10th International Conference on The Role Of Engineering Towards A Better Environment

Intelligent Environmental Engineering: From Vision to Action

HEIGHT OF THE TRAPEZOIDAL FILTER IN EARTH DAMS BASED ON

GHADA ABO ZID, HOSSAM MOGHAZY, ATEF GOBRAN

Irrigation& Hyd. dept., Faculty of Eng. Alex Univ

ABSTRACT: In the present work, height of the trapezoidal filter in earth dams based on layer of
finite depth is mathematically and experimentally treated. Three equations based on Darcy`s law
are derived to get filter height. Also experimental work using Hele-Shaw model is preformed in the
laboratory of Irrigation Eng, and Hydraulics Department, Faculty of Engineering Alexandria
University, for the same reason. Comparison between mathematical, experimental, Van Iterson and
Casagrande is made to evaluate filter height in each case.

KEYWORDS: - Earth dams, Seepage, Filter

NOTATIONS
a Surface of seepage,

a (Cas.) Surface of seepage given by Casagrande Eq.3,

a (Sch.) Surface of seepage given by Schafferank Eq.4,

d the considered base width of the dam in equations,

d` total base width of the dam, (d`=d+0.7∆),

f free board

h the upstream retained water head,

hf minimum height of filter (hf=asinα),

m1 the upstream slope of the dam and equals “cotβ”,

T height of the dam which equals the maximum upstream water depth plus free board,

β Angle of inclination of the upstream face of the dam,

α Angle of inclination of the downstream face of the dam.

INTRODUCTION
Height of the filter in earth dams based on an impervious base was theoretically studied by
Shaffernak [1], Van Iterson [2], and Casagrande [3].

The length of the surface of seepage was given in the following form by Van Iterson [2]:-

(1)
Casagrande [3] analyzed the same problem and put the length of seepage in the following form:-

(2)

The same problem was experimentally studied by Mohamed Abd El-Razek and Rabiea I. Nasr [4]
and based on the experimental results; modified formulas of both Casagrande [ 3] and Shaffernak
[1] were put in the following form:-

a = 0.7 +1.36a (Cas) for h>0.0 [corr.coeff.0.96]. (3)

a = 1.05 + 1.52a (Sch.) for h>0.0 [corr.coeff.0.96]. (4)

Figure1. Geological section

Height of trapezoidal filter in earth based on an impervious base also was experimentally studied
by Mohamed Abd El-Razek [5] which concluded that for (d/L), and 1.94≤L/T≤2.25, the relative
height of filter (Yo/H) can be considered 0.16, and equals 0.1 for L/T ≥2.9. While the average
value of (Yo/H) given by Casagrande [3] equals 0.19. Figure.5 shows comparison between
experimental work and the theatrical one given by Casagrande [3].

Figure2. Given by Casagrande [3]

2
 Figure3. The assumed height of the filter,

Figure4. Comparison between experimental work given by Mohamed Abd El-Razek [5] and the
theatrical one given by Casagrande [3]

Mathematical solution
Mathematical solution is deduced for the problem of earth dam with trapezoidal filter based on
layer of finite depth using Darcy`s law. The dam profile is shown in the following figure 1.

Figure5. Dam Profile of the Case study

Assumptions:
1. Height of the dam (T) is constant and equal water head (H) plus free board (f).
2. Angle of inclination of upstream face of the dam is constant and equals β.
3. Angle of the upstream face of the filter equals α.

3
 4. Two zones are assumed in the following mathematical solution using Darcy`s law.
5. The vertical distance measured from intersection of the phreatic surface with the upstream
face of the filter till the filter base is considered the filter height.

Figure6. Intersection of phreatic surface with the upstream face of the filter
Zone І

(5)

Zone Π

(6)

(7)

Results of the theoretical work

α= 60 ᵒ

Table1. Values of the filter height given by Theoretical work

Figure7. Filter Height (hf) Versus Upstream Retained Head (H)

4
α= 45 ᵒ

Table2. Values of the filter height given by Theoretical work

Figure8. Filter Height (hf) Versus Upstream Retained Head (H)

α= 30 ᵒ

Table3. Values of the filter height given by Theoretical work

Figure9. Filter Height (hf) Versus Upstream Retained Head (H)

α= 10.5 ᵒ

5
Table4. Values of the filter height given by Theoretical work

Figure10. Filter Height (hf) Versus Upstream Retained Head (H)

EXPERIMENTAL MODEL
An experimental study is prepared using Hele-Shaw model to evaluate the trapezoidal filter in
earth dams based on layer of finite depth. The model is shown in Figure (3.1), and consists of two
Perspex plates (1). A constant spacing between the Perspex plates is kept by using klingarite
washers (2), 2.5mm thickness. The slope of the upstream face of the dam (3) has a constant of
inclination (β=60), but the slope of the upstream face of the trapezoidal filter (4) is changed from
α=10.5, 30, 45, 60, and 75ᵒ to study effect of this slope on the height of the filter. An impervious
strip of the klingarite material (5) is used to represent the impervious stratum. The dam model is
fed from a tank (6) having an overflow tube (7) to control the upstream retained head upstream the
dam. A tank (8) is used to collect the execs oil (super7500-20w/50) passing through the overflow
tube (7) and the flexible joint (9). The seepage discharge through the dam and entering the filter is
collected using a graduated tube (10) through channel (11). The collected oil in tank (8) is lifted to
the main supply tank (12) by a centrifugal pump (13) through a tube (14). The flowing oil from the
main supply tank (12) is controlled by a valve (15).temperature in each experiment is measured.

Figure11. Experimental Set-up

1-The dam model 2-Klingarite washers 3-U.S face of the dam

4-U.S face of the filter 5-Impervious base 6-Feeder tank

7-Over flow tube 8-The collected tank 9-Flexible joint

10-Graduated tube 11-Collected channel 12-The main supply tank

13-Centrifugal pump 14-Delivery tube 15-A control valve

6
Results of the experimental work

The relation between the retained head upstream the dam and the filter height is drawn; figures
(12, 13, 14, and 15) and listed in tables (5, 6, 7, and 8) for α = 60, 45, 30, and 10.5ᵒ. From figures it
is clean that height of the filter increases with increasing the upstream retained head.

α= 60 ᵒ

Table5. Values of the filter height given by Experimental work

Figure12. Relation between Filter Height (hf) and Upstream retained Head (H)

α= 45 ᵒ

Table6. Values of the filter height given by Experimental work

Figure13. Relation between Filter Height (hf) and Upstream retained Head (H)

α= 30 ᵒ

7
Table7. Values of the filter height given by Experimental work

Figure14. Relation between Filter Height (hf) and Upstream retained Head (H)
ᵒ
α= 10.5

Table8. Values of the filter height given by Experimental work

Figure15. Relation between Filter Height (hf) and Upstream retained Head (H)

Comparison between experimental and theoretical work for dam based on layer of
finite depth

α= 60 ᵒ α= 45 ᵒ

Figure16. Figure17.

Comparison between different values of filter height given by Experimental, and Theoretical work
for α= 60ᵒ, 45ᵒ

8
 α= 30 ᵒ α= 10.5 ᵒ

Figure18. Figure19.

Comparison between different values of filter height given by Experimental, and Theoretical work
for α= 30ᵒ, α= 10.5 ᵒ

The difference between theoretical and experimental work is shown and listed in the following
table.9 the average value of the difference decreases with decreases α and equals 0.44, 0.2, and
zero for α = 60, 45 and 30ᵒ respectively, while for α = 10.5ᵒ the average is increased to 0.76.

Table9. The difference between theoretical and experimental work

Effect of the layer of finite depth on the filter height for α = 45 and 75ᵒ

Study of the experimental work for the dam based on layer of finite depth and the same dam
without this layer as shown from the following figures (20 and 21) it is found that construction of
dam based on an impervious base leads to height of filter bigger than that of dam based on layer of
finite depth. This means that the layer of finite depth beneath the dam has an effect on the filter
height, this is because of the seepage to this layer minimize the height of the phreatic surface and
leads to decreasing in the filter height. The differences between the two cases of the dam
mentioned above are listed in the following tables which insure effect of the layer of finite depth on
the filter height.

9
Table10. Experimental results of hf for α = 45ᵒ with and without layer of finite depth

Figure20. Comparison between values of hf for α = 45ᵒ with and without layer of finite depth

Table11. Differences between filter height in case of dam based on layer of finite depth and that
without layer for α = 45ᵒ

Table12. Experimental results of hf for α = 75 with and without layer of finite depth

10
 Figure21. Experimental results of hf for α = 75ᵒ with and without layer of finite depth

Table13. Differences between filter height in case of dam based on layer of filter depth and that
without layer for α = 75ᵒ

Due to effect of the layer of finite depth on the filter height as explained before, experimental study
is repeated on the dam without this layer and based on an impervious base to compare results with
Casagrande and Van Iterson for the same case, for α = 45 and 75ᵒ . It is evident from figure.22 for
α = 45ᵒ that experimental results are less than Casagrande and Van Iterson, while for α = 75ᵒ
experimental results locate between the two authors. The differences between experimental work,
Casagrande and Van Iterson is appeared in the following tables (16 and 17) for α = 45 and 75ᵒ.

11
Comparison between different values of filter height given by Casagrande, Van
Iterson, and Experimental work for earth based on an impervious base (without layer
of finite depth)

Table14. Comparison between different values of filter height given by Casagrande, Van Iterson,
and Experimental for α = 45ᵒ

Figure22. Comparison between different values of filter

Height given by Casagrande, Van Iterson, and Experimental work

Table15. Comparison between different values of filter height given by Casagrande, Van Iterson,
and Experimental work α = 75ᵒ

Figure.23 Comparison between different values of filter

Height given by Casagrande, Van Iterson, and Experimental work

12
Table.16 differences between experimental work, Cassagrande [3] and Van Iterson [2] for α = 45ᵒ

Table.17 differences between experimental work, Cassagrande [3] and Van Iterson [2] for α = 75ᵒ

13
CONCLUSIONS
The problem of earth dam based on layer of finite depth is theoretically and experimentally studied
and the following conclusions are made:-

(1) Three equations based on Darcy`s law are derived to get the filter height, and the relation
between the filter height and the retained head upstream the dam is drawn for different
values of the upstream angle of the filter α (α = 60, 45, 30, and 10.5ᵒ)
(2) Height of the filter is also experimentally found, using Hele- Shaw model, and the same
relation mentioned in 1 is drawn for the same values of α.
(3) Comparison between the theoretical and experimental results is shown for α= 60, 45, 30,
and 10.5ᵒ
(4) To study effect of the layer of the finite depth beneath the dam; two experiments are
performed for α = 45 and 75ᵒ for the dam based on an impervious base and comparison is
made to ensure that this layer has an effect on the filter height.
(5) Comparison between Casagrande, Van Iterson and experimental work for the dam based
on an impervious base is made.

REFERENCES
1. Schaffernak, F., “Uber die standsicherheit durchlaessiger geschutteter damme, Allegem.
Bauzeitung, 1917.

2. Iterson, F.K. Th. Van. “Eengige theoretische beschouwingen over Kwel, De Ingenieur,
1916 and 1917

3. Casagrande A., “Seepage through dams “ in Contribution to Soil Mechanics 1925-1940,

4. Mohamed Abd El-Rezk M.R and Rabiea I. Nasr "Evaluation of the minimum length of
filter in earth dams", Alex. Eng.Journal, Alex. Univ, vol.32, No.4, October 1993

5. Mohamed Abd El Rezk M. Rezk "Height of the trapezoidal toe filter in earth dams", Al-
Azhar engineering fourth international conference, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt, December
16- 19, 1995.

6. Harr, D.T., “Groundwater and seepage”, McGraw-Hill New York (1980).

14