Filters in Embankment Dams:

Design Example

Noah Vroman, P.E.

USACE Vicksburg District

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Introduction
Example filter design for a large embankment dam
The example is based on an actual dam with excellent seepage
performance
The example includes design of a chimney filter, blanket drain,
and drain collection system

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General Dam Information

Surcharge Pool = 447.5

Top of Dam = El. 453.0

Embankment
Weathered Rock

Dam Height = 243.0 ft

Design Head = 237.5 ft5.5 ft of freeboard
Dam will serve mainly flood control purposes.

Dam will store a maximum of ~1.4 million acre-feet of water.

Failure of the dam will impact a population of 13,500
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El. 210.0

Actual Embankment Cross Section

Core trench needs a downstream filter

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Embankment and Foundation Information

Embankment
Rolled earthfill
Core materials will consist of impervious sandy clays/clay
gravels from terrace deposits within local borrow pits at the dam
site

Foundation
Composed mainly of sandstone and shale
Strike favorable to the dam orientation (parallel to dam axis)
Joints/fractures up to 1/4in widths
Mainly caused by stress relief in the valley
Upper zone of the formation is more permeable than lower zone
A major fault runs perpendicular to the dam near the left
abutment

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Cross Valley Profile

Overhangs likely encountered in the abutments
Depth of physical weathering is not significantly deep
Average slope of abutments are 1H:2V

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General Failure Modes to Consider

Surcharge Pool = 447.5

Top of Dam = El. 453.0

El. 210.0

Embankment Seepage:
- Stability of the Embankment
- Internal Erosion hydraulic fracturing and cracking
Foundation Seepage:
- Stability of the Embankment Slope
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240

320

380

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0

Seepage Analysis

Embankment Permeability = 1e-7 ft/min

- Based on lab test on compacted samples
Foundation Permeability = 0.005 ft/min
- Based on field pressure test in borings

- Four orders of magnitude higher than the embankment

Values considered conservative based on data collected
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Embankment Seepage
Initial Analysis Kh/Kv = 1.0
Additional analysis was conducted at Kh/Kv =10 and 100 to
account for construction practices
Kh/Ky = 100.0
Kh/Ky = 10.0

240

320

380

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Kh/Ky = 1.0

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Embankment Seepage
Estimated seepage quantities extremely low
2e-4 to 2e-3 gpm
20 to 2 gpm per 1,000 ft of dam

Stability analysis based on seepage analysis

Kh/Kv = 1.0; FOS = 1.5
Kh/Kv = 100; FOS = 1.3
Stability is marginal
EM 1110-2-1902 requires Factor of Safety of 1.5

Major concern is internal erosion

Design will consider chimney filter

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Step 1: Plot Gradation Curves of Core

Embankment Filter Design

Average

Core Material Gradation

Based 179 samples

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Step 2: Re grade Core on #4 Sieve

Average

Core material not considered to be dispersive

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Step 3: Determine Base Soil Category

% Finer than No. 200

Low = 58%

Avg =

65%

High = 78%

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Step 4: Particle Retention Criteria

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Step 5: Permeability Requirements

Max D15B = < 0.075 mm.hydrometer test unavailable

At 0.075 mm
Min D15F = 5 * 0.075 mm = 0.375 mm
Permeability requirements are not essential in this case

Max D15F/MinD15F =5; Max D15F = 0.7 mm

Min D15F = 0.7 mm / 5 = 0.14 mm>0.1mm GOOD!
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Step 6: Limit filter band width (gap gradedness)

Step 6:

0.7 mm 0.14 mm

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Step 6: Limit filter band width (gap gradedness) (contd)

Max D10
MaxD15 * 0.7 = 0.7 mm * 0.7 = 0.49 mm Point C

Min D10
MinD15 * 0.7 = 0.14 mm * 0.7 = ~0.1 mm Point D

Max D60
Max D10 * 6 = 0.49 mm * 6 = 2.94 mm Point E

Min D60
Min D10 * 2 = 0.1 mm * 2 = 0.2 mm Point F

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Step 6: Limit filter band width (gap gradedness)

0.7 mm 0.14 mm
C

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Step 7: Determine Min D5F and Max D100F

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Step 8: Determine Max D90F

H
I

Max Filter Limit

C D

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Step 9: Band Limit Control.Ratio of 5 less than D60

H
I

E
Max Filter Limit

Bandwidth = Max D60/5

=2.95 mm/5 = 0.588 mm

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Step 10: Check commercially available materials

H
I
F
C33 Concrete Sand

E
Max Filter Limit

OK
D
G

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Step 10: Alternatively check vertical limits

H
I
F
C33 Concrete Sand

E
35 Points

OK

Vertical Limit
D
G

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Alternate source located 10 miles from site

H
I

35 Points
OK

Vertical Limit
D

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Chimney Filter
Chimney Filter

Floodside

Core
Shell

Shell
Weathered Rock

Design:
-

Due to availability of core materials, upstream and downstream shell

zones were added.

Vertical 10-foot wide chimney filter.

Width of chimney filter selected due to construction equipment and

importance of the filter.
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Design of Drainage Blanket

Gravel Drainage blanket will be used.

Importance to collect foundation seepage.

No particle retention criteria required due to rock formation
Filter and provide drainage for the chimney filter
Sand layer will be placed above the gravel to protect against
shell

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Drainage Blanket
Drainage Blanket

Floodside

Core
Shell
Weathered Rock

Blanket:
Assume gravel blanket is 10 ft thick for trial
Assume permeability is alteast 100 times greater than chimney filter
.will check filter requirements later..

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Seepage Analysis with Blanket Drain

Seepage collected in drain

360

400

320

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440

10 ft thick blanket; Q = 0.1101 ft^3/min.69 gpm per 100 ft

Flow capacity of the seepage blanket

Cedergren: Seepage, Drainage, and Flow Nets; 1967
Estimate required thickness from Darcys Law (assumes laminar
flow and may under estimate the head loss)
Q = kiA .k = permeability, i = gradient, A = area
Q = 0.1101 ft^3/min
k = 6 ft/min
i = H/L L = length of drainage blanket = 840 ft
A = 10 ft thick . Assume per foot of dam
H = 0.1101 ft^3/min * 840 ft / (6 ft/min) / 10 ft
H = 1.5 ft . Blanket thicker than required for seepage

TRY a 4 ft thick blanket

H
L

GOAL: H < BLANKET THICKNESS

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Flow capacity of the seepage blanket

Q = kiA .k = permeability, i = gradient, A = area

Q = 0.1101 ft^3/min
k = 6 ft/min
i = H/L L = length of drainage blanket = 840 ft
A = 4 ft thick . Assume per foot of dam

H = 0.1101 ft^3/min * 840 ft / (6 ft/min) / 4 ft

H = 3.85 ft..USE A 5ft THICK BLANKET TO ACCOUNT FOR
UNKNOWNS
Other consideration: 50 deep grout curtain installed beneath
the core centerline and will reduce foundation seepage.

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Step 1: Plot Gradation Curves of Chimney Filter

Chimney Filter Gradation

Based 164 samples

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Step 2: Re grade Chimney Filter on #4 Sieve

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Step 3: Determine Base Soil Category

% Finer than No. 200

Low = 0%

Avg =

2.5%

High = 5%

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Step 4: Particle Retention Criteria

D85B:
Low =1.84 mm
(Fine Side
Boundary)

D15F =7.36 mm

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Step 5: Permeability Requirements

Max D15B = 0.411 mm

Min D15F = 5 * 0.411 mm = 2.055 mm
Permeability requirements are essential in this case!
Seepage analysis assumed 6 ft/min.

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7.36 mm
2.05 mm

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Step 6: Limit filter band width (gap gradedness)

Step 6:

B
0.14 mm
A 0.7 mm

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Step 6: Limit filter band width (gap gradedness) (contd)

Max D10
MaxD15 * 0.7 = 7.35 mm * 0.7 = 5.152 mm Point C

Min D10
MinD15 * 0.7 = 2.055 mm * 0.7 = 1.439 mm Point D

Max D60
Max D10 * 6 = 5.152 mm * 6 = 30.912 mm Point E

Min D60
Min D10 * 2 = 1.44 mm * 2 = 2.877 mm Point F

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Step 6: Limit filter band width (gap gradedness)

A
C

B
D

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Step 7: Determine Min D5F and Max D100F

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Step 8: Determine Max D90F

H
I
Min D10 = 1.43
mm
E

Max Filter Limit

C

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Step 9: Band Limit Control.Ratio of 5 less than D60

H
Bandwidth = Max D60/5

=30.91 mm/5 = 6.18 mm

E

Max Filter Limit

C

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Step 10: Check source located 10 miles from site

H
I
E

X CLOSE!
Max Filter Limit
C

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Step 10: Check source located 18 miles from site

H
I
E

F
OK
Check Max and
Segregation

Max Filter Limit

C

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Step 10:Check source located 18 miles from site

Maximum Particle:
Source: 3 in
USACE guidelines allows 3 in

Segregation:

D10 = 5.15 mm (coarse side)

Max D90 from criteria = 50 mm
Source Max D90 =52 mm
Segregation is OK!

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Step 10: Alternatively check vertical limits

H
I
E

35 Points

OK

Vertical Limit

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Check Blanket Permeability

Seepage Analysis: 6 ft/min
Estimate permeability based on gravel material selected
D15 Max = 7.36 mm..k = 0.35 (7.36 mm)^2 = 18.9 cm/sec
k = 37.5 ft/min
D15 Min = 3.5 mm.k = 0.35 (3.5 mm)^2 = 4.28 cm/sec
k = 8.42 ft/min

Good!

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Embankment Design
Drainage Blanket

Floodside
Core
Shell
Weathered Rock

Shell composed of 35% fines, 40% sand, and 25%

gravel
Shell is graded from fine to coarse in direction away from
the core.

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Embankment Design
Drainage Blanket

Floodside
Core
Shell
Weathered Rock

Protective filter is needed above the gravel drainage

blanket.will use 1 ft thick sand layer above drainage
blanket.
Will need a collection system in the drainage blanket
Use perforated pipe

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Check Stability
Stability analysis based without chimney and drainage
blanket
FOS = 1.3

Stability analysis with chimney and drainage blanket

FOS = 1.68

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Perforated Pipe Requirements

Max Perforation Size = Min D50 of the Blanket
D50 = 9.5 mm or 3/8 inch

Pipe required to handle 0.11 ft^3/min per foot of dam

Dam is 1,500 ft long.

Collection pipe diameter should be oversized for

potential biofouling which would clog the perforations.
Capacity of the pipe to collect seepage related to the pipe
diameter.

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