19.

8  Stability of the Bottom of a Cut in Sand 839

19.8 Stability of the Bottom of a Cut in Sand

The bottom of a cut in sand is generally stable. When the water table is encountered, the
bottom of the cut is stable as long as the water level inside the excavation is higher than
the groundwater level. In case dewatering is needed (see Figure 19.23), the factor of
safety against piping should be checked. [Piping is another term for failure by heave, as
defined in Section 2.12; see Eq. (2.50).] Piping may occur when a high hydraulic gradi-
ent is created by water flowing into the excavation. To check the factor of safety, draw
flow nets and determine the maximum exit gradient [imaxsexitd] that will occur at points
A and B. Figure 19.24 shows such a flow net, for which the maximum exit gradient is
h
Nd h
imaxsexitd 5 5 (19.23)
a Nd a
where
a 5 length of the flow element at A (or B)
Nd 5 number of drops (Note: In Figure 19.24, Nd 5 8; see also Section 2.11.)

Water Water
level level

B
h

L1
A B
L2

Flow of L3
water

Figure 19.23  Stability of the bottom of a cut

Impervious layer in sand

Water table Water table

h Water
level

1
A B
a 8
7 2
6
5 3
4

Impervious layer

Figure 19.24  Determining the factor of safety against piping by drawing a flow net

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