EXERCISE 1

(PERMEABILITY AND SEEPAGE)

7.2 Find the rate of flow in m³/sec/m (at right angles to the cross section shown in Figure 7.33)
through the permeable soil layer. Given: H = 4 m, H₁ = 2 m, h = 2.75 m, S = 30 m, α =
14⁰, and k = 0.075 cm/sec.

Answer:
h
i=
S
( )
cos α
h cos α
q=kiA =k ( )¿
S
q = 1.29 x 10⁻⁴ m³/sec/m

7.4 In a constant-head permeability test, the length of the specimen is 150 mm and
the cross-sectional area is 3167 mm². If k 0.062 cm/sec and a rate of flow of
160 cm³/min has to be maintained during the test, what should be the head difference
across the specimen? Also, determine the discharge velocity under the test conditions.
Answer:
QL (160)(15)
k= ; 0.062=
Aht (31.67)(h)(60)
h = 20.37 cm
7.5 The following data are for a falling-head permeability test:
• Length of the soil sample = 150 mm
• Area of the soil sample = 1964 mm²
• Area of the standpipe = 25 mm²
• At time t = 0, head difference = 400 mm
• At time t = 8 min, head difference = 200 mm
a. Determine the hydraulic conductivity of the soil (cm/sec).
b. What was the head difference at t = 6 min?
Answer:
1
aL 10 h 40
( ) ( ) [
(0.25)(15)
]
a. k =2.303 At lo g 2 =( 2.303 ) (19.64)(8 x 60) log ₁₀ ( 20 )
h
k = 2.75x10⁻⁴ cm/sec
aL h₁
( )
b. k =2.303 At log ₁₀( h ₂ )

( 0.25 )( 15 ) 40 40
0.000275=( 2.303 )
[ ]
( 19.64 )( 6 x 60 )
log₁₀( )=0.00122 log( )
h₂ h₂
h₂ = 23.82 cm

7.8 The hydraulic conductivity of a sand at a void ratio of 0.62 is 0.03 cm/sec. Estimate its
hydraulic conductivity at a void ratio of 0.48. Use Eq. (7.31)
Answer:
e ₁³ 0.623
( )
k ₁ 1+e ₁ 0.03 1+0.62 0.1471
Eq. (7.31): = ,∨ = 3
=
k₂ e ₂³ k₂ 0.48 0.0747
( )
1+e ₂ 1+0.48
k₂ = 0.015 cm/sec
7.14 For a normally consolidated clay, the following values are given:

Estimate k at a void ratio of 1.1 Use Eq. (7.38).

Answer:
k₁ e1 ⁿ 1+e ₂ 1+ e ₂ e ₁
=( )( )=( )( )ⁿ
k ₂ 1+e 1
e₂ⁿ 1+ e ₁ e ₂
0.2 x 10⁻ ⁶ 2.6 0.95
=( )( )ⁿ ; 0.1648 = 0.593ⁿ
0.91 x 10⁻ ⁶ 1.95 1.6
log 0.1648
n= =3.45
log 0.593
e₁ⁿ (0.2 x 10−6)(1+0.95)
k 1=C( ); C= =4.655 x 10−7 cm/sec
1+e ₁ 0. 95 3.45

1.13.45 (
k 3= ( 2.1 ) 4.655 x 10−7 ) = 3.08 x10−7 cm/sec

7.16 layered soil is shown in Figure 7.34. Given that

• H₁ = 1 m k₁ = 10⁻⁴ cm/sec
• H₂ = 1 m k₂ = 2.8 x 10−2cm/sec
• H₃ = 2 m k₃ = 3.5 x 10−5 cm/sec
Estimate the ratio of equivalent permeability, k H (eq ) /k V (eq ).
Answer:
1
k H (eq ) = ( k h + k h + …)
H 1 1 2 2
1
k H (eq ) =
4
[ ( 10−4 ) ( 1 )+ ( 2.8 x 10−2 ) ( 1 ) +(3.5 x 10−5)(2) ] =7.042 x 10−3 cm/sec

H 4
k V (eq) = H 1 H 2 = 1 + 1 2
+ +… +
k1 k2 10 −4
2.8 x 10 −2
3.5 x 10−5
k V (eq) = 5.95 x 10−5 cm/sec

k H (eq) 7.042 x 10−3

= =118.35
k V (eq) 5.95 x 10−5
 EXERCISE 2
(PERMEABILITY AND SEEPAGE, ADVANCED TOPICS)

7-24. For each of the cases I, II, and III of Fig. P7-24, determine the pressure, elevation, and total
head at the entering end, exit end, and point A of the sample. (After Taylor, 1948.)
Answer:

7-25 For each of the cases shown in Fig. P7-24, determine the discharge velocity, the seepage
velocity, and the seepage force per unit volume for (a) a permeability of 0.1 cm/s and a
porosity of 50% and (b) a permeability of 0.001 cm/s and a void ratio of 0.67. (After
Taylor, 1948.)
Answer:

7-26 An inclined permeameter tube is filled with three layers of soil of different permeabilities
as Fig. P7-26. Express the head at points A, B, C, and D (with respect to the datum
indicated) in terms of the different dimensions and permeabilities. (a) Work the problem
first assuming k₁ = k₂ = 2k₃. plot the various heads versus horizontal distance for both
parts (a) and (b). (After A. Cassagrande.)
Answer:
7.17 Figure 7.35 shows the cross section of a levee that is 500 m long and is underlain by a 2-m-
thick permeable sand layer. It was observed that the quantity of water flowing through the
sand layer into the collection ditch is 250 m³/day. What is the hydraulic conductivity of the
sand layer?

Answer:
q = kiA
160−150
i= = 0.08
125
q = 250 m³/day
A = 2x500 = 1000 m²
q 250
k= = = 3.125 m/day
iA (0.08)(1000)
 EXERCISE 3
(FLOW NETS)

8.2 Refer to Figure 8.18. Givern:

• H₁ = 6 m •D=3m
• H₂ = 1.5 m • D₁ = 6 m
Draw a flow net. Calculate the seepage loss per meter length of the sheet pile (at a right
angle to the cross section shown).

Answer:
 The flow net is shown.
k = 4 x 10⁻⁴ cm/sec
H = H₁- H₂
= 6.0 – 1.5 = 4.5 m
So
4 x 10−4 4.5 x 4
q =( )( )
102 8
= 9 x 10⁻⁶ m³/m/sec
= 77.76 x 10⁻⁶ m³/m/day

8.5 For the hydraulic structure shown in Figure 8.19, draw a flow net for flow through the
permeable layer and calculate the seepage loss in m³/day/m.

Answer:
The flow net is shown.
 Nf 0.002 5
q=kH ( )
Nd
=(
102
x 60 x 60 x 24 m/day )( 10)( ) = 7.2 m³/m/day
12

8.6 Refer to problem 8.5. using the flow net drawn, calculate the hydraulic uplift force at the
base of the hydraulic structure per meter length (measured along the axis of the structure).
Answer:
Refer to the flow net given in Problem 8.5 and the figure on the next page. The flow net
has 12 potential drops. Also, H = 10 m. So the head loss for each drop = (10/12) m. Thus,

Pressure head at D = (10 + 3.34) – (2)(10/12) = 11.67 m

 Pressure head at E = (10 + 3.34) – (3)(10/12) = 10.84 m
Pressure head at F = (10 + 1.67) – (3.5)(10/12) = 8.75 m
Pressure head at G = (10 + 1.67) – (8.5)(10/12) = 4.586 m
Pressure head at H = (10 + 3.34) – (9)(10/12) = 5.84 m
Pressure head at I = (10 + 3.34) – (10)(10/12) = 5 m
The pressure heads calculated are shown in the figure. The hydraulic uplift force per unit
length of the structure can now be calculated to be
= γw (area of the pressure head diagram)(1)
=

11.67+10.84 10.84+ 8.754 8.75+4.586 4.586+5.84 5.84+5

[( 2 ) (
( 1.67 ) +
2 ) (
( 1.67 ) +
2 ) (
( 18.32 ) +
2 ) (
( 1.67 )+
2 )
= (9.81)(18.1 + 16.36 + 122.16 + 8.71 + 9.05)
= 1717.5 kN/m

7-38. For the completed flow net of Fig. P7-38, compute the flow under the dam per metre of
dam if the coefficient of permeability is 3.5 x 10⁻⁴ cm/s.
Answer:
7-39. For the completed flow net of Fig. P7-38, compute the uplift pressure all along the base of
the dam.
Answer:
 REFERENCES
 Das, B.M. and Sobhan, K. (2014), “Principles Of Geotechnical Engineering”, Eighth
edition, Cengage Learning, Stamford USA.
 Holtz, R.D. and Kovacs, W.D. (1981), “Introduction Of Geotechnical Engineering”,
Prentice Hall.