Seepage in Soils
Seepage in Soils
❑ Description:
▪ Principles of flow
▪ Flow nets
▪ Hydraulic conductivity measurements
▪ Seepage analyses and control
▪ Earth embankment types
▪ Filter design
▪ Consolidation theory
▪ Computer applications using Seep/W and Slope/W
❑ Prerequisites: CEG 4011, CEG 4012
3 Syllabus
❑ Objectives:
▪ Assure students are able to:
▪ Analyze seepage in dams and embankments
▪ Are knowledgeable about types of dams
▪ Understand field and laboratory techniques for
hydraulic conductivity determination
▪ Use of computer software for seepage analyses
4 Syllabus
❑ Assignments:
▪ Homework (10%)
▪ 4 homeworks due at the beginning of class via Canvas
▪ No late homeworks
❑ Flow Nets
▪ Concept of Flow Nets
▪ Mathematical Basis for Flow Nets
▪ Special Conditions:
▪ Anisotropy and layered heterogeneity
▪ Unconfined Flow
❑ Embankment dams
▪ Types of dam, selection
▪ Stability analyses
▪ Tailing dams
10 Syllabus
Bureau of
Reclamation
14 Flow Related Problems
❑ Internal Erosion
▪ Particles removed to form a temporary void
▪ Void grows until a roof is no longer stable
▪ Material collapses into the void
▪ Temporarily stopping pipe development
▪ Failure
▪ Mechanism repeats itself
▪ Core is breached or
▪ Downstream slope is over-steepened
▪ Point of instability
17 Flow Related Problems
❑ Seepage Erosion
▪ Failure as the result of loss of material from an erosional surface
▪ Crack through a dam
▪ Dam/foundation contact
▪ Downstream toe)