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Introduction
Hydraulic gradient between to points is defined as the ratio of the difference in total head
between the two points to the length of the flow path between the two points. We can
consider two different cases
hw1
θ
1
β
2 hw2
Pipe
z1
z2
Arbitrary datum line
Total head at any point may be given with respect an arbitrary datum as the sum of
elevation head, pressure head and velocity head.
Elevation head (z) = height of the point above the datum (m)
Normally in flow through porous media, the velocity head is small compared to pressure
head and elevation head and is normally ignored.
H = z + hw
H1 = z1 + hw1
H2 = z2 + hw2
i.e. Hydraulic gradient is equal to the slope of the hydraulic gradient line (for small
values of θ). Hydraulic gradient line represents the variation of total head along the
conduit. If a piezometer is inserted into the pipe at any point water will rise up to the
hydraulic gradient line.
Free Surface Flow
The same principles apply to free surface flows also. Various terms are illustrated in
Figure 2
1 Water surface
θ 2
L'
z1 β
z2
Channel bottom
Consider two points 1 and 2 on the free surface. Since these two points are on the free
surface, the pressure is atmospheric, i.e pressure head at both points is zero.
Hydraulic gradient = ΔH / L' = ΔH / (L/ cosθ) =
Where
ΔH = z1 – z2
In case of uniform flow, where depth of water is constant along the length of the channel,
θ = β and hence hydraulic gradient is equal to the slope of the channel bottom.
By definition of hydraulic gradient is ΔH / L'. This definition is valid for all flows –
whether flow under pressure in pipes or free surface flow in open channels.
However in the case of uniform free surface flows with relatively small slopes, where the
depth of flow is constant, hydraulic gradient is equal to the slope of the channel bottom or
the slope of the drainage layer.
It should be noted that this is true only for small slopes. i.e. for small values of β,
hydraulic gradient = tan β. However for relatively large values of β, this expression will
result in considerable error. In this case, hydraulic gradient = sin β
(Again it should be remembered that for large values of β, i = sin β and not tan β)
This means that hydraulic gradient of 1 is applicable to vertical free surface flows. This is
illustrated in Figure 3.
Here since both points 1 and 2 are on the free surface, the pressure acting at these points
is the atmospheric pressure. This means that pressure head at these points are zero.
hw1 = hw2 = 0
ΔH = z1 – z2
L' = z1 – z2
Water surface
1
β = 90º θ = 90º
z1
z2
Datum
Here the situation is similar to a free surface flow (see Figure 4). For analysis, normal
practice is to assume that depth of fluid is constant along the length of the geonet. Hence
in this case the hydraulic gradient is equal to the slope of the drainage layer.
Hence for design purpose, the applicable hydraulic gradient will be the slope of the
drainage net (in this case 1 in 200, i.e. 0.005)
Geotextile Geonet