Premium
Sand‐Model Experiments on the Distribution of Water‐Pressure under an Unlined Canal
Author(s) -
Day Paul R.,
Luthin James N.
Publication year - 1954
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1954.03615995001800020005x
Subject(s) - capillary action , geology , flow (mathematics) , capillary pressure , geotechnical engineering , flux (metallurgy) , water flow , pore water pressure , mechanics , hydrology (agriculture) , porous medium , chemistry , materials science , porosity , physics , organic chemistry , composite material
A study has been made of the seepage of water by capillary flow (movement at pressures less than that of the atmosphere). The analysis differs markedly from previous theories of seepage which ignore capillary movement. An idealized flow system, which consisted of parallel furrows in soil overlying a gravel substratum, was postulated in the theory and simulated experimentally in a sand model. Pressures were measured tensiometrically. The water pressure found at various points in the sand model in the steady state agreed approximately with values calculated from theory. The theory is applicable only to certain simple cases. However, the results show clearly that under certain conditions capillary flow accounts for the entire seepage flux. In such cases, the reduced pressure of the water prevents its entry into test holes placed in the seepage zone.