History of Graded Filters y

1. Some quotes from history

(Filters & Piping closely linked) (Filters & Piping closely linked)
2. Investigation of a dam failure by piping
l d h d d i h d leads to research and a new design method
3. Piping theory
4. Flume testing
5 Design method 5. Design method
6. Conclusions & Lessons
John H. Schmertmann Feb 22, 2012
1. Filters and Piping Quotes
k) Vergroberung der kritischen Stauhohe durch Filterbelastung.
D d G db h h Ab h i I hl b i ( 375)
K. Terzaghi (1925 Erdbaumechanik)
Da der Grundbruch nach Abschnitt I sowohl bei... (p.375)
K. Terzaghi (1939)
In connexion with the stability of slopes it was mentioned that
the danger of sliding is greatest when the earth located behind the
slope is subjected to seepage forces. The mechanics of this p j p g
influence are closely related to those of a dreaded phenomenon,
the failure of dams due to piping. (p.166)
Assisted by the results of these and of similar investigations we
are today in a position to eliminate the danger of piping at a
moderate expense, simply by obstructing the escaperoutes for the moderate expense, simply by obstructing the escape routes for the
solid soilconstituents without interfereing with the flow of
seepage. (p.169)
Terzaghi's Filter Design from Tests
Dam in Algiers c 1922 Dam in Algiers c. 1922
1
st
graded filter
blanket blanket
Sand
A. Casagrande (1937)
Foundation failures due to seepage, commonly known as "piping,"
were, for the first time, correctly explained by Terzaghi (1)* who
developed what may be termed the "mechanics of piping." (p.132)
A levee built in the conventional manner with a downstream slope A levee built in the conventional manner, with a downstream slope
of 1 on 5, would possess less stability than a wellcompacted levee in
which the downstream slope is made as steep as 1 on 2, but which
contains a filter blanket of the type shown in Figure 13c. Such a
blanket should be built up as a graded filter, carefully designed, to
prevent erosion of any soil from p y
the dam. (p.154)
The widespread opinion among
engineers that in earth dam and
levee design "section makes for
safety" needs to be revised. Many failures of levees are due to y y
undermining caused by seepage through the foundation. (p.156)
(as in New Orleans' KATRINA!)
Terzaghi, Peck, Mesri (1996, p. 222)
F il b i i b d b diff Th Failures by piping can be caused by two different processes. They
may be due to scour or subsurface erosion that starts at springs near
the downstream toe and proceeds upstream along the base of the
structure or some bedding plane (Article 58). Failure occurs as soon
as the upstream or intake end of the eroded hole approaches the
bottom of the reservoir The mechanics of this type of piping defy bottom of the reservoir. The mechanics of this type of piping defy
theoretical approach.
The magnitude and distribution of the excess hydrostatic
pressure are determined by the flow net. In Article 23 it was
emphasized that the theoretical flow net is never identical with the
one that represents the flow of water through the real soil strata. p g
Indeed, the two flow nets may have no resemblance whatsoever.
Therefore, the results of theoretical investigations into the
mechanical effects of the flow of seepage serve merely as a guide mechanical effects of the flow of seepage serve merely as a guide
for judgment and as a basis for planning appropriate installations
for surveillance during and after construction.
Piping vs. Scour
3D Internal Erosion 2D Surface
sand
3D Internal Erosion 2D Surface
Will show later: V
WP
<< V
WS
due to microliquefaction due to microliquefaction
2. FPL FAILURE
FPL Cooling Pond and Dam
Subsidence Sinkholes from Dissolving Shell Layers
Air Photo of Breech
Typical FPL Dam Section yp
FPL Dam Statistics
Length = 17.5 mi.
Crest Elev = +50
Upslope 2H/1V covered with 6' horizontal soil cement
Cooling pond area = 7000 Acres
Max. WL Elev = +37
Upslope = 2H/1V, covered with 6' horizontal soil cement
slabs
Downslope = 3H/1V to a 3' deep drainage ditch
Homogeneous compacted natural sand, no filters, famous
designer
AT BREECH
Foundation: horizontal sand/shell layers, +20' 80'
WL at +37
di l i i f b h EW distances along approximate axis of breech
Side of Breech
The Investigation
End Section
White to Brown
Cohesionless Sands Cohesionless Sands
Early Sketched Flownet
Later Computer Flownet
FPL Dam Failure Timeline
Event Day Month Year Notes
Dam started 1977
Started Filling March 1978
WL at design +37 April 1978 WL at design 37 April 1978
Many toe boils (except in breech area), healed in 6 months
L65 canal WL dropped from
19 14
27 October 1979 Dam at +37,
l k f il +19 to +14 lock failure
RR borrow pond WL dropped
13'
29 October 1979 Visual/Calculated
600' wide dam breech 30 October 1979 Midnight (2.8 days!)
Review Board formed November 1979 4 Members
Board Investigation Finished July 1980 Board Investigation Finished July 1980
Remedial Plan approved July 1980
P d D i & B R i Proposed Drain & Berm Repair
3. Piping Theory
Seawall Scour
Richart and Schmertmann (1958)
Forces on Sand Particle Subjected
to Scouring Action to Scouring Action
Seepage Gradients at
Advancing End of Pipe Advancing End of Pipe
Typical Examples
of Flownets used
in the study of in the study of
2D Flow into pipe
.
4. Flume Testing
Water Supply Reservoir Connected to Piping Flume
The UF Piping Flume
Test Sample after Saturation is Complete
Manometers Not Shown Manometers Not Shown
Close Up View of Pipe at Upstream (Left)
and Downstream(Right) Ends from Test 3 and Downstream(Right) Ends from Test 3
Direction of Flow
/ / Meandering Braided Start/Stop/Restart
Upstream and Center Portion
f f of Pipe from Test 6
Direction of Flow
Large Scale Delft Model Piping Test
5. Design Method
Based on piping seepage gradients from flume tests
i flume test correction factors for
F
P
=
i
P
flume test
i dam
correction factors for
an assumed pipe path
F
P
= global or average (no flownet needed)
P
g g ( )
F
PX
= "X" points along pipe path from flownet
(Ref: JHS,2000, ASCE, STP 111)
F
P
= Factor of Safety vs. FPL Piping Failure
(Ref: JHS, 2000, ASCE STP 111) ( , , )
Correction for Symbol Used
Pipe layer thickness (5') C 1 41 Pipe layer thickness (5') C
D
1.41
Pipe length (300') C
L
0.51
G i i (d 0 15 C 2) C 0 94 Grain size (d
10
= 0.15mm, C
U
= 2) C
S
0.94
Anisotropic k ratio (4) C
k
0.61
Underlayer k (10x) C
Z
0.66
Relative density (0.5) C
g
0.96
Pipe angle (horiz.) C
a
1.00
Gl b l A
0.233 (product of Cs = 0.261)
1 07
= 0.96 after 2' WL drop in RR borrow pond
Global or Average F
P
=
0.233 (product of Cs 0.261)
17/300 = 0.0567
= 1.07
Idealized Example Analysis
6. Conclusions and Lessons 6. Conclusions and Lessons
Graded Filters evolved to protect against piping.
Terzaghi started in c. 1920. Explained vertical piping
(quicksand) 1
st
use in dam c. 1922
Flownets are often an essential tool, but also give
only rough approximations of reality. Sketched nets
often informative and adequate.
A large difference exists between the water velocities
needed for surface erosion (scour) and subsurface
erosion (piping) erosion (piping).
Piping advances upstream by a meandering micro
liquefaction at the advancing end of the pipe q g p p
Conclusions and Lessons (Cont'd) Conclusions and Lessons (Cont d)
Many dams probably have partially penetrating pipes y p y p y p g p p
that have stopped but will continue to advance
possibly to failure, if gradients increase.
No detection methods will reliably find existing pipes.
Where feasible, use filters to prevent piping. But
filt f il filters can fail.
Piping is still a major cause of dam failures.
A practical and rational design method vs. piping
exists, based on tests and seepage gradients.
The End The End
Thank you y
References
Casagrande, A. (1937) "Seepage through Dams", Harvard Graduate
School of Engineering, Soil Mechanics Series No. 5, pp.131172
Richart, F. E. Jr., and J. H. Schmertmann, (1958), "The Effect of Seepage
on the Stability of Sea Walls", Proceedings 6
th
International Conference
on Coastal Engineering pp 794 817 on Coastal Engineering, pp. 794817
Schmertmann, J. H. (2000), "The NoFilter Factor of Safety Against Piping
Th h S d " ASCE G I tit t GSP N 111 65 132 Through Sands", ASCE GeoInstitute GSP No. 111, pp. 65132
Terzaghi, K. (1939), "Soil Mechanicsa new chapter in engineering
" f l h f l science", A Century of Soil Mechanics, Institution of Civil Engineers pp.
151188
Terzaghi, K., R. Peck, E. Mesri (1996), Soil Mechanics in Engineering
Practice, 3rd Ed. John Wiley & Sons