TRANSIENT SEEPAGE ANALYSIS THROUGH AN EMBANKMENT USING FEM

Abstract

For most of the cases, the problem of seepage through an earth dam can not be formulated directly as a boundary value problem in the physical plane because the position of free surface (phreatic surface) is unknown. Several attempts have been made to solve such problems and these may be classified as analytical, analogue, and numerical methods. The finite element method affords a convenient tool for computing the values that engineers need for rational analysis and design. For the control of seepage in engineering works, the variables of interest are the fluid pressure and flow rates and these also play an important role in the stability of the structure. The present work is intended to develop a computer program (in C language) using finite element method so that transient two-dimensional seepage problem, bounded partially by a phreatic surface (top flow line) can be analysed. The computer program also has a subroutine to compute the stresses developed in finite-elements of discretized mesh of dam cross-section.