6.

3 Some Geometric Properties of Flow Nets

Consider a pair of flow lines, clearly the flow through this flow tube must be constant and so as the
tube narrows the velocity must increase. Suppose now we have a pair of flow lines as shown in
Figure 3.

h+ h Y
h

Z FL
h+2 h
T
EP

t X Q
y
xX FL
z

Q
Fig. 3 Equipotentials intersecting a pair of Flow Lines

Suppose that the flow per unit width (in the y direction) is, Q, then the velocity v in the tube is
given by
Q
v (4a)
yx
Also let us assume that the potential drop between any adjacent pair of equipotentials is h then it
follows from Darcy’s law:

h
v k (4b)
zt

It thus follows that:

Q yx
(4c)
k h zt
using an identical argument to that used in developing equation(4c) it can be shown that:

Q YX
(4d)
k h ZT

6.3
and hence that:
yx YX
(5)
zt ZT
Thus each of the elemental rectangles bounded by the given pair of flow lines and a pair of
equipotentials (having an equal head drop) have the same length to breadth ratio.

Next consider a pair of equipotentials cut by flow tubes each carrying the same flow Q, as shown
in Fig. (4)

Q B

Q C EP( h )
FL D

d A
b
a EP ( h + h)
c

Fig. 4 Flow lines intersecting a pair of Equipotentials

Then we see that if it is assumed that each of the tubes is of unit width (in the y direction) then the
velocity in the tube is:
Q
v (6a)
cd

and using Darcy's law:

h
v k (6b)
ab
It thus follows that:

Q ab
(6c)
k h cd
It can be similarly shown that:

Q AB
(6d)
k h CD
Hence again a pair of flow tubes carrying equal flows will intersect a given pair of equipotentials in
elemental rectangles which have the same length to breadth ratio.
6.4
In drawing flow nets by hand it is usual to draw them so that each flow tube carries the same flow
and so that the head drop between adjacent equipotentials is equal. In such cases all elemental
rectangles will be similar. It is usually most convenient to draw the net so that these rectangles are
'square' (it is possible to draw an inscribed circle). This is illustrated in Fig.(5).

Fig. 5 Inscribing circles in a Flow Net

Fig. 5 Inscribing Circles in a Flow Net
To calculate quantities of interest, that is the flow and pore pressures, a flow net must be drawn.
The flow net must consist of two families of orthogonal lines that ideally define a square mesh, and
that also satisfy the boundary conditions. The three most common boundary conditions are
discussed below.

6.4 Common boundary conditions

6.4.1 Submerged soil boundary - Equipotential

Consider the submerged soil boundary shown in Figure 6

Water
H-z
H

Datum

Fig. 6 Equipotential boundary

The head at the indicated position is calculated as follows:

6.5