Mathematical Model for Piping
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical Engineering
Volume 118, Issue 6
Abstract
In the technical note, a two-dimensional mathematical model for piping under a dam on a granular material is reported. No details of the calculation are given, but the results are communicated. The key feature of the model is the treatment of a piping channel, thus incorporating and unifying apparently conflicting hypotheses made in the past by Lane and Koshla. The result is a map of steady-state equilibrium situations that are possible for the length of the piping channel under the dam as a function of the water-level difference on both sides of the dam and the particle grain size. The latter parameter arises because of the necessary treatment of the stability of the channel walls. The results show that stable states are possible as long as the piping channel does not exceed half the length of the structure. A formula linking the relevant parameters to obtain a necessary condition for equilibrium is presented. Implications for model tests and centrifuge tests are discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Lane, E. W. (1935). “Security from under‐seepage masonry dams on earth foundations.” Trans., ASCE, 100, 1235–1351.
2.
Martin, C. S. (1970). “Effect of a porous sand bed on incipient motion.” Water Resour. Res., 6(4), 1162–1174.
3.
Sellmeijer, J. B. (1988). “On the mechanism of piping under impervious structures,” Ph.D. thesis, Delft Tech. Univ., Delft, The Netherlands.
4.
Sellmeijer, J. B., and Koenders, M. A. (1991). “A mathematical model for piping.” Appl. Mathematical Modelling (in press).
5.
White, C. W. (1940). “The equilibrium of grains on the bed of a stream.” Proc. Royal Soc. London, Vol. 174A, 322–338.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical Engineering
Volume 118 • Issue 6 • June 1992
Pages: 943 - 946
Copyright
Copyright © 1992 ASCE.
History
Published online: Jun 1, 1992
Published in print: Jun 1992
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.