GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

SEEPAGE & FLOW NETS

LECTURE-6
‘Seepage’ is defined as the flow of a fluid, usually water, through a
soil under a hydraulic gradient.
In many instances, the flow of water through soil is not in one direction only, nor
is it uniform over the entire area perpendicular to the flow. In such cases, the
groundwater flow is generally calculated by the use of graphs referred to as flow
nets.
Laplace’s Equation of Continuity
For Non Isotropic Soil For Isotropic Soil (kx = kz)
Flow Nets
The continuity equation in an isotropic medium represents two
orthogonal families of curves:
A. Flow Lines – a line along which water particle will travel from
upstream to the downstream side in the permeable soil
medium.
B. Equipotential Line – is a line along which the potential head at
all points is equal
Flow Nets
A combination of a number of flow lines and equipotential lines is called a flow
net. Flow nets are constructed to calculate groundwater flow and evaluation of
heads in the media.
Characteristics of a Flow Net
a. The equipotential line intersect the flow lines at right angles
b. The flow elements formed are approximate squares

boundary conditions:
Condition 1: The upstream and downstream
surfaces of the permeable layer (lines
ab and de) are equipotential lines.
Condition 2: Because ab and de are
equipotential lines, all the flow lines
intersect them at right angles.
Condition 3: The boundary of the
impervious layer—that is, line fg—is a
flow line, and so is the surface of the
impervious sheet pile, line acd.
Condition 4: The equipotential lines
intersect acd and fg at right angles.
SEEPAGE CALCULATION FROM A FLOW NET
Flow channel – strip between any
two adjacent flow lines
Let h1, h2, h3, … hn – piezometric
levels corresponding to the
equipotential line
The rate of seepage through the
flow channel per unit length

From Darcy’s law (q = kiA)

Take note that the drop in the piezometric level is the

same in any two adjacent equipotential line
(isotropic soil) (Non isotropic soil)
H - Total head loss
Nd – number of potential drop
Nf – number of flow channels
#1. PROBLEM
A flow net for flow around a single row of sheet piles in a permeable soil layer is
shown below. Given that kx = kz = k = 5 x 10-3 cm/sec.
1. How high (above the ground surface) will the water rise if piezometers are
placed at points a, b, c, and d?
2. What is the rate of seepage through flow channel II per unit length
(perpendicular to the section shown)?
Solution:
Nf = 3
Nd = 6
Head difference between up- and downstream
H = 5 – 1.67 = 3.33
Head loss for each drop (potential drop)
H/Nd = 3.33/6 = 0.555
Water level at piezometer placed at a,b,c & d:
Hupstream – n x (potential drop)
a. 5 – 0.555 = 4.445 m above the g.s.
b. 5 – 2(0.555) = 3.89 m above the g.s.
c. 5 – 5(0.555) = 2.225 m above the g.s.
d. 5 – 5(0.555) = 2.225 m above the g.s.
#1. PROBLEM
A flow net for flow around a single row of sheet piles in a permeable soil layer is
shown below. Given that kx = kz = k = 5 x 10-3 cm/sec.
1. How high (above the ground surface) will the water rise if piezometers are
placed at points a, b, c, and d?
2. What is the rate of seepage through flow channel II per unit length
(perpendicular to the section shown)?
Solution:
Nf = 3
Nd = 6
Rate of seepage through flow channel II
(5-1.67) 3
= 5x10-3
6
= 8.325x10-3m3/sec/m
(5-1.67) 1
= 5x10-3
6
= 2.775x10-3m3/sec/m
UPLIFT PRESSURE UNDER HYDRAULIC STRUCTURES
Flow nets can be used to determine the uplift pressure at the base of
a hydraulic structure.
#2. PROBLEM (problem-based demo for the concept)
The base of the weir is 2m below the ground surface. The necessary flow
net has been drawn. Assuming that the soil is isotropic compute the uplift
pressure under the weir.
Solution:
Head difference between up- and downstream
H=7m
Head loss for each drop (potential drop)
H/Nd = 7/7 = 1 m
Water level at piezometer placed at a,b,c
d,e & f: Hupstream – n x (potential drop)
a. 9 – 1(1) = 8 m above the base
b. 9 – 2(1) = 7 m above the base
c. 9 – 3(1) = 6 m above the base
d. 9 – 4(1) = 5 m above the base
e. 9 – 5(1) = 4 m above the base
f. 9 – 6(1) = 3 m above the base
FLOW NET FOR ONE DIMENSIONAL FLOW
 FLOW NET FOR ONE DIMENSIONAL FLOW

From a flow net three very useful items of information may be

obtained: rate of flow or discharge; head; and hydraulic gradient.
 FLOW NET FOR ONE DIMENSIONAL FLOW
A. RATE OF FLOW
 FLOW NET FOR ONE DIMENSIONAL FLOW
A. RATE OF FLOW
 FLOW NET FOR ONE DIMENSIONAL FLOW
B. HEAD
Loss of head for each potential
 FLOW NET FOR ONE DIMENSIONAL FLOW
C. HYDRAULIC GRADIENT
 FLOW NET FOR TWO DIMENSIONAL FLOW

A. FLOW UNDER A SHEET PILE WALL

B. FLOW UNDER A CONCRETE DAMN
C. FLOW THROUGH AN EARTH DAM
 FLOW NET FOR TWO DIMENSIONAL FLOW

A. FLOW UNDER A SHEET PILE WALL

Boundary conditions for the flow under the sheet pile wall are; mb,
upstream equipotential; jn, downstream equipotential; bej, flow
line and pq, flow line.
 FLOW NET FOR TWO DIMENSIONAL FLOW
B. FLOW UNDER A CONCRETE DAMN
 FLOW NET FOR TWO DIMENSIONAL FLOW
C. FLOW UNDER AN EARTH DAMN

AB is known to be an equipotential and AD a flow line. BC is the top

flow line; at all points of this line the pressure head is zero. Thus BC
is also the ‘phreatic line’; or, on this line, the total head is equal to
the elevation head. Line CD is neither an equipotential nor a flow
line, but the total head equals the elevation head at all points of CD.
 FLOW NETS
Flow Line
A line along which a water particle will travel from upstream to the
down stream side in the permeable soil medium
Equipotential Line
A line along which the potential head at all points is equal
Flow Net
A combination of a number of flow lines and equipotential lines
Characteristics of a Flow Net
a. The equipotential line intersect the flow lines at right angles
b. The flow elements formed are approximate squares
Rate of Seepage
Loss of head for each potential
For Isotropic soils

For Non isotropic soils k – coefficient of permeability

Nf – number of flow channel
Nd – number potential drops
#1. PROBLEM
The sheet pile is driven in a reclamation area
1. Determine the no. of flow channels
2. Find the no. of pressure drops
3. Calculate the seepage under the sheet pile if the coef of
permeability of soil is 6.5 x10 –5 m/sec.

7m
4m

Flow lines
Sand
Equipotential lines
Impervious materials
#2. PROBLEM
The earthdam and foundation has the given cross-section.
1. Compute the seepage on the dam
2. Find the seepage at the foundation
3. What is the uplift pressure under the earthdam if the
width at the bottom is 30m.

K1= 0.0003m/sec

20 m

Sand
K2 = 0.0004m/sec

Impervious materials