4.

Soil Permeability and

Seepage

Soil Mechanics
2010 - 2011

Critical Hydraulic Gradient (icr)

‡ Water level is not the same on both
sides, upward flow
‡ At point X:
Total downward force = γwhw + γsatL h
Total upward force = γw(L+hw+h)
If total downward force = total
hw
upward force critical condition,
at which: Soil L

γwhw + γsatL = γw(L+hw+h) x

γsatL = γwL+γwh
γsatL – γwL = γwh
γsubL = γwh
Critical hydraulic gradient = icr = h/L = γsub/γw

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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Critical Hydraulic Gradient (icr)
‡ If i > icr, unstable condition, the soil
particles tend to move:
„ Boiling, quick condition Sand
„ Heave Clay
h

‡ In this case, factor of safety against

boiling, quick condition, or heave < hw
1.0 Soil L
where:
x
F.S against boiling = icr/i

γ sub L
=
γ wh

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

Two Dimensional Flow

‡ Modeled by Laplace’s equation of continuity
‡ Qx = Avx = dy x 1 x vx
∂v x ∂v Qy
dQx = A dx = dydx x dz=1
∂x ∂x
Qy = Avy = dx x 1 x vy Qx dy Qx+dQx
∂v y ∂v y dx
y
dQ y = A dy = dxdy x
∂y ∂y Qy+dQy
z
‡ Assuming no volume change:
dQx + dQy = 0
∂v x ∂v y
dydx + dxdy =0
∂x ∂y
∂v x ∂v y
+ =0 Equation 1
∂x ∂y

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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Two Dimensional Flow
‡ ∂h
v x = k x ix = k x Qy
∂x dz=1
∂v x ∂ h
2
= kx 2 Qx Qx+dQx
∂x ∂x dy
∂h dx y
v y = k yiy = k y x
∂y Qy+dQy
∂v y ∂ 2h z
= ky 2
∂y ∂y
∂v x ∂v y
Substitute in Equation 1: + =0
∂x ∂y
∂ 2h ∂ 2h
kx 2 + k y 2 = 0
∂x ∂y
For isotropic conditions: kx = ky = k
∂ 2h ∂ 2h
+ =0 Laplace’s Equation of Continuity
∂x 2 ∂y 2
Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

Two Dimensional Flow

‡ ∂ 2h ∂ 2h
+ =0 Laplace’s Equation of Continuity
∂x 2 ∂y 2

‡ Solution:

1. Analytical

2. Graphical flow net

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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 Flow Nets
‡ Graphical solution of Laplace’s equation of continuity
‡ 1st Application: Flow net around cut-off wall or
sheet pile: HWL Sheet pile

H
LWL = Datum
a H b d 0 GS e

H-Δh Δh
c
H-2Δh 2Δh

f g
-∞ +∞
Impermeable boundary
Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

Flow Nets
‡ Boundary Conditions:
„ bcd and fg flow lines (1st and last )
„ ab and de equipotential lines (1 and last
st )
‡ Flow net:
„ Two orthogonal families of curves:
1. Flow lines: along which a water particle travels from
upstream to downstream
2. Equipotential lines: lines of constant total head
piezometers reach same level
„ Conditions:
a b d e
1. Lines intersect at right angles
2. Square elements
3. Flow lines don’t intersect c

4. Equipotential lines don’t intersect f g

Impermeable
„ Need to draw to scale
Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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 Flow Nets
‡ Rate of seepage or flow “Qt”:
„ nf = number of flow channels H
(ex: 5)
„ nd = number of head drops
(ex: 11)
„ For a single flow channel:
‡ Qi = Av
= Aki
= b.1.k(Δh/b) b
b unity
Δh = h1-h2 = H/nd : H = total
head difference between
upstream and downstream h1 Qi

Qi = kH/nd h2
‡ For nf flow channels:
Qt = nfQi
= (nf/nd)kH
Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

Flow Nets
‡ Factor of safety against piping:
„ Upstream: water movement ( ) H
in same direction of soil weight
( )
„ Downstream: water movement
( ), soil weight ( ) check
icr?
„ Most critical hydraulic gradient is
checked at “exit square”
iexit = Δh/Lexit : Δh=H/nd H Lexit

„ F.S. against piping = icr/iexit >1.2

where, icr = γsub/γw
„ In the shown example, if F.S.
against piping<1.2, increase
penetration depth of sheet pile

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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Flow Nets
‡ 2nd Application: Flow net under Dam/Weir:
HWL
GS H b
a H
e 0 GS LWL = Datum
f
H-Δh c d Δh

H-2Δh
2Δh
g h
-∞ +∞
Impermeable boundary

‡ Boundary Conditions:
„ bcde and gh flow lines (1st and last )
„ ab and ef equipotential lines (1 and last
st )

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

Flow Nets
‡ Rate of seepage (flow)
“Qt”: H
„ nf = 3 (in this example)
„ nd = 13 (in this example)
„ Qt = (nf/nd)kH

‡ F.S. against piping = icr/iexit

>1.2, where:
Lexit
„ iexit = Δh/Lexit : Δh=H/nd
„ icr = γsub/γw

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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Flow Nets
HWL
H b
a GS H
e 0 GS LWL = Datum
f
H-Δh c d Δh

H-2Δh
2Δh
g h
-∞ +∞
Impermeable boundary
‡ F.S. against uplift or floating:
F.S. = weight of weir ÷ uplift force (U) >1.2
Uplift force (U) = area of uplift pressure (u) diagram
calculate (u) at 2 points (c and d)
Uplift pressure (u) = (Total head - position head) x γw
Flow net Datum
If unsafe: Increase length of weir or put sheet pile at weir base?
Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

Flow Nets
‡ 3rd Application: Flow net under weir with sheet pile:
HWL
GS H b
a H
i 0 GS LWL = Datum
H-Δh j
c g
d f

Δh
e
H-2Δh 2Δh
k l
-∞ +∞
Impermeable boundary
‡ Boundary Conditions:
„ bcdefgi and kl flow lines (1st and last )
„ ab and ij equipotential lines (1 and last
st )

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

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Flow Nets
‡ Rate of seepage (flow)
“Qt”: H
„ nf = 3 (in this example) i

„ nd = 15 (in this example)

„ Qt = (nf/nd)kH

‡ F.S. against piping = icr/iexit

>1.2, where:
„ iexit = Δh/Lexit : Δh=H/nd Lexit
„ icr = γsub/γw

Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics

Flow Nets
HWL
H b
a H
i 0 LWL = Datum
H-Δh j
c g
d f

Δh
e
H-2Δh 2Δh
k l
-∞ +∞
Impermeable boundary
‡ F.S. against uplift or floating:
F.S. = weight of weir ÷ uplift force (U) >1.2
Uplift force (U) = area of uplift pressure (u) diagram
calculate uplift pressure at 4 points along base (a, d, f, g)
Area of uplift pressure diagram
F.S. against uplift
Dr. Manal A. Salem – Soil Mechanics