CE 446: Geotech Walls

and Slopes
Dr. Amr M. Morsy, P.E.
Seepage
Permeability
• Permeability is the ability for a porous medium (e.g., soil) to
allow the permeation of a fluid (e.g., water)
• It is the measure of how easily a fluid can pass through a
porous medium
 Phreatic Surface Well
Ground Surface

Significance Water Surface

Bedrock

Flow
Flow to Wells
Lines
Earth Dam
Water Surface Phreatic Surface

Flow
Lines

Impermeable Foundation

Flow through Earth Dams

Water Surface

Flow Lines
Weir

Ground Surface

Impermeable Foundation

Seepage Below Weirs

Saturated Groundwater Flow
• Soil is fully saturated with water
• Flow is steady (constant with time at a given point)
• Water is incompressible and conserves its mass

𝑄1 = 𝑄2
𝐴1 𝑣1 = 𝐴2 𝑣2
Bernoulli’s Principle (1738)
• Based on the law of conservation of energy
Daniel Bernoulli
• Total head (ℎ) = elevation head (ℎ𝑧 ) + pressure head (ℎ𝑝 ) + velocity head (ℎ𝑣 ) (1700-1782)

ℎ = ℎ𝑧 + ℎ𝑝 + ℎ𝑣
𝑢 𝑣2
ℎ=𝑧+ +
𝛾𝑤 2𝑔

𝑣𝐴2൘
ℎ𝑣,𝐴 = 2𝑔 ∆ℎ
𝑢𝐴 𝑣𝐵2൘
ℎ𝑝,𝐴 = ൗ𝛾𝑤 ℎ𝑣,𝐵 =
A 2𝑔
𝑢
ℎ𝑝,𝐵 = 𝐵ൗ𝛾𝑤
B
ℎ𝑧,𝐴 = 𝑧𝐴
ℎ𝑧,𝐵 = 𝑧𝐵
Arbitrary Datum (z=0)
Bernoulli’s Principle (1738)
𝑣𝐴2൘
ℎ𝑣,𝐴 = 2𝑔 Clay ∆ℎ
𝑢𝐴 𝑣𝐵2൘
ℎ𝑝,𝐴 = ൗ𝛾𝑤 ℎ𝑣,𝐵 =
A 2𝑔
𝑢
ℎ𝑝,𝐵 = 𝐵ൗ𝛾𝑤
Sand B

ℎ𝑧,𝐴 = 𝑧𝐴 Clay
ℎ𝑧,𝐵 = 𝑧𝐵

Arbitrary Datum (z=0)

• In soils, 𝑣 ≅ 0.0; hence, ℎ𝑣 ≅ 0.0

• ℎ𝑝 has a value when the flow is pressurized (e.g., artesian aquifer)
• Hence, total head, ℎ ≅ ℎ𝑧 + ℎ𝑝
• ∆ℎ is the energy exerted by water to flow from point A to point B
• If ∆ℎ = 0, no flow
 Example
Flow Lines

Equipotential Lines

4 ft ℎ𝐴 = ℎ𝑧,𝐴 + ℎ𝑝,𝐴 + ℎ𝑣,𝐴

𝑢𝐴
6 ft Datum (𝑧 = 0) ℎ𝐴 = 𝑧𝐴 + + 0.0
𝛾𝑤
′ ′
𝑢𝐴
2 ft
2 = −2 + + 0.0
𝛾𝑤
𝑢𝐴
ℎ𝑝,𝐴 = = 4′
A 𝛾𝑤
The rise in piezometer = 4′
4 ft 3 ft 2 ft 1 ft 0
 Darcy’s Law (1856) Δh

• Flow rate is directly proportional with the flow A

Henri Darcy
cross-sectional area, 𝑄 𝛼 𝐴
Q (1803-1858)
• Flow rate is directly proportional with flow
driving head, 𝑄 𝛼 ∆ℎ
L
• Flow rate is inversely proportional with flow
distance, 𝑄 𝛼 1/𝐿
Laminar Transition Turbulent

Flow Velocity, v [LT-1]

then, 𝑄 = 𝑘. 𝐴. ∆ℎΤ𝐿 Flow Zone Flow

where 𝑘 is a constant
recall, 𝑄 = 𝐴. 𝑣
k[LT-1]
then, 𝑣 = 𝑘. ∆ℎΤ𝐿 = 𝑘. 𝑖 1
and, 𝑄 = 𝐴. 𝑘. 𝑖 Hydraulic Gradient, i [-]
Hydraulic Conductivity
• Referred to as 𝑘 [LT-1]
• Hydraulic conductivity, 𝑘, defined as the velocity of fluid flow through a porous medium, 𝑣,
under a unit hydraulic gradient, 𝑖
𝑣 𝑣
𝑘= =
𝑖 𝑑ℎൗ
𝑑𝑙
• Also known as coefficient of permeability
102 101 100 10-1 10-2 10-3 10-4 10-5 10-6 10-7
𝑘 (cm/s)
Gravels Sands Silts Clays
• Differs from intrinsic permeability, 𝐾 [L2]
𝛾𝑤
𝑘= 𝐾
𝜇
• 𝜇 is the dynamic viscosity [ML-1T-1] of the fluid
Seepage Effects
• Flow of water influences pore-water pressure
• Pore-water pressure influences effective stress
• Effective stress influences shear strength
Flow Net Beneath Sheet Pile Wall
Seepage per unit width of wall
Δℎ
𝑄𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑙 = 𝐴𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑙 . 𝑣 = 𝐴𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑙 . 𝑘. 𝑖 = 1. 𝑙 . 𝑘. = 𝑘. Δℎ
𝑙
𝐻 = Δℎ. 𝑛𝑑
Wall 𝑛𝑓
𝐻 𝑄𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 = 𝑛𝑓 𝑄𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑙 = 𝑘. 𝐻.
𝑛𝑑

where,
𝐻: total head loss across the flow net
𝑛𝑑 : number of equipotential drops
𝑛𝑓 : number of flow channels

Impervious Stratum