Aljanad University

Dr Karim
 To analyze problems (such as compressibility of soils, bearing capacity of foundations,
stability of embankments, and lateral pressure on earth-retaining structures),
we need to know the nature of the distribution of stress along a given cross section of the
soil profile.

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 Figure 1 (a) Effective stress
consideration for a saturated soil
column without seepage;
(b) forces acting at the points of
contact of soil particles at the level of
point A

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 Figure 2 (a) Layer of soil in a tank where there is no seepage; variation of (b) total
stress, (c) pore water pressure, and (d) effective stress with depth for a submerged
soil layer without seepage

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 Figure 4 (a) Layer of soil in a tank with upward seepage. Variation of (b) total stress;
(c) pore water pressure; and (d) effective stress with depth for a soil layer with upward
seepage
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 Note that h/H2 is the hydraulic gradient i caused by the flow, and therefore,

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 Under such a situation, soil stability is lost.

This situation generally is referred to as boiling, or a quick condition.

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 The hydraulic gradient caused by the downward seepage equals i = h/H2. The total stress,
pore water pressure, and effective stress at any point C are, respectively,

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 Figure 7 (a) Layer of soil in a tank with downward seepage; variation of (b) total
stress; (c) pore water pressure; (d) effective stress with depth for a soil layer with
downward seepage

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 Figure 8 Force due to
(a) no seepage;
(b) upward seepage;
(c) downward seepage on a
volume of soil

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 The volume of the soil contributing to the effective force equals zA, so the seepage force
per unit volume of soil is

The force per unit volume, iγw, for this case acts in the upward direction—that is,
in the direction of flow. This upward force is demonstrated in Figure 8b. Similarly,
for downward seepage, it can be shown that the seepage force in the downward direction per
unit volume of soil is iγw (Figure 8c).

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 where i = hydraulic gradient along the
direction of flow.

Figure 9 Seepage force per unit

volume—determination from flow net

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 Seepage force per unit volume of soil can be used for checking possible failure of
sheet-pile structures where underground seepage may cause heaving of soil on the
downstream side (Figure 11a).

After conducting several model tests, Terzaghi (1922) concluded that heaving generally
occurs within a distance of D/2 from the sheet piles (when D equals depth of embedment
of sheet piles into the permeable layer).

Therefore, we need to investigate the stability of soil in a zone measuring D

by D/2 in cross-section as shown in Figure 11b.

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 Figure 11 (a) Check for heaving on the downstream side for a row of sheet piles driven
into a permeable layer; (b) enlargement of heave zone

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 Harza (1935) investigated the safety of hydraulic structures against heaving.
According to his work, the factor of safety (FS) against heaving (or piping) can be
expressed as

The maximum exit gradient also can be determined from a flow net. Referring to
Figure 12, the maximum exit gradient is

A factor of safety of 3 also is considered adequate for the safe performance of the
structure.
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 Figure 12 Definition of iexit

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 Harza also presented a chart for iexit for dams constructed over deep homogeneous deposits
(Figure 13). Using the notations shown in Figure 13,

Figure 13 Hazra chart for iexit for dams constructed over deep homogeneous deposits

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 H - H*Ndi / Nd

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