Abstract
A widely accepted method of filter design is the “US Natural Resources Conservation Service” (NRCS, Gradation design of sand and gravel filters, 1994) procedure in which a lot of criteria are suggested to satisfy proper filtration and permeability requirements of the filter and to prevent segregation during construction, yet the internal stability against suffusion is not fully considered. The method of Wan and Fell (J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 134(3):401–407, 2008) is adopted to assess the internal stability of granular filters. Theoretical analysis confirmed by experimental tests shows that the NRCS yields internally unstable filters in some special cases.
Abbreviations
- Cu :
-
Coefficient of the uniformity
- D 5 :
-
The particle diameter corresponding to 5 % finer
- D 10 :
-
The particle diameter corresponding to 10 % finer
- D 15 :
-
The particle diameter corresponding to 15 % finer
- D 20 :
-
The particle diameter corresponding to 20 % finer
- D 60 :
-
The particle diameter corresponding to 60 % finer
- D 90 :
-
The particle diameter corresponding to 90 % finer
- D 100 :
-
The particle diameter corresponding to 100 % finer
References
Sherard, J.; Dunnigan, L.; Talbot, J.: Basic properties of sand and gravel filters. J. Geotech. Eng. Div. ASCE 110(6), 684–700 (1984)
Natural Resources Conservation Services: Gradation Design of Sand and Gravel Filters, Chapter 26, Part 633. National Engineering Handbook, USDA (1994)
Foster, M.; Fell, R.; Spannagle, M.: The statistics of embankment dam failures and accidents. Can. Geotech. J. 37(5), 1000–1024 (2000)
Reboul, N.; Vincens, E.; Cambou, B.: Analytical model for constriction size distributions of granular materials. Long Term Behav. Dams Graz 264–269 (2009)
Wan, C.F.; Fell, R.: Assessing the potential of internal instability and suffusion in Embankment Dams and their foundations. J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 134(3), 401–407 (2008)
Indraratna, B.; Nguyen, V.T.; Rujikiatkamjorn, C.: Assessing the potential of internal erosion and suffusion of granular soils. J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 137(5), 550–554 (2011)
Burenkova, V.V.: Assessment of suffusion in noncohesive and graded soils. In: Proceedings of 1st International Conference Geo-Filters, Karlsruhe, Germany, pp. 357–360. Balkema, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (1993)
Lafleur, J.; Mlynarek, J.; Rollin, A.L.: Filtration of broadly graded cohesionless soils. J. Geotech. Eng. 115(12), 1747–1768 (1989)
Skempton, A.W.; Brogan, J.M.: Experiments on piping in sandy gravels. Geotechniqué 44(3), 449–460 (1994)
Mao, C.X.: Study on piping and filters: part I of piping. Rock Soil Mech. 26(2), 209–215 (2005) (in Chinese)
Polemio, M.; Lollino, P.: Failure of infrastructure embankments induced by flooding and seepage: a neglected source of hazard. Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci. 11(12), 3383–3396 (2011)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dallo, Y.A.H., Wang, Y. & Tekle, S.T. Assessing the Internal Stability of Filters Designed by the NRCS Procedure. Arab J Sci Eng 39, 2733–2737 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-013-0882-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-013-0882-9