.
The component of the exit gradient in the direction of flow at the point,
Q, in the anisotropic flow domain is given byJiQ - hp/hS, in which hp
and HQ = the hydraulic heads at points P and Q, respectively, and 8S =
the elemental length along the flow line in the anisotropic media. The
total hydraulic head at any point is given by the expression h = P/yu, +
Y, in which p = pressure head; yw - unit weight of water; and Y =
elevation head. Since the total of heads at points P and Q equals the
total of heads at P and Q, respectively, the exit gradient in the fictitious
flow domain is given by HQ - hp/bS, in which 8S = the transformed
length of 8S.
From Fig. 1 the following expressions can be derived:
8S = [(8X)2 + (8Y)2]1/2 (5)
2 2 1/2
Also 8S = [(8|x) + Ni(8-n) J (6)
in which Nj = (K^/K^). The transformed length of 8S in the fictitious
plane is given by
8S = [(8,x)2 + (8^)2]1/2 (7)
The length 8S is equal to the length 8Y.
The ratio of the component of exit gradient along the flow direction
at a point in the actual flow domain to the exit gradient at the corre-
sponding point in the fictitious flow domain, R, is given by

ftp - hp
bS
R (8)
'(^M
V 8S
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J. Hydraul. Eng. 1983.109:897-904.

 hS
thus R = — (9)
8S
Substituting the values of 8S and 8S
[(Six)2 + (§TI)2]1/2
R (10)
t(8^)2 + m^f]1'2
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From Fig. 1, tan 8j = 8|A/8TI, in which bt = the angle between \i and the
X axis, and bi = tan - 1 (tan Q/yNi). Therefore

s.p i + ' m >r .,!«

LNJ + t a n ^ i j
From Fig. 1 it can be derived that
8X = 8|x cos 6 - VN[ 8TI sin 9 (12)
and 8Y = 8|x sin 6 + VN[ 8T) cos 8 (13)
The slope, dY/dX, of the stream line at the exit is given by limit8x-^o
(8Y/8X). Thus
dY_ -VWi cot 8x - tan 6
(14)
dx' Ni cot 8j tan e
Also, dt/dX = tan 9i.
The solution of the Laplace equation in the fictitious flow domain by
the Schwarz Christoffel conformal mapping technique provides the
expression for exit gradient in the fictitious flow domain. Let IEF be the
exit gradient at a point in the fictitious flow domain. Using Eqs. 11 and
14 the exit gradient, IE, at the corresponding point in the anisotropic
domain, can be written as
1/2
1 + tan2 8i Nx cot 8j - tan 9
h = hEF cosec tan (15)
_NX + tan2 8X. 1 - VNi cot 8i tan 9
The direction of the exit gradient is perpendicular to the downstream
bed.

RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

Analytical results are presented for the distribution of exit gradient on

the downstream side of a vertical sheet pile embedded in an anisotropic
porous medium of infinite depth. The embedded depth of sheet pile is
S. The porous medium has a general anisotropic characteristic. Solution
to flow around the vertical sheet pile in an anisotropic porous medium
has been obtained by a coordinate transformation and subsequent use
of Verigin's solution for flow around an inclined sheet pile (6). Using
the reverse coordinate transformation and Eq. 15, the distribution of exit
gradient in an anisotropic domain on the downstream side of a vertical
sheet pile has been determined and is presented in Fig. 2.
Results are given for a degree of anisotropy equal to 4 for various
inclinations of the major axis of the permeability ellipse. As seen in Fig.
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J. Hydraul. Eng. 1983.109:897-904.

 2, for 0 < 90°, the exit gradient at the sheet pile is infinite, which in-
dicates that the zone nearest the sheet pile on the downstream side is
vulnerable to piping. However, by increasing the embedded depth of
the sheet pile, the zone susceptible to piping can be reduced but the
danger of piping cannot be eliminated altogether.
For 90° < 6 < 180° the exit gradient at the sheet pile is zero. The exit
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gradient starts from zero at the sheet pile, reaches a maximum value
and then decreases monotonicaUy, as the distance from the sheet pile
increases. Thus, for 90° < 6 < 180°, the zone which is vulnerable to
piping is away from the sheet pile and the danger of piping can be elim-
inated by increasing the length of embedment of the sheet pile. For 9 =
90° and 180°, the maximum exit gradient which occurs at the sheet pile
is independent of the degree of anisotropy. However, for 6 = 90°, the
exit gradient decreases rapidly near the sheet pile compared to the case
when 0 = 180° or 0°. More area is subjected to piping in case of hori-
zontal stratification.
Table 1 shows the inclination of streamlines for various degrees of an-
isotropy. As seen from the table, when 0 = 45°, and the degree of an-
isotropy is equal to 4, the streamlines make an angle of 59°, measured
clockwise, with the downstream bed. For a degree of anisotropy equal
to 40, the corresponding angle is 46.43°. Thus for an unchanging ori-

FIG. 2.—Exit Gradient Distribution on Downstream Side of Vertical Sheetpile in

Anisotropic Porous Medium
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J. Hydraul. Eng. 1983.109:897-904.

 TABLE 1.—Slope of Streamlines at Exit Point for Various Values e of KJK, = 4
and 40
Slope of streamlines Slope of streamlines
6, in degrees for KJKi = 4 for KJKX = 40
(D (2) (3)
5 -3.92667 -0.38281
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10 -2.12553 -0.32626
15 -1.60128 -0.37051
20 -1.40112 -0.44375
25 -1.33658 -0.53325
30 -1.34715 -0.63656
35 -1.40966 -0.75478
40 -1.51605 -0:89117
45 -1.66667 -1.05128
50 -1.86870 -1.24382
55 -2.13760 -1.48272
60 -2.50185 -1.79126
65 -3.01477 -2.21145
70 -3.78462 -2.82725
75 -5.06538 -3.83460
80 -7.62047 -5.82121
85 -15.26896 -11.72515

entation of the axis of maximum permeability, the inclination of the

streamlines converges to 6 as the degree of anisotropy increases.
From the analysis given by Marcus (9), if, at a point, p and a are the
angles subtended by the flow direction and gradient direction with the
direction of major principal permeability, respectively, then
tan a Ka
= -S (16)
v ;
tanp Kx
Since the gradient direction is normal to the downstream bed and the
angle between the downstream bed and direction of major principal,
permeability is 6, a = 90° + 0. Because the angle between the down-
stream bed and flow direction is Qt, p = Qt +. Substituting the value of
a and p in Eq. 16 yields
tan (90°+9) = K,
tan (Gj + 6) Kx
From Eq. 17, 6] can be obtained for known values of K^, Kx and 9. 0i is
also given by Eq. 14. For 6 = 135°, KJK^ = 4, and 0j from Eq. 14 or 17
is found as tan""1 5/3. The same is also obtained from a graphical so-
lution presented by Harr (6).

CONCLUSIONS

Using the coordinate transformation, an analytical method has been

derived to determine the exit gradient along the horizontal downstream
bed of any hydraulic structure on a homogeneous anisotropic porous
902

J. Hydraul. Eng. 1983.109:897-904.

 medium from the k n o w n exit gradient in the corresponding fictitious
isotropic flow domain. The direction of flow lines at the exit on the
downstream side of a hydraulic structure in an anisotropic m e d i u m h a s
been found for a k n o w n degree of anisotropy a n d direction of principal
permeability. It is found that for an unchanging orientation of the axis
of maximum permeability, as the degree of anisotropy increases, the di-
rection of streamlines at t h e exit converges to the direction of m a x i m u m
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permeability. Results h a v e been presented for the distribution of a n exit

gradient on the d o w n s t r e a m side of a vertical sheet pile e m b e d d e d in
an anisotropic porous m e d i u m of infinite depth. It is found t h a t either
for vertical stratification o n horizontal stratification, the m a x i m u m exit
gradient which occurs at the sheet pile is i n d e p e n d e n t of the degree of
anisotropy. For vertical stratification, the exit gradient decreases rapidly
near the sheet pile compared to the case of horizontal stratification.

APPENDIX L—-REFERENCES

1. Aravin, V. I., Melentev, V. A., and Pavlovskaya, L. N., "Effects of Aniso-

tropic Permeability of Soils on the Seepage through Hydraulic-Fill Dams,"
Hydraulic Engineering Transactions, Ministry of Electrification of the USSR, Vol.
86, translated from Russian by the Israel Program for Scientific Translation,
1968, pp. 31-42.
2. Boulton, N. S., "Analysis of Data from Pumping Tests in Unconfined Aniso-
tropic Aquifer," Journal of Hydrology, Vol. X, No. 4, 1970, pp. 369-378.
3. Dagan, G., "A Method of Determining the Permeability and Effective Po-
rosity of Unconfined Anisotropic Aquifers," Water Resources Research, Vol. 3,
No. 4, 1967, pp. 1059-1071.
4. De Ridder, N. A., and Wit, K. E., "A Comparative Study on the Hydraulic
Conductivity of Unconsolidated Sediments," Journal of Hydrology, Vol. 3, 1965,
pp. 180-206.
5. De Wiest, R. J. M., Geohydrology, John Wiley and Sons, New York, N.Y.,
1965.
6. Harr, M. E., Ground Water and Seepage, McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., New
York, N.Y., 1962.
7. Krizek, R. J., and Anand, V. B., "Flow around a Vertical Sheetpile Embed-
ded in an Inclined Stratified Medium," Water Resources Research, Vol. 4, No.
1, 1968, pp. 113-123.
8. Mansur, C. I., and Dietrich, R. J., "Pumping Test to Determine Permeability
Ratio," Journal of the Soil Mechanics and Foundation Division, ASCE, Vol. 91,
No. SM4, Proc. Paper 4415, Apr., 1965, pp. 151-183.
9. Marcus, H., "The Permeability of a Sample of an Anisotropic Porous Media,"
Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 67, No. 13, 1962, pp. 5215-5225.
10. Muskat, M., The Flow of Homogeneous Fluids through Porous Media, McGraw-
Hill Book Co., Inc., New York, N.Y., 1937.
11. Palubarinova-Kochina, P. Ya., Theory of Groundwater Movement, translated from
the Russian by J. M. De Wiest, Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J.,
1962.
12. Siva Reddy, A., Mishra, G. C. and Seetharamiah, K., "Stepped Weir on an
Anisotropic Drained Stratum of Finite Depth," Water Resources Bulletin,
American Water Resources Association, Vol. 8, No. 1, 1972.

APPENDIX II.—NOTATION

The following symbols are used in this paper:

h = head causing flow;
IE = exit gradient in anisotropic flow domain;
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J. Hydraul. Eng. 1983.109:897-904.

 IEi = exit gradient in fictitious isotropic domain;
K^ = major principal coefficient of permeability;
Kx = minor principal coefficient of permeability;
Ni = ratio of minor to major principal coefficient of permeability;
p = pressure head;
R = ratio of component of exit gradient along flow direction in an-
isotropic domain to exit gradient at corresponding point in fic-
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titious isotropic domain;

X,Y = coordinate axes parallel and perpendicular respectively, to
downstream bed in transformed isotropic flow domain;
X, Y = coordinate axes in homogeneous anisotropic porous medium;
•/„, = unit weight of water;
8] = angle between \i and x axes;
r\ = ordinate in equivalent isotropic flow domain;
8 = orientation of direction of major principal coefficient of per-
meability and X axis; and
|i,\ = coordinate axes parallel to directions of maximum and mini-
mum coefficients of permeability, respectively, in homoge-
neous anisotropic porous medium.

904

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