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Philip B. Bedient
Civil & Environmental Engineering
Rice University
Flow Net Theory
1. Streamlines and Equip. lines are .
2. Streamlines are parallel to no flow
boundaries.
3. Grids are curvilinear squares, where diagonals
cross at right angles.
4. Each stream tube carries the same flow.
2
Flow Net Theory
3
Flow Net in Isotropic Soil
Portion of a flow net is shown below
Stre
am t
ube
4
Flow Net in Isotropic Soil
The equation for flow nets originates from
Darcy’s Law.
5
Flow Net in Isotropic Soil
Flow through a channel between
equipotential lines 1 and 2 per unit width
is: ∆q =
K(dm x 1)(∆h1/dl)
n
m
q
q h1
h2
dm
dl
6
Flow Net in Isotropic Soil
Flow through equipotential lines 2 and 3 is:
∆q = K(dm x 1)(∆h2/dl)
The flow net has square grids, so the head drop is
the same in each potential drop: ∆h1 = ∆h2
If there are nd such drops, then:
∆h = (H/n) where H is the
total head loss between the first and last
equipotential lines.
7
Flow Net in Isotropic Soil
Substitution yields:
∆q = K(dm x dl)(H/n)
8
Flow Net in Isotropic Soil
Since the flow net is drawn with squares, then dm
dl, and:
q = (m/n)KH [L2T-1]
where:
q = rate of flow or seepage per unit width
m= number of flow channels
n= number of equipotential drops
h = total head loss in flow system
K = hydraulic conductivity 9
Drawing Method:
1. Draw to a convenient scale the cross sections of
the structure, water elevations, and aquifer
profiles.
10
Method:
3. Sketch intermediate flow lines and equipotential lines by
smooth curves adhering to right-angle intersections and
square grids. Where flow direction is a straight line, flow
lines are an equal distance apart and parallel.
11
Method:
5. In most cases, 5 to 10 flow lines are usually
sufficient. Depending on the no. of flow lines
selected, the number of equipotential lines will
automatically be fixed by geometry and grid
layout.
12
Seepage Under Dams
Flow nets for seepage
through earthen dams
Seepage under
concrete dams
Uses boundary
conditions (L & R)
Requires curvilinear
square grids for
solution
13
Two Layer Flow System with
Sand Below
14
Ku / Kl = 1 / 50
Two Layer Flow System with
Tight Silt Below
Flow nets for seepage from one side of a channel through two different anisotropic
two-layer systems. (a) Ku / Kl = 1/50. (b) Ku / Kl = 50. Source: Todd & Bear, 1961. 15
Effects of Boundary Condition
on Shape of Flow Nets
16
Radial Flow:
Streamlines
are at right
angles to
equipotential
lines
18
Flow Nets: an example
A dam is constructed on a permeable stratum
underlain by an impermeable rock. A row of sheet
pile is installed at the upstream face. If the
permeable soil has a hydraulic conductivity of 150
ft/day, determine the rate of flow or seepage under
the dam.
19
Flow Nets: an example
Pos it io n: A B C D E F G H I J
Dist a nc e 0 3 22 3 7 .5 50 6 2 .5 75 86 94 100
fro m
front t o e
( ft)
n 1 6 .5 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. 2
20
Flow Nets: the solution
Solve for the flow per unit width:
q = (m/n) K h
= (5/17)(150)(35)
21
Flow Nets: An Example
There is an earthen dam 13 meters across and 7.5
meters high.The Impounded water is 6.2 meters
deep, while the tailwater is 2.2 meters deep. The
dam is 72 meters long. If the hydraulic
conductivity is 6.1 x 10-4 centimeter per second,
what is the seepage through the dam if n = 21
K = 6.1 x 10-4cm/sec
= 0.527 m/day
22
Flow Nets: the solution
From the flow net, the total head loss, H, is
6.2 -2.2 = 4.0 meters.
There are 6 flow channels (m) and 21 head drops
along each flow path (n): Q = (KmH/n)
x dam length = (0.527
m/day x 6 x 4m / 21) x (dam length)
= 0.60 m3/day per
m of dam