Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
BFC 34402
SEM 1 2016/2017
expansion
1.2
1.3
Capillary Action:
Capillary action, also referred to as capillary motion or
capillarity, is a combination of cohesion/adhesion and
surface tension forces.
Capillary action is demonstrated by the upward movement
of water through a narrow tube against the force of gravity.
Capillary action occurs when the adhesive intermolecular
forces between a liquid, such as water, and the solid surface
of the tube are stronger than the cohesive intermolecular
forces between water molecules.
As the result of capillarity, a concave meniscus (or curved,
U-shaped surface) forms where the liquid is in contact with
a vertical surface.
Capillary rise is the height to which the water rises within
the tube, and decreases as the width of the tube increases.
Thus, the narrower the tube, the water will rise to a greater
height.
SHRINKAGE OF SOILS
When saturated soils is allowed to dry, a meniscus develops in each void at
the soil surface.
Formation of such a meniscus causes tension in the soil water leading to a
compression in the soil structure and consequent reduction in the volume.
When the meniscus attains its minimum value, compressive forces are
maximum and shrinkage is also maximum.
When water is added to a soil which has shrunk, meniscus are destroyed resulting in tension in
the pore water and consequent reduction in compressive stresses in solid grains.
This result in elastic expansion of the soil mass, causing swelling.
In clay soils, swelling is caused mainly due to repulsive forces which separate the clay particles,
causing volume change.
Seepage
analysis
Seepage
analysis
Seepage
analysis
Learning Objectives:
flow
Be able to calculate seepage stresses, pore-water
pressure distribution, uplift forces, hydraulic
gradients, critical hydraulic gradient, flow under and
within earth structures
Be able to determine the stability of geotechnical
systems subjected to two-dimensional flow of water
Seepage
analysis
Basic concepts:
The two-dimensional flow of water through soils is governed by
Laplaces equation. The popular form of Laplaces equation for
two-dimensional flow of water through soils is
2H
2H
kx
kz
0
2
2
x
z
Where kx and kz are the coefficient of permeability in the x and z
directions and H is the head
The assumptions in Laplaces equation are:
(i) Darcys law is valid, v = ki
(ii) The soil is homogeneous and saturated
(iii) The soil and water are incompressible
(iv) No volume change occurs
Seepage
analysis
Basic concepts:
If the soil were an isotropic material then kx = kz and Laplaces
equation becomes:
2H 2H
2 0
2
x
z
boundary conditions.
Common geotechnical problems have complex boundary
conditions from which it is difficult to obtain a closed form
solution.
Approximate methods such as graphical methods and numerical
methods are often employed.
In this subchapter, graphical method, called the flow net
technique or flow net sketching, that satisfies Laplaces
No of equipotential
drops at point a
Elevation loss
becomes zero, the soil loses its strength and behaves like
a viscous fluid
Boiling, quicksand, piping and heaving are used to
describe specific events connected to the static
liquefaction state
Boiling the upward seepage force exceeds the download
force of the soil
Piping the subsurface pipe-shaped erosion that
initiates near the toe of dams and similar structures. High
localized hydraulic gradient statically liquefies the soil,
which progresses to the water surface in the form of a
pipe, and water then rushes beneath the structure
through the pipe, leading to instability and failure
Example:-
End of Chapter 1
Assignments
Additional requirements;
8.2 Determined; a) q , b) imax , c) porewater force at
front and back of sheet pile. Set the ground surface
as datum.
8.3 Ditto. Set the impermeable layer as datum.
Additional notes;
Use graph paper.
Flow channel = 4
Equipotential
lines= 8.
Additional
notes;
Use graph
paper.