5.

1 One Dimensional Flow through Porous Media:The general form of flow through porous media in one dimension is a special case of equation (4.19). It takes the following form : {k.(h/x)}x=(n/r)/t (5.1) The parameters appearing in the equation are defined previously in chapter 4. In the steady state condition, the previous partial differential equation reduces to an ordinary differential equation of the second order, or

d{k.(d h/dx)}dx =0 (5.2) The analytical solution of equations (5.1) and (5.2) for certain boundary and initial conditions of practical interest are available . In sections 5.1.1 to 5.1.4, some of these cases are presented.

5.1.1 One Dimensional Steady State Flow in Porous Media with variable Hydraulic

Conductivity:Consider that the soil has a hydraulic conductivity that varies with x according to a known function k(x).
Hence, equation (5.2) can be written in the form:

(dk/dx). (dh/dx) + k(x).

d2h/dx2 =0 (5.3) The solution of this differential equation is generally possible up to 2 constants for a wide class of functions k(x). The value of the constants can be obtained using the available boundary conditions. For example if k(x)= e(x+b) while h = 0 and H for x=0 and L respectively, the equation and boundary conditions take the following form: dh/dx + d2h/dx2 =0, (5.4)

with h(0)=0 and h(L)= H The general solution of the differential equation (5.4) is: h(x)= C1 + C2 e-x (5.5) C1 and C2 are obtained using the boundary conditions at x=0 and x=L, Thus, the final solution is : h(x)= H(1-e-x )/(1-e-L ) (5.6) The velocity at any point x is obtained from Darcys Law. v= - H eb /(1-e-L) (5.7)

It is clear from equation (5.7)that for positive values of H, v is negative and it is always independent of x. This is a logical result as the head at x= L is higher than that at x=0 for H >0 which means that the water flows backwards from x=L in the direction of x=0. Also, the continuity equation implies that the steady state velocity along a one dimensional streamline must be constant.

1.2 Flow parallel to Bedding through Soil Layers:-

sume that there are n parallel layers with ckness B1, B2,......, Bi,.....,Bn and hydraulic nductivity k1, k2,.......,ki,.......kn as illustrated in

g. 5.1. sume further that a length L of the layers is nsidered. Take the top surface of the horizontal yer as datum and the left hand end of the nsidered layers segments as the origin of the x is .The coordinates of the left hand side of the nsidered strips is x=0 while that of the right hand de is x=L.

To have a parallel flow, the total head at any value x must be equal for all soil layers. Assume that the head at x=0 is h1 and that at x=L is h2. and that h1 > h2 .This implies that the water flows uniformly through all layers with velocities: v1= -k1 dh/dx, ......., vi = -ki dh/dx, ..........., vn = -kn dh/dx As h( is constant and equals dx/dh1h- 2 L, the total/) discharge Q through all aquifers can be given by the following relation

Q = {(h1-h2 )/L}. (Bi ki) , i=1,2,.......,n (5.8)

Define B and ka by the following relations

B= Bi , i=1,2.....,n & ka = { (ki Bi)}/B , i=1,2,.....,n

The substitution from equations (5.9) and (5.10) into equation (5.8) leads to:
Q= B. ka ( h1 - h2)/L

(5.9) (5.10)

ka is called the weighted average of the hydraulic conductivity.

(5.11)

5.1.3 Flow perpendicular to Bedding through SoilLayers Consider the same layers of section 5.1.2. However, assume that the top surface of the first layer has a constant total head h1 measured from the datum which is taken to be the bottom of the last layer n Assume that the total head at the bottom of the last layer is also constant and equals hn+1 > h1 . This case is illustrated in Fig. 5.2. Here the water flows vertically upwards starting from the bottom of the bottom layer to the top of the highest layer. top surface of layer I is given by the relation:

ssume that the head at top of layer i is hi , where =2,3,.....,n .as the difference in head occurs in the ertical direction, the flow will be vertical. Also, from he equation of continuity, the velocity must be onstant .The velocity of flow from the lower surface (5.12)

o the relation:

= -ki (hi+1 - hi)/Bi ,i=1,2,........n i=

As stated before, the velocities of flow across all soil layers are equal. this means that :. v=k1. (h2 - h1)/B1= k2 .( h3-h2)/B2 = .....= ki .(hi+1-hi)/Bi =.... = kn. (hn+1-hn)/Bn (5.13) The first (n-1) equalities of equations (5.13) can be used to write h2 in terms of v and h1, h3 in terms of h2 and hence in terms of h1& v, ........, hi+1 in terms of hi and hence in terms of h1 & v and so on until obtaining a relation for hn in terms of h1& v. This relation can be put in the following form. v= kh. (hn+1 - h1)/B (5.14)

where B has the same definition given by quation (5.9) and kh is called the harmonic verage of the hydraulic conductivity and is efined as follows: defined

The head at layers boundaries can be btained point can be obtained using obtained quations (5.13) while that at intermediate oints can be obtained by linear interpretation points s the head varies linearly through the soil ayers.

h = B/{ (Bi /ki)} =1,2,...,n (5.15)

5.1.4 Flow across the Boundary between two Layers

Consider the two parallel streamlines a1 a2 a3 a4 and b1 b2

b3 b4 meet the interface between the two layers at points a3 and b2 respectively as shown in Fig. 5.3. The point a2 is chosen such that the straight line b2 a3 meets the stream line a1 a3 at point a2 at a right angle. Similarly, choose b3 such that a3 b3 meets b2 b4 at a right angle at point b3.

Assume that the hydraulic conductivity of the top layer is k1 while that of the lower layer is k2.. The streamlines in the top layer meet the interface at angles q1 with the perpendicular to the boundary. If k1 k2

, these lines deflect as they cross the boundary between the layers making a new angle q2 with the perpendicular to the boundary inside the lower layer. From the geometry of Fig.5.3, it is easy to prove the following equalities
(5.16-a) (5.16-b) (5.16-c) (5.16-d)

a2 b2 = a3 b2 cos q1 a2 a3 = a3 b2 sin q1 a3 b3 = a3 b2 cos q2 b2 b3 = a3 b2 sin q2

The quantity of flow between the two streamlines is constant. It is calculated using Darcys Law, once across the equipotential line a2 b2 which lies in the top layer and once across the equipotential line a3 b3 which lies in the lower layer, hence:
(a2 b2 ). k 1 . (h)/(a2 a3) = (a3 b3) . k2 (h)/(b2 b3) where h is the difference in total head

(5.17)

between the equipotential lines a2 b2 and a3 b3. The substitution from equations (5.16) into equation (5.17) leads to the following equation:

k1 / k2 = tan q1 / tan q2

A special case of this relation is that when q1 =

( 5.18)

90o, here the streamlines suffer no deflection at the interface between the two layers irrespective of the values of k1 and k2. Another special case is that when k2 , then all streamlines in the top layer meet the interface between the layers at right angle. On the other hand, if K2 , all the streamlines meet the interface asymptotically