Laboratory Investigation the Effects of sheet pile on Seepage Control and sand ‎boiling through Alluvial Foundation of hydraulic structures

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 M.Sc. Student of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Yasouj University

2 Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Yasouj University

3 Assistant Professor of Soil Science, Agricultural College, Yasouj University

Abstract

The sheet piles are used below hydraulic structures to reduce seepage flow rate and hydraulic gradient
at the outlet of such structures rested on permeable foundations. So far, for analysis of seepage flow
under hydraulic structures much research work has been carried out in the form of numerical and
analytical models. Nevertheless, less field and experimental works have been done to investigate boiling
phenomena for evaluating of the numerical models. In the present research, a laboratory apparatus was
built to simulate seepage and its controlling measures under sheet piles. The model consist of a flume
2.2 m long, 0.8 m deep and 0.4 m wide, in which vertical sheet pile were provided by Perspex sheets.
The flume was made of steel frame and Perspex as well as thick glass sheets. The foundation material
was made of clean, fine sand, compacted to a uniform density and covered the bottom 40 cm of flume.
Perspex sheets were employed sheet pile variable depth. The piezometric heads at both downstream
and upstream side of sheet pile were measured using small diameter clear plastic tubes. The effect of
position and depth of the sheet pile on the seepage flow and exit gradient have been demonstrated in
form of dimensionless curves. The results show that the depth of the sheet piles d/D=0.46 with the
maximum upstream water level h/hm=1.0 boiling phenomenon does not occur and the seepage rate and
hydraulic gradient in the area are favorable.

Keywords

References

[1] Ghobadian, R. and Khodaei, K.; “Effects of Cutoff Wall and Drain on Uplift Pressure and Exit Gradient under Hydraulic Structure by Numerical Solution of General Equation of Fluid Flow in Soil Using Finite Volume Method,” Journal of Water and Soil, Vol. 23, No. 4, pp. 148-160, 2009 (in Persian).
[2] Rahimi, H.; “Earth Dams,” Tehran University Publications, 2002 (in Persian).
[3] Terzaghi, K.; “Theoretical Soil Mechanics,” John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1943.
[4] Bennet, P. T, “The Effect of Blankets on Seepage through Previous Foundation,” Trans., ASCE, Vol. 111, 1946.
[5] McNamee, J.; “Seepage into a Sheeted Excavation,” Geotechnique, the Institution of Civil Engineers, London, Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 229–241, 1949.
[6] Leliavsky, S.; “Design Text Book in Civil Engineering: Design of Dams For Percolation and Erosion,” Chapman and Hall Press, 1965.
[7] Neuman, S. P. and Witherspoon, P. A.; “Finite Element Method for Analyzing Steady Seepage with a Free Surface,” Water Resources Research, Vol. 6, pp. 889– 897, 1970. 
[8] Javan, S. M. and Farjood, M. R.; “Evaluation of Foundation Seepage at Doroodzan Earth Dam,”Proceeding of the International Conference on Environmental Management, Geo-Water and Engineering Aspects, Feb. 8–11, Wollongong, Aug., A. A. Balkema, 1993.
[9] Abolpour, B.; “Seepage Estimation Methods, Uplift and Undercutting in Hydraulic Structures with Introducing Computer Based Model,” MSc Thesis, Shiraz University, 1994 (in Persian).
[10] Jabbari, A.; “Solution of Water Flow 3D Mathematical Model in Heterogeneous Porous and Anomalous Media by Means of Finite Volume Method and Desired Meshing,” MSc Thesis, Tehran University, 1997 (in Persian).
[11] Sharifi, A. and Ataee-Ashtiani, B.; “Analysis of Seepage through Earth Dam by Using Numerical Boundary Element Method,” MSc Thesis, Sharif University, 2003 (in Persian).
[12] Jie, Y.; Jie, G.; Mao, Z. and Li, G.; “Seepage Analysis Based on Boundary-Fitted Coordinate Transformation Method,” Computer and Geotechnics, Vol. 31, pp.279–283, 2004.
[13] Sedghi-Asl, M.; Rahimi, H. and Khaleghi, H.; “Optimal Positioning of Vertical Sheet Pile to Reduce Seepage and Flow under Hydraulic Structures Using Numerical Model,” 5th Iranian Hydraulic Conference, Kerman, Iran, 2005 (in Persian).
[14] Sayyadzadeh, F.; “Seepage Analysis through Foundation of Layered Soils Using Finite Element Method,” 6th Iranian Hydraulic Conference, Shahrekord, 2007 (in Persian).
[15] Sedghi-Asl, M.; Rahimi, H. and Khaleghi, H.;“Laboratory Investigation on Seepage Control through Alluvial Foundation,” Amirkabir Journal, Vol. 42, No. 1, pp. 11-22, 2010 (in Persian).
[16] Sedghi-Asl, M.; Rahimi, H. and Khaleghi, H.; “Laboratory Investigation of the Seepage Control Measures under Coastal Dikes,” Experimental Techniques, Vol. 36, No. 1, pp. 61–71, 2010.
[17] No. 370 a Journal; “Guidelines for Safety Assessment and Emergency Action Plan for Dams and Appurtenant Structures,” Ministry of Energy, Bureau of Engineering and Technical Criteria for Water and Wastewater.
[18] Richards, K. and Reddy, K.; “Critical Appraisal of Piping Phenomena in Earth Dams,” Bull Eng. Geol Environ., Vol. 66, pp. 381–402, 2007.
[19] Yifeng, C.; Chuangbing, Z. and Hong, Z.; “A Numerical Solution to Seepage Problems with Complex Drainage Systems,” Computers and Geotechnics, Vol. 35, No. 3, pp. 383–393, 2008.
[20] Pakbaz M. S.; Dardaei, A. and Salahshoor, J.; “Evaluation of Performance of Plastic Concrete Cutoff Wall in Karkheh Dam using 3D Seepage Analysis and Measurement,” Journal of Applied Sciences, Vol. 9, No. 4, pp. 724–730, 2009.
[21] Bouchelghoum, F. and Benmebarak, N.; “Critical Hydraulic Head Loss Assessment for a Circular Sheet Pile Wall under Axisymmetric Seepage Conditions,”Studia Geotechnicaet Mechanica, Vol. 33, No. 4, 2011.
[22] Sedghi-Asl, M.; Rahimi, H. and Khaleghi, H.; “Laboratory Investigation of the Seepage Control Measures under Coastal Dikes,” Experimental Techniques, Vol. 36, No. 1, pp. 61–71, 2012.
[23] Benmebarek, N.; Bensmaine, A. and Benmebarek, S.; “Critical Hydraulic Head Loss Inducing Sandy Cofferdam Failure by Numerical Approach,” Akademik Patforth, Vol. 32, pp. 437–445, 2013.
[24] Zare, M.; Javer, H.; Soltanshah, M. and Shojaei, A.; “Water Escape Situation Improvement and Grout Curtain Construction for Left Side of Tangab Dam,”5th National Geological Conference of Payam-e Noor University, 2011 (in Persian).
[25] Naeimi, M. Gh. and Bayati, H.; “Investigation the Effect of Grout Wall and Curtain on Seepage Decrease with by Increase in Diffusion Depth in Right Side Axis of Mirzaye Shirazi Dam by Numerical Method,” 6th National Congress on Civil Engineering, Semnan, Iran, 2011 (in Persian).
[26] Shahraki, S. and Azhdari-Moghaddam, M.; “Investigation of Grout Wall Location Relation to the Dam Axis on Seepage Flux and Speed, Water Stress and Pressure for Saradan Dam,” 7th National Congress on Civil Engineering, Sistan and Baluchistan, 2013 (in Persian).
[27] Rahnamarad, J.; Khamoushian, F. and Mehr-Motlagh, M.; “Executive Operation and Performance of Grout Curtain Injection of Bijar City Dam,” 8th Conference of the Iranian Association of Engineering Geology and the Environment, Mashhad, Iran, 2013 (in Persian).
[28] Poureskandar, S. and Farsadizadeh, D.; “Laboratory and Numerical Investigation of the Effect of Grout Curtain on the Seepage through Layering Foundation,” 11th Iranian Hydraulic Conference, Urmia, 2012 (in Persian).
[29] Ahmadi, H.; Gonbadi, M. B. and Rahimi, A.; “ Investigation the Effect of Grout Curtain on the Seepage Decrease through Chooman Dam and Optimization of its Volume,” 8th Conference of the Iranian Association of Engineering Geology and the Environment, Ferdowsi University, 2013 (in Persian).
[30] Alavi, S. R. and Maarefvand, P.; “Seepage Analysis of Javeh Dam Foundation Using SEEP/W Software,” 4th International Conference on Geotechnical Engineering and Soil Mechanics, Tehran, Iran, 2000 (in Persian).
[31] Koo, M. H. and Leap, D. I.; “Modeling Three- Dimensional Ground Water Flows by the Body-Fitted Coordinate (BFC) Method (I): Stationary Boundary Problems,” Transport in Porous Media, Vol. 30, pp.217–339, 1998.
[32] Lee, K. K. and Leap, D. I.; “Simulation of a Free- Surface and Seepage Face Using Boundary-Fitted Coordinate System Method,” J. Hydrology, Vol. 196, pp. 297–309, 1997.
[33] Streeter V. L. and Wylie, E. B.; “Fluid Mechanics,” McGraw-Hill, 1979.
Amirkabir Journal of Civil Engineering
Volume 48, Issue 3
November 2016
Pages 315-328

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics