CANAL LINING For canals we means only the unlined earthen canals.

These unlined canals are compacted to some extent but the seepage cannot be prevented. Therefore to prevent the quantity of seepage the canals are lined. Different materials are used for the lining. Canal lining is an expensive business but in certain cases it is unavoidable. This is required for the following purposes. ADVANTAGE OF CANAL LINING 1. When the track of land through which the canal i passing is highly pervious or permeable. 2. When the loss of water through seepage is very high 3. In order to check the process of water logging. 4. For the defence purposes, i.e. when the canal is to serve as a line of defence and a very high velocity is desired in the canal. 5. In case of head race and tail race of a hydroelectric power station situated on a canal fall. The lining of canals has the following advantages: 1. Reduction of seepage losses, resulting in a saving of water which can be utilized for additional irrigation. 2. Reduction off percolation to the ground water reservoir, leading to prevention of water logging. 3. Reduction of maintenance cost and the possibility of breaking due to stability of the section 4. Improvements of commands due to flatter slopes. 5. Prevention of weed growth. 6. By lining a channel, its cross-section is reduced, which means a saving in the earth work and the land to be acquired. 7. The risk of pilferage by cultivators is greatly reduced. 8. Salts will not be absorbed. PROPERTIES MATERIAL DETERMINING THE SUITABILITY OF CANAL LINING

1. Water Tightness : This is determined by the permeability of lining and will determine the savings in seepage losses and hence the most important benefits resulting from the lining. 2. Hydraulic Efficiency : It is measured by the coefficient of Rogosity of the lining surface and determines the discharging capacity of the channel. 3. Initial cost and Subsequent Maintenance Cost : To be economically feasible the lining must be moderate in first cost and cheap to maintain.

4. Strength and Durability : The lining should be strong and durable and get possesses a reasonable degree of flexibility to adopt itself to slight depression in the sub-grade. Durability means to withstand the effects of weathering wearing or chemical attacks. 5. Ability to resist the growth of weed and attacks of burrowing animals. TYPES OF LINING The types of the canal linings are following: 1. Concrete lining 2. Shotcrete or plaster 3. Brick tiles 4. Asphaltic lining 5. Lining of earth material 6. Stone blocks, concrete blocks or undressed stone lining. 1. Concrete Lining An essential condition for the success of concrete lining is a firm foundation. Natural earth in cutting is usually satisfactory. Banks on which lining is to be laid should be thoroughly compacted. In soils of low permeability it may be necessary to arrange for the drainage of banks to avoid the development of back pressure on the lining when the banks get saturated by rains. The lining are 2" --4 1/2" thick. The banks should always be made at self supporting slope. The thickness required is governed by the requirements of imperviousness and the structural strength to resist cracking or slight movement of the sub-grade. As the reinforcement interferes with the working of certain types of mechanical equipment needed for placing of concrete, the use of R.C.C is usually not recommended, until & unless the strength requirements needs to do so. Also the proper contraction and construction joints are to be provided. In side slopes flatter than 1:1, the form-work for placing concrete is not used. Also in order to prevent the absorption of moisture from lower layers of concrete, by the rub grade, the sub-grade has to be saturated up to a depth of 12 for sandy soil and up to 6" in case of other soils. However it may cause mudding as well as the unevenness of the subgrade. Spreading oil paper on the sub-grade or painting the subgrade by crude oil before placing the concrete may overcome the problem of mudding etc. etc.

2. SHORTCRETE LINING Shortcrete consists of a mixture of cement and sand having a maximum grain size of 3/16". Shortcrete is forced under pressure through a nozzle on the surface of the channel being laid. The usual thickness in which shortcrete is laid is 1 1/2". may also be used. Shortcrete can be placed on irregular surface thus dispensing with the necessity of fine dressing of the subgrade. Shortcreting is of particular advantage in rock cuts. It has been found very satisfactory for the resurfacing of badly cracked and leaking but structurally sound old concrete lining. 3. Brick Lining Bricks are placed on the sub-grade with of 1:3 c/s mortar sandwiched in between. The brick masonary is reinforced as well. For lining work bet quality bricks should be utilized. They should be fully saturated before lining and also the subgrade should be moistened before the first layer of brick. 4. Asphaltic Lining A mixture of asphalt, cement and aggregate is mixed and placed by hand and by equipment similar to that used in cement concrete. Another type of asphalt lining in which 1/4 layer of asphalt is sprayed in place at a high temperature of 400OF and covered with a 12 layer of earth material for compaction. 5. Lining of Earthen Materials Earthen materials may be utilized for canal lining in the following forms: a. Clay puddle: Clay is saturated with water and is mixed thoroughly by trempling under men or cattle feet. A layer of clay puddle about 1 thick protected by a cover of 1 deep silt or soil will serve as an excellent impervious cut-off face for seepage. b. Compacted Earth: Selected graded soil containing enough percentage of fine to make it highly impermeable when thoroughly compacted at optimum moisture content, may be used to provide 1 to 3 thickness. c. Soil Cement: Soil cement canal lining are made up of a mixture of cement and soil containing less than 35% of fine fraction passing No.200 sieve. The cement is from 2 to 8% of soil. The two are thoroughly mixed and required quantity of water to bring the soil to its optimum moisture content is added and mixed, the material is placed at site and compacted. Curing is done atleast 7 days.