Mechanics of Soil (CE2021)

Lecture – 19
Application of Seepage Analysis

Dr. Soukat Das

Assistant Professor
National Institute of Technology Rourkela

21-04-2024 Mechanics of Soil 1

 Flow Nets
A Flow Net consists of two groups ofcurves:
Flow lines: Flow lines (stream lines) represent the path that a particle of water takes as it travels
through the soil mass.
Equipotential lines: Equipotential lines are lines that pass through points of equal head.
Total head

Head loss

Equipotential lines h = 0.5h

x
y Flow
Datum z lines
21-04-2024 Mechanics of Soil 2
 DRAWING FLOW NETS

Head loss, Δh Equipotential lines

Water IN
Flow Lines

1. Flow lines and equipotential lines are at right angles to one another.
2. Flow lines are parallel to no flow boundaries.
3. Equipotential lines are parallel to permeable boundaries.
4. Discharge through each flow path is equal.
5. Head loss through each equipotential space is equal.
21-04-2024 Mechanics of Soil 3
 DRAWING FLOW NETS
Lines ab and cefd are the boundaries of this flow channel → Flow Lines
Line ca is the upstream equipotential boundary where the total head is h
Line bd is the downstream equipotential boundary where the total head is 0

21-04-2024 Mechanics of Soil 4

 DRAWING FLOW NETS
Upstream Downstream
Equipotential Equipotential
Boundary Boundary

1. Draw Flow Channel Boundaries 2. Draw Equipotential Boundaries

21-04-2024 Mechanics of Soil 5

 RULES FOR DRAWING FLOW NETS
1) All impervious boundaries are flow lines.
2) All permeable boundaries are equipotentials.
3) All equipotentials are at right angles to flow lines.
4) All parts of the flow net must have the same geometric proportions (e.g.
square or similarly shaped rectangles).
5) Just like contour lines, flow lines cannot cross other flow lines & equipotential
lines cannot cross other equipotentiallines.
6) Good approximations can be obtained with 4 - 6 flow channels. More accurate
results are possible with higher numbers of flow channels, but the time taken
goes up in proportion to the number of channels.

21-04-2024 Mechanics of Soil 6

 FLOW CALCULATIONS

Head loss, Δh Equipotential lines

Flow Channel/Path
Water IN

Flow Lines

Potential/Equipotential
Drop

21-04-2024 Mechanics of Soil 7

21-04-2024 Mechanics of Soil 8
 Applications of Flow Net
Seepage Quantity:
Let b and l be the width and length of the field.
Δh = head drop through the field;
Δq = discharge passing through the flow channel;
H = total hydraulic head causing flow
= difference between upstream and downstream heads.

From Darcy’s law of flow through soils:

h
q  k b 1
l
If Nd = total number of potential drops in the flow net
H
h 
Nd
21-04-2024 Mechanics of Soil 9
 Applications of Flow Net
H b
q  k  
Nd l
Total discharge through the complete flow net is given by
H b
q   q  k  Nf
Nd l
Nf b
 q  kH  
Nd  l 
where Nf = total number of flow channels in the net.
The field is square; hence b = l
Nf
q  kH
Nd
21-04-2024 Mechanics of Soil 10
 Applications of Flow Net
Seepage Pressure:
Let Nd = be the number of potential drops (each of vale Δh) lost by a water particle
Let h1 = net potential at point
h1  H  N d h
Hence, the seepage pressure ps = hl γw

ps  H  N d h  w

This pressure acts in the direction of the flow.

21-04-2024 Mechanics of Soil 11

 Applications of Flow Net
Uplift Pressure:
The uplift pressure uw at any point within the soil mass is given by
u w  hw  w
where hw = piezometric head = h1− z
z = position head of the point

Exit Gradient:
The maximum hydraulic gradient at the downstream end of the flow lines is termed
the exit gradient. This is given as
h
ie 
l
where l = length of the smallest square in the last field.
21-04-2024 Mechanics of Soil 12
 Thank You

21-04-2024 Mechanics of Soil 13