2014-15 Solutions To Practice Problems - Groundwater Permeability and Seepage Part 3
2014-15 Solutions To Practice Problems - Groundwater Permeability and Seepage Part 3
2014-15 Solutions To Practice Problems - Groundwater Permeability and Seepage Part 3
1. A sheet piling system with its corresponding flow net is shown on Figure 1. The
permeability of the soil is 0.02 mm/s, and its unit weight is sat = 20 kN/m3.
(a) Estimate the flow rate in m3/day per 1 m run of piling.
(b) For the element A with l = 1.5 m calculate the average velocity and the effective
vertical stress.
(c) Determine the magnitude of the effective vertical stress at the base (tip) of the
sheet pile, just immediately on its right hand side.
(d) Calculate the factor of safety against the quick condition, defined as the ratio of
the existing hydraulic gradient along the downstream face of the sheet pile to
the critical hydraulic gradient.
Sheet
Upstream Pile Downstream
3.0 m
1.5 m
4.5 m
3.0 m
A
B 6.0 m
l
Impermeable Stratum
Figure 1
(a) The flow rate is given by q = kHNF / NH = 0.00002 m/s x 3 x 5 / 11 = 2.356 m3/day/m
(b) The average velocity is v = ki = 0.00002 m/s x (3/11)/1.5 = 3.64 x 10-6 m/s
or 0.0131 m/hr
Consider the total head at A (taking the elevation datum at the base of the layer):
If there is no flow:
Total head at A = Elevation head + Pressure head
= (3) + (4.5+1.5) = 9 m
Pressure head at A = 6 m
CE2112 SOIL MECHANICS 2012/2013
With the flow as shown on the flow net, there is some head loss by the time the
water reaches A. This head loss is given by H:= H x (2.5/11), where H = 3 m is
the total head loss from the upstream to the downstream side of the sheetpile
wall.
(c) The head loss at the base (tip) of the sheet pile, Pt B, just immediately on its right
hand side is H= H x (6/11) = 3 x 6/11 = 1.64 m.
(d) At the tip of the sheet pile wall, the pressure head = 4.36 m (see part (c)),
the elevation head = 3 m
the total head = 7.36 m.
CE2112 SOIL MECHANICS 2012/2013
The distance between the tip of the wall and the top of the soil (downstream side) =
3m.
(Note that the question is phrased wrongly. The factor of safety should be defined as
the ratio of the critical hydraulic gradient to the existing hydraulic gradient along the
downstream face of the sheet pile.)
CE2112 SOIL MECHANICS 2012/2013
2. A flow net for flow around a single row of sheet piles in a permeable soil layer is
shown in Figure 2. Given that kx = ky = k = 4.2 x 10-3 cm/sec, determine
(a) How high (above the ground surface) the water will rise if piezometers are placed
at points a, b, c and d.
(b) The rate of seepage beneath the sheet pile wall per unit length (perpendicular to
the section shown).
Sheet Pile
5m
10 m
a
b
d
Impermeable
Layer
Figure 2
(a) If there is no flow, the water in the piezometer at point a will rise to 5 m above
the ground surface.
For the flow net shown, the total head loss H = 5 – 1.5 = 3.5 m.
Point a
The head loss from the ground surface to point a = (1/6)xH = 3.5/6 = 0.583m.
Hence the water in the piezometer at point a will rise to (5 – 0.583) = 4.417 m
above the ground surface.
Point b
CE2112 SOIL MECHANICS 2012/2013
The head loss from the ground surface to point b = (2/6)xH = 3.5/3 = 1.167m.
Hence the water in the piezometer at point b will rise to (5 – 1.167) = 3.833 m
above the ground surface.
Point c
The head loss from the ground surface to point c = (5/6)xH = 3.5x5/6 =
2.917m.
Hence the water in the piezometer at point c will rise to (5 – 2.917) = 2.083 m
above the ground surface.
Point d
The head loss from the ground surface to point d = (5/6)xH = 3.5x5/6 =
2.917m. (Point d falls on the same equipotential line as point c.)
Hence the water in the piezometer at point d will rise to (5 – 2.917) = 2.083 m
above the ground surface.
H1 = 6 m D=3m
H2 = 1.5 m D1 = 6 m
Draw the corresponding flow net, and calculate the seepage loss per metre length of
the sheet pile (perpendicular to the cross section shown).
Sheet Pile
H1
D1
k = 4 x 10-4 cm/s
Impermeable
Layer
Figure 3
Sheet Pile
6m
6m
Impermeable
Layer
H1 = 3 m D = 1.5 m
H2 = 0.5 m D1 = 3.75 m
Draw the corresponding flow net, and calculate the seepage loss per metre length of
the sheet pile (perpendicular to the cross section shown).
Sheet Pile
3m
1.5 m
3.75 m
Impermeable
Layer
y
5m
1m
11 m
impermeable stratum
Figure 5
5m
1m
9.5 m
6. The dam shown in Figure 6 is similar to that of Figure 5 (Question 5) except that the
base length is 5 m. All other dimensions and soil properties are unchanged, as in
Question 5.
Sketch the flow net and calculate the flow rate under the concrete dam in m3/day
(per m into the plane of the paper).
5m
1m
5m
impermeable stratum
Figure 6
5m
1m
9.5 m
Q = kH(NF /Nd ) = (1 x 10-5) x 4 x (5/8) = 2.5 x 10-5 m3/s = 2.5 x 10-5 x 86400 m3/d
= 2.16 m3 /day
CE2112 SOIL MECHANICS 2012/2013
7. The dam shown in Figure 7 is similar to that of Figure 6 (Question 6) except that
there is a horizontal impermeable blanket of 5 m length added to the system at the
upstream side. All other dimensions and soil properties are unchanged, as in
Question 6.
Sketch the flow net and calculate the flow rate under the concrete dam in m3/day
(per m into the plane of the paper).
5m impermeable
blanket
1m
5m 5m
impermeable stratum
Figure 7
5m impermeable
blanket
1m
9.5 m
8. Sketch the flow net corresponding to the dam reservoir shown below in Figure 8.
Estimate the flow rate beneath the dam in m3 /day per m (into the plane of the paper).
The dam is built on silty sand which has a permeability of kx = ky = 2 x 10-3 cm/s.
10 m
silty sand
kx = ky = 2 x 10-3 cm/sec
Impermeable layer
Figure 8
10 m
9. For the same dam reservoir considered in Qn 8, calculate the uplift force acting on
the dam with the help of your flow net solution. You may use the dimensions shown
on Figure 9 below, where the height of water retained behind the dam is 6h = 10m.
6h =
10 m
2h
45 45
h h 11 h h h
Figure 9
From the solution of Qn 8, the flow net has 12 potential drops, and H = 10m.
Hence, the head loss for each drop = (10/12) = 5/6 m or 0.833 m.
3.34 m
F 1.67 m G
D E H I
1.67 m 1.67 m 18.32 m 1.67 m 1.67 m
Pressure Head (m)
4.59
5.83
5
10.83
8.76
11.66
CE2112 SOIL MECHANICS 2012/2013
Similarly,
The pressure heads calculated above are shown on the figure on the previous page.
The hydraulic uplift force per unit length of the structure can now be calculated as
= 10 x [0.5x(11.664+10.831)x1.67 + 0.5x(10.831+8.755)x1.67
+0.5x(8.755+4.59)x18.33 + 0.5x(4.59+5.833)x1.67
+0.5x(5.833+5)x1.67]
= 1752 kN/m