Prediction of Transient Head on Seepage Path Using Boundary Fitted Coordinate (BFC) System

• Main Author: Hartono, Sherly
• Other Authors: Vijay Singh
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: LSU 2002
• Subjects: Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Online Access: http://etd.lsu.edu/docs/available/etd-0712102-112020/

One of the main causes of levee failure is seepage through levee. This seepage can cause weakening in the levee structure, which in turn can cause sudden levee failure or overtopping of the levee due to levee depression. The purpose of this study is to determine the transient head on the seepage path due to changing water level during flood period. Transient seepage problems are very important as critical condition can occur during this time rather than during steady state condition. Seepage path through a levee can be predicted using the Boundary Fitted Coordinate (BFC) system method. The physical coordinate system is transformed into computational curvilinear coordinate system by using this method. One advantage of using this method is the grid generated can fit itself into the boundary of the system. The model developed is tested on a steady state rectangular dam for verification by comparing it with the analytical solutions. The model is then implemented on an unsteady state problem to determine the location of free surface and seepage face for several time steps until steady state is reached.