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This force (F) has an upward component from the point where the streamline turns
upward.
For soil grains to remain stable, the upward component of this force should be
counterbalanced by the submerged weight of the soil grain.
This force has the maximum disturbing tendency at the exit end,
because the direction of this force at the exit point is vertically
upward, and hence full force acts as its upward component.
For the soil grain to remain stable, the submerged weight of soil
grain should be more than this upward disturbing force.
In order that the soil particles at exit remain stable, the upward
pressure at exit should be safe. In other words, the exit gradient
should be safe.
Critical Exit Gradient
If the upward disturbing force on the grain is just equal to the
submerged weight of the grain at the exit, the exit gradient is
called critical exit gradient.
To keep the structure safe against piping, the exit gradient should
be equal to 1/4 to 1/5 of the critical exit gradient, i.e. a factor of
safety equal to 4 or 5 is used.
where
w = unit weight of water
Ss = sp. gravity of soil particles
n = porosity of the soil material
The upward disturbing force on unit volume (for unit area, dV = 1 x dl) of
the grain
dp d wh dh
F w.
dl dl dl
While designing a weir, downstream cutoff from the maximum scoured depth
considerations is, first of all, provided, and checked for exit gradient. If a safe
value of exit gradient is not obtained, then the depth of cutoff is increased. The
depth of cutoff is also governed and limited by practical considerations, as the
execution of very deep cutoff may be difficult or unpracticable at site.
A weir or a barrage may fail not only due to seepage (i.e. sub-surface flow) as
stated by Bligh, but may also fail due to the surface flow. The surface flow (i.e.
when flood water flows over the weir crest) may cause scour, dynamic action; and
in addition wi1l cause uplift pressures in the jump trough, (if the hydraulic jump
forms on the downstream). These uplift pressures must be investigated for various
flow conditions.
The maximum uplift due to this dynamic action (i.e. for
surface flow) should then be compared with the maximum
uplift under steady seepage (i.e. for sub-surface flow) ; and
the maximum of the two chosen for designing the aprons and
the floors of the weirs.
1. Outer faces of sheet piles are much more effective than inner
faces and horizontal length of the impervious apron.
(3) A straight horizontal floor depressed below the bed but with no vertical cutoff.
In general the weir/irrigation structures consists of combination of all forms
mentioned above. The uplift pressure are determined only at key points, i.e. the
intersection of the pile lines and the floor. The pressure variation between the key
points is assumed to be linear.
If, p = pressure at any point, H = total head
φ = p/H x 100
i.e. pressure at any point expressed as the % of the total head.
α = b/d
(1) Sheet pile not at end
α = b/d, α1 = b1/d, α2 = b2/d
L1 = √(1+ α12), L2 = √(1+ α22)
L1 L2 1 12 1 22
2 2
L1 L2 1 12 1 22
1
2 2
1 1
E cos1 1
1 1
C cos1 1
1
D cos1 1
angles are in radians.
(2) Sheet pile at end
1 2
C 100 E E cos1
1
D 100 D 1 1
1
D cos1
E 100 %
1
1
C cos1 0
L1 L2 1 12 1 22
2 2
As, b1 = b, b2 =0
So, α2 = b2/d = 0, α1 = b1/d = b/d = α
1 1 2 1 2 1
1
2 2
(3) Depressed Floor
2 3
D ' D E D 2
3
D 100 D '
'
1
1 1
D cos1
1 2
E cos1
Where
1 1 2
2
α = b/d
Exit Gradient (GE)
The pressure gradient at the exit point is called exit gradient.
For standard form consisting floor of length b, with a vertical cutoff of depth d,
the exit gradient at its d/s end is given by the equation:
H 1
GE Material Safe Exit Gradient
d
Shingle 1/4 to 1/5
1 1 2
α = b/d
In the equation, if d = 0, GE is infinite.
It is therefore essential that a vertical cutoff should be provided at the d/s end
of the floor.
To safeguard against piping (undermining), the exit gradient must not be
allowed to exceed a certain safe limit for different soils.
Graphical Solution:
Correction to be applied:
E D
Correctionfor point E1 t subtractive
d
D
pressure at E1 E E E t
d
1
2. Correction for the mutual interference of the piles
D d D
C 19
b' b
This equation does not apply to the effect of an outer pile on an intermediate pile
if:
intermediate pile is equal to or smaller in length than the outer pile and
intermediate pile is at a distance less than twice the length of outer pile.
Interference of any pile is only for the faces of the adjacent piles which lie
towards the interfering pile, e.g. pile no.2 will interfere with d/s of pile no.1 only.
Whereas u/s of pile no.2 will interfere with d/s of pile no. 1 and at the same time
d/s of pile no. 2 will also interfere with u/s of pile no.3.
3. Correction for the sloping floor
Slope Correction jn
% of pressure
1 in 1 11.2
1 in 2 6.5
1 in 3 4.5
1 in 4 3.3
1 in 5 2.5
Sign of the correction: 1 in 6 2.5
+ve for down i.e. the –ve slope 1 in 7 2.3
– ve for up i.e. the +ve slope 1 in 8 2.0
The correction is applicable to the key points of the piles fixed at the start or
end of the slope. In the above figure the correction is only applicable to point
of the intermediate pile.
The % correction given in the above table is to be multiplied with the ratio
bs/b‟, where
bs = horizontal length below the slope
b‟ = distance b/w two pile lines in b/w which the sloping floor exists.
Design Procedure:
(1) Find out the pressure at the key points.
(2) Apply the corrections due to mutual interference.
(3) Find out the corrected pressures.
(4) Find out the thickness of floor at different points.
(5) Find out the corrections due to thickness.
(6) Find out the corrected pressures at key points.
(7) Draw the hydraulic gradient line (H.G.L).
(8) Compute the Exit gradient (GE).
Example
Determine the percentage pressures at various key points in following
figure. Also determine the exit gradient and plot the hydraulic gradient
line for pond level on u/s and no flow on d/s.
Solution.
(1) For Upstream Pile Line No. (1)
Total length of the floor = b = 57.0 m.
Depth of u/s pile line = d = 154.00 - 148.00 = 6.0 m
From curve
An impervious floor of a weir on permeable soil is 16 m long and has
sheet piles at both the ends. The upstream pile is 4 m deep and the
downstream pile is 5 m deep. The weir creates a net head of 2.5 m.
Neglecting the thickness of the weir floor. Calculate the uplift pressures
at the junction of the inner faces of the pile with the weir floor by using
Khosla's theory.