Hydraulic structures with water level differences between upstream and downstream are subjected to seepage in foundation soils. Two sources of weakness are to be guarded against: (1) percolation or seepage may cause under-mining, resulting in the collapse of the whole structure, and (2) the floor of the apron may be forced upwards, owing to the upward pressure of water seeping through pervious soil under the structure. Many earlier failures of hydraulic structures have been reported due to these two reasons. The curves and charts prepared by Khosla, Bose, and Taylor still form the basis for the determination of uplift pressure and exit gradient for weir apron founded on pervious soil of infinite depth. However, in actual practice, the pervious medium may be of finite depth owing to the occurrence of a clay seam or hard strata at shallow depths in the river basin. Also, a general case of weir profile may consist of cutoffs, at the two ends of the weir apron. In addition to the cutoffs, pervious aprons are also provided at the downstream end in the form of (i) inverted filter, and (ii) launching apron. These pervious aprons may have a thickness of 2 to 5. In order to accommodate this thickness, the bed adjacent to the downstream side of downstream cutoff has to be excavated. This gives rise to the formation of step at the downstream end. Closed form theoretical solutions for the case of finite depth seepage below weir aprons with end cutoffs, with a step at the downstream side are obtained in this research. The parameters studied are : (i) finite depth of pervious medium, (ii) two cut offs at the ends, and (iii) a step at the downstream end. iv The resulting implicit equations, containing elliptic integrals of first and third kind, have been used to obtain various seepage characteristics. The results have been compared with existing solutions for some known boundary conditions. Design curves for uplift pressure at key points, exit gradient factor and seepage discharge factor have been presented in terms of nondimensional floor profile ratios. Publications resulting from the dissertation are: 1. Jain, Arun K. and Reddi, L. N. “Finite depth seepage below flat aprons with equal end cutoffs.” (Submitted to Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, ASCE, and reviewed). 2. Jain, Arun K. and Reddi, L. N. “Seepage below flat apron with end cutoffs founded on pervious medium of finite depth.” (Submitted to Journal of Irrigation & Drainage Engineering, ASCE). 3. Jain, Arun K. and Reddi, L. N. “Closed form theoretical solution for finite depth seepage below flat apron with equal end cutoffs and a downstream step.” (Submitted to Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, ASCE). 4. Jain, Arun K. and Reddi, L. N. “Closed form theoretical solution for finite depth seepage below flat apron with end cutoffs and a downstream step.” (Submitted to Journal of Engineering Mechanics, ASCE).

The purpose of this study is to present the development and application of residual flow procedure for analysis of three-dimensional (3-D) steady-state and transient seepage. The finite element equations are derived using a pseudo-variational principle which leads to a transient residual flow (load) vector that, in turn, is used to correct the position of the free surface iteratively. The procedure involves a fixed mesh which requires no mesh regeneration during transient analysis and during iterations. The procedure is also capable of handling material nonhomogeneities and anisotropy with relative ease. Several applications are made including verification with respect to closed-form solutions, and with results from a laboratory glass bead model simulating three-dimensional situations. For these glass beads, the coefficients of permeability and specific storage are also evaluated experimentally.

Doctor of Philosophy / Suction caissons have been used in the offshore industry in the last two decades as both temporary mooring anchorages and permanent foundation systems. Although there have been more than 500 suction caissons installed in various locations around the world,understanding of this concept is still limited. This thesis investigates the installation aspect of suction caissons, focusing on the installation in dense sand and layered soils, where sand is inter-bedded by silt and weakly cemented layers. The research was mainly experimental, at both normal gravity and elevated acceleration levels in a geotechnical centrifuge, with some numerical simulations to complement the experimental observations. This study firstly explored the suction caisson installation response in the laboratory at 1g. The influence and effect of different design parameters, which include caisson size and wall thickness, and operational parameters including pumping rate and the use of surcharge were investigated in dense silica sand. The sand heave inside the caisson formed during these installations was also recorded and compared between tests. The 1g study also investigated the possibility of installing suction caissons in layered sand-silt soil, where caissons were installed by both slow and rapid pumping. The heave formation in this case is also discussed. The mechanism of heave formation in dense sand and deformation of the silt layer was further investigated using a half-caisson model and the particle image velocimetry (PIV) technique. The installation response at prototype soil stress conditions was then investigated in a geotechnical centrifuge. The effects of caisson size, wall thickness, as well as surcharge were investigated in various types of sand, including silica sand, calcareous sand dredged from the North Rankin site in the North West Shelf (Australia), and mixed soil where silica sand was mixed with different contents of silica flour. Comparison with the 1g results was also made. The general trend for the suction pressure during installation in homogenous sand was identified. The installation in layered soil was also investigated in the centrifuge. The installation tests were performed in various sand-silt profiles, where the silt layers were on the surface and embedded within the sand. Comparison with the results in homogenous sand was made to explore the influence of the silt layer. Installations in calcareous sand with cemented layers were also conducted. The penetration mechanism through the cemented layer is discussed, and also compared with the penetration mechanism through the silt layer. Finite element modelling was performed to simulate key installation behaviour. In particular, it was applied to simulate the sand deformation observed in the PIV tests. The likely loosening range of the internal sand plug during suction installation in silica sand was estimated. By investigating the development of hydraulic gradient along the inner wall, the principle underlying the suction response for different combinations of selfweight and wall thickness was identified. FE modelling was also performed to explore the influence of the hydraulic blockage by the silt layer. This study found that the caissons could penetrate into all soils by suction installation. Among the key findings are the observations that the suction pressure increases with depth following a distinct pressure slope, corresponding to a critical hydraulic condition along the inner wall; and the installation was possible in both layered sand-silt and uncemented-cemented soils if sufficient pumping was available. While the caisson could penetrate the weakly cemented layers well with no notable adverse effects, problems were observed in the installation in layered sand-silt soil. These include piping failure in slow pumping rate installation at 1g, and the formation of extremely unstable soil heave during installation.

The self-potential method responds to the electrokinetic phenomenon of streaming potential and has been applied in hydrogeologic and engineering investigations to aid in the evaluation of subsurface hydraulic conditions. Of specific interest is the application of the method to embankment dam seepage monitoring and detection. This demands a quantitative interpretation of seepage conditions from the geophysical data. To enable the study of variably saturated flow problems of complicated geometry, a three-dimensional finite volume algorithm is developed to evaluate the self-potential distribution resulting from subsurface fluid flow. The algorithm explicitly calculates the distribution of streaming current sources and solves for the self-potential given a model of hydraulic head and prescribed distributions of the streaming current cross-coupling conductivity and electrical resistivity. A new laboratory apparatus is developed to measure the streaming potential coupling coefficient and resistivity in unconsolidated soil samples. Measuring both of these parameters on the same sample under the same conditions enables us to properly characterize the streaming current cross-coupling conductivity coefficient. I present the results of a laboratory investigation to study the influence of soil and fluid parameters on the cross-coupling coefficient, and characterize this property for representative well-graded embankment soils. The streaming potential signals associated with preferential seepage through the core of a synthetic embankment dam model are studied using the forward modelling algorithm and measured electrical properties to assess the sensitivity of the self-potential method in detecting internal erosion. Maximum self-potential anomalies are shown to be linked to large localized hydraulic gradients that develop in response to piping, prior to any detectable increase in seepage flow through the dam. A linear inversion algorithm is developed to evaluate the three-dimensional distribution of hydraulic head from self-potential data, given a known distribution of the cross-coupling coefficient and electrical resistivity. The inverse problem is solved by minimizing an objective function, which consists of a data misfit that accounts for measurement error and a model objective function that incorporates a priori information. The algorithm is suitable for saturated flow problems or where the position of the phreatic surface is known.

The tailings pond at the Muskeg River Mine is a large structure with a 11 km-long ring dyke that contains process affected water (PAW) and tailings sand. The dyke is made of permeable tailings sand and therefore it is equipped with seepage collection ditches that are designed to collect water from drains in the dyke but also to intercept seepage water not collected by the drains and transmit it to the seepage pond for recycling. The effectiveness of this seepage collection system was examined at the downgradient end of the tailings pond (Study Area) where near-surface permeable sand is present. <br /><br /> Piezometric level measurements were performed and water samples were collected from a network of 21 piezometers and drive points, and at several other critical locations. Concentrations of major chemical tracers of PAW such as naphthenic acids (NAs) show signs of migration of PAW in the permeable sand deposit, beyond the dyke. This interpretation is supported by stable O and H isotope analysis of water. The interpretation of the piezometric and chemical data revealed that the PAW has migrated past the Inner Ditch but not beyond the Outer Ditch. Elevated hydraulic heads beyond the Outer Ditch prevented further migration. Groundwater locally converges and discharges as surface water in the wet area between the two ditches. Thus, the collection ditch system is currently working effectively to contain PAW. <br /><br /> Numerical modeling of the Study Area was able to reasonably recreate the observed hydraulic conditions. Based on these simulations, it is possible that PAW may be migrating through a permeable layer of sand under the bottom of the dyke and pond, and eventually discharging into the wet area between the ditches. The estimated amount of PAW seepage discharged into the wet area is small compared to the total dyke drainage collected by the ditches. <br /><br /> These conditions described above, however, may change with the progress of the current dyke expansion work. The wet area between the ditches will be buried and the local hydraulic condition is expected to alter. This may reverse the hydraulic gradient across the Outer Ditch and perhaps will facilitate migration of PAW beyond the Outer Ditch. It is recommended that the following key chemical parameters be used in future groundwater quality monitoring efforts to track PAW migration at the Muskeg River Mine: Na⁺ Cl^- , SO₄^2- , and Ca²⁺ ions, stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen, and Naphthenic acids (NAs. )

The tailings pond at the Muskeg River Mine is a large structure with a 11 km-long ring dyke that contains process affected water (PAW) and tailings sand. The dyke is made of permeable tailings sand and therefore it is equipped with seepage collection ditches that are designed to collect water from drains in the dyke but also to intercept seepage water not collected by the drains and transmit it to the seepage pond for recycling. The effectiveness of this seepage collection system was examined at the downgradient end of the tailings pond (Study Area) where near-surface permeable sand is present. <br /><br /> Piezometric level measurements were performed and water samples were collected from a network of 21 piezometers and drive points, and at several other critical locations. Concentrations of major chemical tracers of PAW such as naphthenic acids (NAs) show signs of migration of PAW in the permeable sand deposit, beyond the dyke. This interpretation is supported by stable O and H isotope analysis of water. The interpretation of the piezometric and chemical data revealed that the PAW has migrated past the Inner Ditch but not beyond the Outer Ditch. Elevated hydraulic heads beyond the Outer Ditch prevented further migration. Groundwater locally converges and discharges as surface water in the wet area between the two ditches. Thus, the collection ditch system is currently working effectively to contain PAW. <br /><br /> Numerical modeling of the Study Area was able to reasonably recreate the observed hydraulic conditions. Based on these simulations, it is possible that PAW may be migrating through a permeable layer of sand under the bottom of the dyke and pond, and eventually discharging into the wet area between the ditches. The estimated amount of PAW seepage discharged into the wet area is small compared to the total dyke drainage collected by the ditches. <br /><br /> These conditions described above, however, may change with the progress of the current dyke expansion work. The wet area between the ditches will be buried and the local hydraulic condition is expected to alter. This may reverse the hydraulic gradient across the Outer Ditch and perhaps will facilitate migration of PAW beyond the Outer Ditch. It is recommended that the following key chemical parameters be used in future groundwater quality monitoring efforts to track PAW migration at the Muskeg River Mine: Na⁺ Cl^- , SO₄^2- , and Ca²⁺ ions, stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen, and Naphthenic acids (NAs. )

In this study, we use the swelling characteristics of bentonite to discussion about the performance of bentonite mortar anti-seepage and the performance of resistance to sulfate. And add the AE water-reducing to improve its workability. To compare with different rate of bentonite added at different ratio of AE water-reducing in the condition of Standard Test for Flow Table. We planning in different water-cement ratio (0.445,0.485,0.550) to test for its fresh properties and hardened properties, and discussion the effect by AE water-reducing on the marine engineering. According to this study, adding bentonite will make the flow value dropped, and affecting the workability. Because of the positive ion exchange properties between bentonite and water will make it a high volume exchange rate, it means that absorption is high, so when the mixing time, the bentonite will form clumps, in this study, we add the AE water-reducing to improve. After we add AE water-reducing, the absorption, compressive strength are increase, but we still had to pay attention to the ratio between bentonite and AE water-reducing, the strength of structure perhaps decrease if added too much bentonite. This study can get the best positive effect when added ratio of 0.25% of bentonite to replaced cement.

A preliminary study shows that Submarine Groundwater Discharge (SGD) exists around Taiwan even though groundwater overdrawing is serious. Only five of the 20 sites studied did not record any SGD signal. Two nearly fresh SGD samples were obtained, providing strong and direct evidence for the existence of SGD in Taiwan. SGD is the submarine seepage of all fluids from coastal sediments into the overlying coastal areas. It has been well documented that SGD may contribute much nutrients to the coasts (Burnett et al.,2001, 2003; Church, 1996; Taniguchi et al., 2002; Zhang and Satake, 2002). Because of its difficulty in measurement, there are few reports on the characteristics of groundwater seepage, such as the flow rate and the water chemistry. In Taiwan, the only report was published in the Japanese journal Geochemistry (Chen et al. , 2005 ). In this study, samples were collected monthly from May, 2004 to June, 2006 at Xiziwan and Caishan in Kaohsiung. A flux chamber was also used in the observation of the SGD seepage rates. Further, samples were collected from 20 different places around Taiwan. The SGD collecting device, the SGD-Flux chamber and the Lee type seepage meter (Zhang et al., 2005) were used in this study, the latter being the first time used to explore the SGD flux in Taiwan. Salinity, dissolved oxygen saturation (%), nutrients (NO3, NO2, PO4, SiO2, NH3), total alkalinity, pH and major ions were analyzed. We averaged all seepage rate data at Xiziwan and Caishan to estimated the SGD seepage rate at about 1.32¡Ó1.57 L/m2/hr. The average concentrations of inorganic nitrogen (NO3+NO2+NH3), PO4 and SiO2 are, respectively, 48.6¡Ó86.3 (n=85), 0.78¡Ó1.26 (n=110) and 55.1¡Ó39.8

Project Completion Report OWRT Project No. A-075-ARIZ / Agreement No. 14-34-0001-7006 / Project Dates: July 1976 - June 1977 / "The work upon which this report is based was supported by funds provided by the United States Department of the Interior, Office of Water Research and Technology as authorized under the Water Resources Research Act of 1964, the State of Arizona, and the Arizona Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration

published_or_final_version / Civil Engineering / Master / Master of Philosophy