Journal of Hydraulic Research

ISSN: 0022-1686 (Print) 1814-2079 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tjhr20

Incipient Sediment Motion With Upward Seepage

Robert K. Niven

To cite this article: Robert K. Niven (2000) Incipient Sediment Motion With Upward Seepage,
Journal of Hydraulic Research, 38:6, 475-479, DOI: 10.1080/00221680009498301

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00221680009498301

Published online: 05 Jan 2010.

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 DISCUSSION

Incipient Sediment Motion With Upward Seepage

Cheng, N.-S. and Chiew, Y.-M., Journal of Hydraulic Research, Vol. 37, No. 5, pp. 665-681

Discusser
ROBERT K. NIVEN, Lecturer, School of Civil Engineering, University College, The University of New South Wales, Australian
Defence Force Academy, Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia. Email: r.niven@adfa.edu.au

The discusser has read with interest the authors' work on the
Shields sediment transport condition in the presence of upward
seepage. The theoretical derivation is pertinent and profound;
the experimental work succinct; and the derived model explains
the experimental results well. The quality of presentation is
superb. The authors are thanked for their efforts.
In their paper, the authors express the upwards hydraulic gradi­
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where 8 = 0.0027. It is actually possible to calculate the rela­
tionship between m and either /E* or d (or other appropriate
parameters) theoretically.
The pressure loss per unit length of a granular material - both
below and above the point of fluidisation (the quick condition) -
was given by Ergun (1952):

ent as the sum of two terms due to inertial and kinetic energy
losses respectively:
AP 150u. 0_ •e) 1.75p (1 e) 2 (A)
L 2 ,2 ' <Ppd
d
«P„

i = av,. + bv„ (19)

(the authors' notation is listed in the notation section). For con­
venience, this is converted to an exponential form with an
empirical coefficient m, of a value between 1 and 2:
(20)
(in the authors' notation), where AP = piezometric pressure
loss, L = bed length, and (pp is the particle shape factor (spheric­
ity). The latter is defined such that <$pd gives the diameter of the
equivalent-volume sphere (Leva, 1959). "Typical" natural sub-
rounded sands have a sphericity of about 0.8 (Leva, 1959;
Cleasby & Fan, 1981), whilst subangular to angular sands -
such as those in a crushed product - have a sphericity of around
0.6 or even lower. Eq. (A) is valid for a monosized bed; other
formulations are available when a range of particle sizes is
present (Leva, 1959). The Ergun equation is widely used by
chemical engineers, but is not well known in the hydraulic engi­
neering literature, or to civil engineers in general.

The authors conduct a series of experiments on different sands Eq. (A) may be expressed in terms of piezometric head loss, Ah,
to determine the relationship between m and the dimensionless by dividing by the unit weight of water:
characteristic void length, l^. The latter was given as:

Ah . _ 150U (1-E)
L 2 ,2
( 2 \\n
P_g Ed (B)
(32)
6(1 - e ) 1.75p (l-e)v2
<?„dg c3 s

Note that dropping the v / term gives Darcy's law (eq. 18). Eq.
The authors' correlation was given as:
(B) may now be correlated with eq. (20), to find an appropriate
expression for m.

i + 28c The ensuing analysis is somewhat too long to present here, and
(33)
i + 8r has been submitted separately for publication (Niven, 2000). It
e* is first necessary to present the exponential form of the Ergun

Revision received July, 1999. Open for discussion till August 31, 2000.

JOURNAL OF HYDRAULIC RESEARCH, VOL. 38, 2000, NO. 6 475

 equation (eq. 20) in the appropriate dimensionless form, which The generated data were then subject to linear regression analy­
may be shown to be (Niven, 2000): sis to determine the values of m and C. Further details of the
method and results are included in Niven (2000).

C(R'i) (C) Two sets of the generated data, for particle sphericities of 0.6
and 0.8 respectively, are illustrated in Figures A and B. It is
seen that the value of m ranges from 1 to 2 over the range of
where Re, = p<ppdvj\i( 1 - e ) i s a modified Reynolds number
particle diameters considered. The goodness of fit varies
based on the interstitial velocity, v,, = vs It, and the void length
slightly with m, with an R2 of 1.0 at low and high diameters,
ratio for non-spherical particles,/ f(p = £<ppd/( 1 - e ) . Compared
falling to 0.995 as m approaches 1.5. This difference is not
to eq. (20), it is seen that C is now a dimensionless constant,
however significant.
whilst m remains unchanged. It can further be shown by dimen­
sional analysis (Cheng & Chiew, 1999; Niven, 2000) that both
The full set of regressed m results are plotted against the
C and m are functions only of the modified Galileo number,
authors' dimensionless void length, Ze», in Figure C, along with
Ga*, based on the void length scale, given by:
the authors' and other workers' data, and a curve representing
the authors' correlated model (eq. 33). Each of the regressed m
values are represented in this figure as individual points. As
p2g/ecp = P'S%,d' £' (D) evident, the authors' model (eq. 33) fairly closely fits the Ergun
Ga
2 ■> 3
u
u-(l-e) equation curve at a sphericity of about 0.5 to 0.6, but does not
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The Galileo number, normally taken as Ga = p~gdp I p.", is
frequently used in the chemical engineering literature to express
the ratio of viscous and buoyancy forces (see Glicksman, 1984;
Pavlov, et al. 1979; Glicksman et al., 1994). The dimensionless
characteristic dimension of voids, /e», used by Cheng & Chiew
(1999) (eq. 32), may be seen to be the cube root of Ga* with the
factor of six omitted, with the exception that /E* does not include
the effect of particle sphericity.
A theoretical analysis was thus conducted in which a number of
series of data over the range 10 5 < d <, 1.0 m and 0.1 < (p7, < 1.0
were generated using the Ergun equation (eq. (B)). The
assumed parameter values were \i = 9.0 x 10 4 Pa s;
p s = 2650 kg nr 3 ; p = 1000 kg m 3 ; g = 9.81 m s"2 and e = 0.4.
fit the data at other sphericities. It appears that the authors and
previous workers used subangular rather than subrounded to
rounded sands, giving a sphericity somewhat lower than 0.8,
although this conclusion is not clear from the data available.
The regressed m results are then plotted against Ga* in Figure
D. It contrast to Figure C, all of the data at different sphericities
now fall along a single curve. It is therefore evident that Ga* is
the appropriate dimensionless parameter for correlation pur­
poses. By nonlinear regression, the m data may be fitted with
(Niven, 2000)

dim) m dm) m
■0.00001 1.000 -0.00001 1.000
0.00006 1.000 -0.00006 1.000
0.00020 1.000 -0.00020 1.000
1.005 -0.00070 1.011
0.00070 -0.00095
0.00095 1.011 1.025
1.033 -0.00140 1.066
0.00140 -0.00240 1.191
0.00240 1.113 -0.00340
1.210 1.318
0.00340 -0.00600 1.567
0.00600 1.439 -0.01000 1.759
0.01000 1.659 -0.02000 1.907
0.02000 1.860 -0.03000 1.948
0.03000 1.921 0.05500 1.979
. . o- - 0.05500 1.968 0.10000 1.991
1.987 050000 1.999
. . a- - 0.10000 1.00000 2.000
■ - <■ - 0.50000
1.999
2.000 0.01
1.00000
1.E-07 1.E-04 1.E-01 1.E+02 1.E+05

1.E-05 1.E-02 1.E+01 1.E+04 1.E+07 Re,*

Ret*

Fig. A: Plot of ;' against Reit for data generated using the main Fig. B: As per Fig. A, but with % = 0.8.
parameter values and % = 0.6, showing the effect of particle
diameter and Re;, on the regressed value of m.

476 JOURNAL DE RECHERCHES HYDRAUL1QUES. VOL. 38. 2000. NO. 6

 2.0 2.0 ' 1—-^gciOTtn»-
9p %
J * / ^ s ^
- 0.1 ■ 0.1
1.8 Md - 0.2 ♦ 0.2

if
- 0.3

\i - 0.4
ƒ A 0.3
0.4

in,
1.6 - 0.5 •
- 0.6 1.6
i - 0.7
□ 0.5
- 0.8 * 0.6
14 - 0.9 A 0.7

It - 1.0
Ref A
0 0.8

w
1.2
X 09
Ref B 1.2
RefC X 1.0
-eq. 33 -Model (eq. E)
10
1.0
1.E-01 1.E+00 1.E+01 1.E+02 1.E+03 1.E+04
1.E-06 1.E-03 1.E+00 1.E+03 1.E+06 1.E+09 1.E+12

Ga*

Fig. C: Plot of generated m data against Ze» for each value of cpp used, Fig. D: Plot of generated m data against Ga* for each value of q>p
showing model of Cheng & Chiew (1999) (eq. 33). Plot used, showing fitted model (eq. E).'
includes experimental data of Mints & Schubert (1955) (Ref.
A); Oldenziel & Brink (1974) (Ref. B) and Cheng & Chiew
(1999) (Ref. C).

Re-* = modified interstitial Reynolds number

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1 + (E)
= P<$pdv/[i(l - e ) l-l
f4.7845 logGa* vs = superficial fluid seepage velocity [m s-1
1 + exp -
0.8346 vs i = mean interstitial seepage velocity [m s-1
8 = constant
This is valid for 0.01 < / < 1.0 and 3.6 x 1 0 6 < Ga* < 3.6 x 1012, e = porosity (voidage)
with a goodness of fit denoted by an R2 of 0.999993. It is not 9;, = particle shape factor (sphericity)
necessary to consider a wider range of Ga*, as m —> 1 within |0. = dynamic fluid viscosity [kg m 1 s_l
1% for Ga* < 467, and m -> 2 within 1% for Ga* > 1.25 x 109. p = fluid density [kg nr 3
A plot of eq. (E) is included in Figure D. The discusser was ps = solid density [kg nr 3
unable to fit a model of the form given by the authors (eq. 33).
A correlation may also be derived between the dimensionless
References
intercept parameter C and Ga* in eq. (C) (Niven, 2000).
1. CHENG, N.-S. & CHIEW, Y.-M. (1999) Incipient sediment
motion with upward seepage, J. Hydraulic Research, 37(5): 665-
Notations
681.
a, b = empirically determined parameters 2. CLEASBY, J.L. & FAN, K. (1981) Predicting fluidization and
c = dimensional constant in exponential form of expansion of filter media, J. Environmental Engineering Division,
ASCE, 107(EE3): 455-471.
Ergun equation
3. ERGUN, S. (1952) Fluid flow through packed columns, Chemical
C = dimensionless constant exponential form of Ergun Engineering Progress, 48: 9-94.
equation [-] 4. GLICKSMAN, L.R. (1984) Scaling relationships for fluidized
d = particle diameter [m] beds, Chemical Engineering Science, 39: 1373-1379.
5. GLICKSMAN, L.R., HYRE, M.R. & FARRELL. P.A. (1994)
g = gravitational acceleration [m s 2 ] Dynamic similarity in fluidization, Int. J. Multiphase Flow,
z
Ga = Galileo number = p fgdt/\i 2
[-] 20(Suppl.): 331-386.
Ga* = modified Galileo number = based on based on 6. LEVA, M. (1959), "Fluidization", McGraw-Hill Book Co., New
York.
l^ eq. (D) [-] 7. MINTS, D.M. & SHUBERT, S.A. (1955), "Gidravlika Zernistykh
Ah = piezometric head loss [m] Materialov", Moscow (in Russian).
i = hydraulic gradient [-] 8. NIVEN, R.K. (2000), Research Note: Physical Insight into the
L = bed length [m] Ergun Equation for Fluid Flow in Packed Beds, and Derivation of
Exponential Form, Journal of Hydraulic Research, submitted for
void length scale for non-spherical publication.
particles = ecppt//( 1 - e) [m] 9. OLDENZIEL, D. M. & BRINK, W. E. (1974) Influence of suction
dimensionless void length of and blowing on entrainment of sand particles, J. Hydr. Div., ASCE,
100(7): 935-949.
Cheng & Chiew (1999), eq. (32) [m]
10.PAVLOV, K.F., ROMANKOV, P.G. & NOSKOV, AA. (1979),
in constant (power) in exponential form of "Examples and Problems to the Course of Unit Operations of
Ergun equation [-1 Chemical Engineering", English transl., Mir Publishers, Moscow.
AP piezometric pressure loss [Pa]

JOURNAL OF HYDRAULIC RESEARCH, VOL. 38. 2000. NO. 6 477

 Reply by the authors curves in Figure C should shift towards the right when a higher
porosity (e > 0.4) is used.
The comments of the discusser, especially those regarding the
References
m-values derived from Ergun equation, are greatly appreciated.
Chien, N. and Wan, Z. (1999). Mechanics of sediment trans­
The inclusion of the particle sphericity enables calculation of
port. ASCE Press, New York.
the m-value for non-natural sediment particles.

To begin this reply, it must first be pointed out that the defini­
tion of the shape factor of a sediment particle used by the dis­
cusser is different from that used by the writers. The shape
factor, S commonly used in hydraulic engineering is expressed
as

S = -f= (F)
Jab

where a, b and c = longest, intermediate and shortest lengths,

respectively. Using this definition, the 5-value is around 0.7 for
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natural sediment particles. On the other hand, the shape factor

or sphericity used by the discusser is defined in the form:

%-f ftp
(O
where A, = surface area of a particle and ds = diameter of a
sphere with the equivalent volume. There seems no explicit
relationship between S and q>p available in the literature. How­
ever, using Figure 2-6 in Chien and Wan (1999), a simple for­
mulation can be obtained for the case of a/b = b/c:

<pp = Sm (H)

Therefore, for natural sediment particles, 9 p is approximately

equal to 0.8 if S is taken to be 0.7. This result is consistent with
the empirical sphericity for typical subrounded natural sands as
indicated by the discusser.

Inferring from Figure C, the discusser stated that the writers'

empirical formula for determining the m-value is only close to
his result if the sphericity, S ~ 0.5 to 0.6 rather than 0.8.
Another probable cause of the difference is porosity. In his cal­
culation, the discusser has used a value of porosity, e = 0.4 to
generate the data using Ergun equation. In comparison, the
porosity for the experimental data used in the paper ranges from
0.38 to 0.52 (Cheng, 1997). If the particle size and fluid prop­
erties are known, the Galileo number varies only with
(ppe(l - e ) . This suggests that m would remain unchanged if
cppe(l - e ) i s a constant according to Eq. (E). In other words,
the same /«-value can be obtained either for (pp= 0.8 and e =
0.4 or for cpp = 0.55 and e = 0.49. With a different e-value used
in the paper, it is not surprising that one would obtain a different
set of result. In fact, it is correct to expect that the computed

478 JOURNAL DE RECHERCHES HYDRAUL1QUES, VOL. 38. 2000. NO. 6

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JOURNAL OF HYDRAULIC RESEARCH, VOL. 38, 2000, NO. 6

479