Bligh's creep theory assumes that seeping water through soil below a weir follows the contact of the base with the underlying soil. The creep length is the distance along the downstream end of the impervious apron. Bligh also assumed the loss of head is proportional to the length of travel, whether horizontal or vertical. The total creep length L can be calculated based on the length of vertical cut-offs provided below the apron. Bligh's theory is used to design weirs by considering safety against undermining or piping, and safety against uplift pressure.
Bligh's creep theory assumes that seeping water through soil below a weir follows the contact of the base with the underlying soil. The creep length is the distance along the downstream end of the impervious apron. Bligh also assumed the loss of head is proportional to the length of travel, whether horizontal or vertical. The total creep length L can be calculated based on the length of vertical cut-offs provided below the apron. Bligh's theory is used to design weirs by considering safety against undermining or piping, and safety against uplift pressure.
Bligh's creep theory assumes that seeping water through soil below a weir follows the contact of the base with the underlying soil. The creep length is the distance along the downstream end of the impervious apron. Bligh also assumed the loss of head is proportional to the length of travel, whether horizontal or vertical. The total creep length L can be calculated based on the length of vertical cut-offs provided below the apron. Bligh's theory is used to design weirs by considering safety against undermining or piping, and safety against uplift pressure.
Bligh's creep theory assumes that seeping water through soil below a weir follows the contact of the base with the underlying soil. The creep length is the distance along the downstream end of the impervious apron. Bligh also assumed the loss of head is proportional to the length of travel, whether horizontal or vertical. The total creep length L can be calculated based on the length of vertical cut-offs provided below the apron. Bligh's theory is used to design weirs by considering safety against undermining or piping, and safety against uplift pressure.
According to Bligh’s theory, two design criteria are to be consider.
(i) Safety against undermining or piping.
To safeguard the weirs against failure by piping, the creep length should be provid according to the following formula: L = CH, where C is coefficient of creep.
Such a length would provide safe hydraulic gradient and seeping water emitting from D/S end of the impervious apron. Will not be having sufficient uplift pressure to dislodge the soil particles. This will avoid boiling action of soil at the D/S end of the apron. (ii) Safety against uplift pressure.
To counter balance the force of uplift, sufficient floor thickness should be provid, specially on the D/S side of the weir. Let at distance L1 creep length from U/S end of the impervious apron h is the resultant uplift head, the net uplift pressure wh can be comput follows
Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers, vol. LXVIII, Sept. 1910, Start/End Papers
The New York Tunnel Extension of the Pennsylvania Railroad
