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 = whw + satL h
Total upward force = w(L+hw+h)
If total downward force = total
hw
upward force critical condition,
at which: Soil L

whw + satL = w(L+hw+h) x

satL = wL+wh
satL wL = wh
subL = wh
Critical hydraulic gradient = icr = h/L = sub/w

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

sub L
=
wh

Dr. Manal A. Salem Soil Mechanics

Two Dimensional Flow

Modeled by Laplaces 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

2
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 Laplaces Equation of Continuity
x 2 y 2
Dr. Manal A. Salem Soil Mechanics

Two Dimensional Flow

2h 2h
+ =0 Laplaces Equation of Continuity
x 2 y 2

Solution:

1. Analytical

2. Graphical flow net

Dr. Manal A. Salem Soil Mechanics

3
 Flow Nets
Graphical solution of Laplaces 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-h h
c
H-2h 2h

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 dont intersect c

4. Equipotential lines dont 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(h/b) b
b unity
h = 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 = h/Lexit : h=H/nd H Lexit

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

where, icr = sub/w
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-h c d h

H-2h
2h
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 = h/Lexit : h=H/nd
icr = sub/w

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-h c d h

H-2h
2h
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 w
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-h j
c g
d f

h
e
H-2h 2h
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 = h/Lexit : h=H/nd Lexit
icr = sub/w

Dr. Manal A. Salem Soil Mechanics

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

h
e
H-2h 2h
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