1.

EMBANKMENT ANALYSIS

1.1 INTRODUCTION

At New Khanki Barrage Project two embankments are constructed

on either side of the river namely, Left Bank and Right Bank. The
profiles of both the embankments are shown in the Fig. 1.1.
Maximum Conservation Level (MCL) is 741 ft with varying Natural
Surface Level (NSL) and Highest Flood Level (HFL). Length of Left
Bank embankment is approximately 84000 ft while Right Bank is
approximately 87400 ft.

1.2 EMBANKMENT DESIGN REQUIREMENTS

The basic design requirements of the earthen dykes are briefly

stated as follow:

a) The embankment slopes must be stable under all conditions of

construction and reservoir operation including drawdown of
reservoir and seismic forces

b) The upstream slopes must be properly protected against wave

action and downstream slopes against action of rain.

c) The phreatic line must not emerge at the downstream slope face.

d) The embankment loading must not overstress the foundation

materials and settlements produced by loading must not reduce the
water retention capacity of the dam.

e) There should be no possibility of the embankment being overtopped

by flood water.

f) Seepage through, around and beneath the embankment dam must

be controlled to ensure that hydrostatic and seepage forces do not
exceed the conditions assumed in the design.
g) The embankment design should be such as to make optimum use
of materials readily available, standard equipment and normal
construction controls.

1.3 EMBANKMENT SECTION

Keeping the above design requirements in view the simplest

embankment section has been selected to ensure the optimum
utilization of natural materials available within the reservoir area of
site.

As shown in Fig. 1.2 the embankment consists of a center drain

(SM) which is covered with fill material (ML). Fill material is
protected with 1.5 ft clay protection (CL). Toe drain is given at
downstream to collect seepage water.

Freeboard

To prevent over topping of dam due to wave action 7 ft of freeboard

is provided above the highest reservoir water elevation. The free
board for a dam is the vertical distance between a specified
reservoir water surface elevation and top of the dam, without
camber.

Embankment Slopes

The embankment slopes have been determined on the

consideration of overall stability of embankment under different
loading conditions and the types of material used in the
construction. Stability analysis of slopes is given in Fig. … to…..
The upstream and downstream slopes are 1V:3H and 1V:2.5H
respectively.
1.4 STATIC STABILITY ANALYSIS

1.4.1 General

For overall stability of the embankments, the embankment slopes

must be stable during construction stage and under different
operating conditions throughout the life of the embankment. For this
purpose the proposed slopes have been analyzed for stability under
different loading conditions imposed by gravity, seepage and
earthquake. The different loading conditions are end of construction
stage, steady state condition and rapid drawdown condition.

1.4.2 Method of Analysis

Computer program SLOPE/W has been used for the analysis of the
slopes. The Morgenstem and Price method of limit equilibrium
analysis has been used. The method is quite accurate as it satisfies
all three conditions of static equilibrium (∑Fv = 0, ∑Fx = 0, (∑M=0).
The calculated factor of safety is defined as the ratio of the actual
strength of soil to that required to maintain limiting equilibrium.

1.4.3 Design Parameters

The design parameters used in the analysis are tabulated as below.

Materials γ ( kN/m3) c’ (KPa) Φ’ (Degree) g

Left Bank & Right Bank
Clay Protection: Zone 3 105 0 20 0.1
Shell: Zone 1 101 0 25 0.1
Drain: Zone 2 105 0 32 0.1
Foundation: Zone 4 105 0 32 0.1
1.4.4 Loading Conditions

Three loading conditions for which stability analysis has been

carried out are:

a) End of Construction
 As the embankment consist of compacted fill material, therefore it is
necessary to check the stability of slopes at the end of construction.
Effective stress analysis has been carried out and a value of 0.2 for
the pore pressure ratio “ru” in the whole embankment has been
used excluding drain material.

b) Steady State Condition

For this condition HFL is used for analysis but where the MCL is
higher than HFL due to varying HFL, MCL is selected for analysis.

c) Rapid Drawdown

The rapid draw down of impounded water is possible from normal

pool elevation to the NSL level. During this rapid draw down, critical
conditions may develop in the upstream slopes due to un-dissipated
pore pressures and removal of water load from the upstream shell
of the embankment.

1.4.5 Target Factor of Safety

Condition Factor of safety

Without With
earthquake earthquake

End-of-construction, both upstream & downstream 1.25 -

Steady seepage at MCL & HFL upstream & 1.5 1.25

downstream

Rapid drawdown, upstream 1.25 -

1.4.6 Section Analyzed

 The deepest section is selected from both the embankment banks
for analysis. The section selected from Left bank at RD 8650 ft and
section selected from Right Bank at RD 0 ft is marked on the
profiles (Fig. 1.1).

1.4.7 Results of Stability Analysis

Several potential failure surfaces have been tried for both upstream
and downstream slopes under different loading conditions. Figure
1.3 to 1.16 shows the failure planes giving minimum factor of safety for
various conditions. These minimum factors of safety are higher than the
target factors of safety mentioned above. The results are given as bellow:

End Rapid
Steady State
of Construction Drawdown
Slopes With
Without Without
Without Seismic Seismic
Seismic Seismic
0.1 g

Left Bank at RD 8650 ft

Upstream 5.03

Downstream 2.04

Right Bank at RD 0 ft

Upstream

Downstream

1.5 SEEPAGE ANALYSIS

 1.5.1 Introduction

The quantity of water passing through the body and foundation of

the earthen embankment, as well as the distribution of water
pressures have been estimated by using the computer software
SEEP/W. Following conditions have been kept in mind while
computing seepage quantities and distribution of pore pressures.

1. The rolled embankment and natural foundation materials of the

earthen embankments are incompressible porous media. The size
of the pore spaces do not change with time regardless of water
pressure.

2. The seeping water flows under a gravity gradient which is due to

gravity head loss.

3. There is no change in the degree of saturation in the zone of soil

through which the water seeps.

4. The hydraulic boundary conditions at entry and exit are known.

1.5.2 Permeability Values for Different Materials

A number of field permeability tests have been performed during

geotechnical investigation. Following average permeability values for
materials have been selected for the seepage analysis of embankments.

Embankment Permeability Permeability Permeability Permeability Permeability

Value (ft/sec) Value (ft/sec) Value (ft/sec) Value (ft/sec) Value (ft/sec)
for Soil 1 for Soil 2 for Soil 3 for Soil 4 for Soil 5
Left Bank 1e-8 1e-8 1e-5 1e-5 1e-2
Right Bank 1e-8 1e-8 1e-5 1e-5 1e-2

1.5.3 Hydraulic Gradient

The seepage gradients have been kept within the following

acceptable limits
 Gradient at contact between shell and foundation = 1.0
Exit gradient = 0.3

1.5.4 Section Analyzed

Three sections are analyzed from each of the two embankments at

different RD’s as given below.

Embankment Section 1 Section 2 Section 3

Left Bank RD 0 ft RD 43300 ft RD 83800 ft
Right Bank RD 0 ft RD 42800 ft RD 87400 ft

1.5.5 Seepage Quantity

Left Bank
Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Total Total Total
3
(cusecs) (cusecs) (cusecs) (cusecs) (m /day) (Gallons/day)
Seepage 2.45e-1 5.73e-1 2.18e-1
1.036 2534.01 27892.37
Right Bank
Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Total Total Total
(cusecs) (cusecs) (cusecs) (cusecs) (m3/day) (Gallons/day)
Seepage 2.27e-1 5.15e-1 2.60e-1 1.002 2451.35 26982.45

1.5.6 Results of Seepage Analysis

Seepage analysis of both embankments has been carried out for

anisotropic conditions as shown in Fig. 1.17 to 1.22.