Seepage Theory
Seepage Theory
Seepage Theory
According to Blighs theory, water creeps along the bottom contour of the structure. The length of the path of water is called the length of creep The loss of head is proportional to the length of creep. The loss of head per unit of creep length is called the hydraulic gradient. (HL / L)
Your views on the theory? Blighs theory makes no discrimination between horizontal and vertical creeps.
Example
Calculate hydraulic gradient and uplift pressure at point C Specific gravity of concrete is 2.4
Definitions
Percolation is the flow of water under the ground
surface due to an applied differential head Percolation length (creep length) is the length to dissipate the total hydraulic pressure on the structure Undermining (Piping) is to carry away (wash) soil
A weir on solid rock (impervious foundation) does not need long apron (Floor), but needs sufficient width b to resist soil stresses.
A weir on pervious soil needs length L to: Cover creep or percolation length, Resist scour from falling water
L` = 2 t + L If L` > LB (Design is safe, no possibility of undermining) If L` < LB (Design is unsafe, undermining occurs, leads to failure)
L` = L + 2 t + 2 S1 + 2 S2 L` LB (design is safe, no possibility of undermining) L` < LB (design is unsafe, undermining occurs, leads to failure)
Distance between sheet piles a-a and b-b > d1 + d2 Water percolation length takes the right path, hence is safe
Distance between sheet piles a-a & b-b < d1 + d2 Water percolation length takes a short cut from a to b Actual percolation length is smaller than designed