DEVELOPMENT OF EMPIRICAL FORMULA FOR INFLUENCE OF CAVITIES ON SEEPAGE UNDER SHEET PILE WALL FOR HYDRAULIC STRUCTURES

Abstract

The research presents an experimental study of the interaction between cavity and adjacent hydraulic structure in sandy soil. Experimental studies were performed to investigate the effects of the different factors (such as cavity locations and size of the cavity) on the quantity of the seepage, steady time and flow line . Different sizes and locations of the cavity are investigated in flow media. It was found the diameter of the cavity is an important parameter. Dimensional analysis techniques and (STATISTICA) program were used for finding new formula with based on the experimental data, which are used to compute the quantity of seepage. This formula was derived to predict the quantity of the seepage in terms of spacing between the sheet pile wall and center of the cavity in upstream and downstream zones, spacing between water level and center of the cavity in upstream and downstream zones.