ISSN 2319-5347, ISI Impact Factor: 0.763

VOLUME 04  NO. 03 JULY 2015:

Title:        FEM based Seepage Analysis through Earth Dam
Authors:  Md. Mahmud Sazzad, Mrinmoy Roy, Md. Saidur Rahman
Abstract:   Measurement of seepage through hydraulic structures is very important from their safety point of view. In case of a dam made of earth, seepage generally occurs through the dam. Due to excessive seepage, scouring and piping may occur which may lead to ultimate failure of a dam. Consequently, seepage investigation is very important in designing any hydraulic structures. In this study, seepage through the dam body has been investigated numerically and analytically for various parameters of dam and different conditions such as mesh shape and size, shape of internal clay core, upstream and downstream slope angle, permeability of base material etc. For this purpose, different geometric models of dams have been prepared and discharge rate corresponding to each geometric model have been analysed. A comparison between the numerical and analytical results has been made. Effect of various parameters and conditions on seepage has been studied. Computer program Seep/W (2007) has been used for the investigation of seepage. From the study, it is found that variation in seepage is dominant up to mesh number of 150 and beyond that, the difference is not significant. Mesh shape and size has negligible effect on the seepage. Upstream and downstream slope angles have no effect on seepage when clay core is provided. Seepage is independent of base permeability when core is not used. Base type (pervious or impervious) affects the seepage for larger values of hydraulic conductivity when internal clay core is provided. When hydraulic conductivity is very small, base type has no effect on seepage.
Keywords: Earth Dam, Clay Core, Seepage, Numerical Analysis, Finite Element Method

pages                 158-164

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