SEEP/W

Student Edition
Workbook
 Student Edition Workbook for SEEP/W

Copyright
Information contained within this document is copyrighted and all rights are reserved by GEO-
SLOPE International Ltd. You may freely reproduce or copy this document in whole or in part,
provided that you include this complete copyright notice and that you do not modify the contents
of this document.

You may freely distribute the Student Edition, provided you adhere to the included license
agreement. Please note that the Student Edition is licensed exclusively for educational and
learning purposes and may not be used for professional engineering practice under any
circumstances. For professional engineering use, a full-featured license can be obtained from
GEO-SLOPE.

Disclaimer of Warranty
GEO-SLOPE reserves the right to make periodic modifications of this document without
obligation to notify any person of such revision. GEO-SLOPE does not guarantee, warrant, or
make any representation regarding the use of, or the results of, the examples contained in this
document in terms of correctness, accuracy, reliability, currentness, or otherwise.

SEEP/W Student Edition Workbook

Copyright © 2002
By GEO-SLOPE International Ltd.
All Rights reserved.

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 Student Edition Workbook for SEEP/W

Table of Contents

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………. 4

SEEP/W Lesson Workbook

Lesson 1 – Saturated Flow Around a Cutoff….……………………………………... 5

Lesson 2 – Saturated Flow Through a Heterogeneous System……………………….. 6

Lesson 3 – Saturated Flow Through an Anisotropic System…………………............. 7

Lesson 4 - Seepage through a Homogeneous Dam………………………………….. 8

Lesson 5 – Dam Cores: A Sensitivity Study for Hydraulic Conductivity……………. 9

Lesson 6 – Infiltration into Unsaturated Soils………………………………………… 10

Lesson 7 – SEEP/W Generated Pore-water Pressures in a SLOPE/W analysis………. 11

Solution Set…………………………………………………………………………… 14

A series of contaminant transport lessons that utilize SEEP/W can be found in the
CTRAN/W Student Edition Workbook.

Consolidation examples that utilize both SEEP/W and SIGMA/W can be found in the
SIGMA/W Student Edition Workbook

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 Student Edition Workbook for SEEP/W

Introduction
The Student Edition series is a complimentary product that has been designed as an aid to
learning geotechnical analysis. It is an ideal teaching tool for university professors both at the
undergraduate and graduate levels, and includes documentation and laboratory problems that can
be used as a guide for developing class curriculum. A free Student License is automatically
provided when you download the software from GEO-SLOPE's web site (http://www.geo-
slope.com), or install an evaluation copy from a CD. When you run the software, you will be
given the option of choosing either a Viewer License or a Student License (if you do not already
have a full-featured license).
The Student License is a limited version of the software; however, sufficient features are
available for learning the basics of geotechnical analysis. The limitations of the SEEP/W Student
License are as follows:
• Maximum of 500 elements
• Maximum of 2 materials
• Only a steady-state analysis can be performed, not a transient analysis
• The hydraulic conductivity function is approximated with a two-point function
• No boundary functions, grain-size functions, or modifier functions can be specified
• Conductivity functions and water content functions cannot be estimated
• Infinite elements cannot be used
• No initial water table can be specified
This workbook has been developed to help those students who wish to learn the SEEP/W
program by setting up and solving multiple modeling simulations. The theory behind the
examples has not been fully explained, but the lessons have been chosen to highlight features and
capabilities of the program as well as to enforce certain modeling and theoretical concepts.
Although the results from each lesson have been included in the solution set at the back of the
workbook, it is imperative that you actually go through the steps of setting up the finite element
mesh, defining the appropriate material properties and boundary conditions and solving the
model. Please note that this document is not intended to present the SEEP/W interface
procedures and commands. To help you use SEEP/W efficiently, you will need to utilize the
power of the on-line Help information. In some instances technical hints to highlight modeling
techniques have been included to help you obtain a satisfactory solution. A copy of this
workbook, along with the corresponding data files are available for download from GEO-
SLOPE's web site at http://www.geo-slope.com/student.

If you have never used SEEP/W before, it is highly recommended that you complete the
detailed tutorial that can be found in Chapter 3 of the on-line help. The tutorial will guide you
in a step by step approach of how to set up a problem in SEEP/W and provide you with a fairly
good understanding of how to use the software. You can also refer to Chapters 4, 5 and 6 in the
online Help for a detailed SEEP/W command reference. Since the online Help is context
sensitive, you can highlight any command in the menu and press F1 to get help on that command
or click on the question mark (?) in the upper right hand corner of dialogue boxes that are open.
You can also search the entire online Help for specific key words or use the online Help index.

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 Student Edition Workbook for SEEP/W

Lesson 1 – Saturated Flow Around a Cutoff

This lesson is very similar to the tutorial lesson provided in Chapter 3, but step by step
instructions are not included. If you have never used SEEP/W before, you may want to take a
look at the tutorial lesson which will guide you through the steps required to set up a simulation.

Required:
1) By trial and error, ensure that the left and right side boundaries are sufficiently set back
so as to not have an impact on the solution.
2) What is the amount of flow that will occur through the soil under the cutoff?
3) Plot the final head contours.
4) Draw some flow lines on top of the head contours.
5) Plot the pressure head contours.
6) Rerun the simulation with a new Ksat of your choice. Does changing the Ksat change the
head or pressure distributions?

Given:
• The profile to be modeled is shown in Figure 1
• Ksat of the soil is 1 x 10-5 m/s
• The dam and cutoff are to be considered impermeable.
• Modelling hints:
• If a material does not contribute to the head loss through a system, do not include it
in the analysis.
• Replace reservoir levels with boundary conditions that reflect the presence of water.

Figure 1 Saturated flow around a cutoff

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Lesson 2 – Saturated Flow Through a Heterogeneous System

The fundamental goal of modeling flow around a cutoff remains the same as for Lesson 1, but
this time the soil is layered and it not homogeneous with depth. This lesson is designed to
highlight the effect of heterogeneity.

Required:
1) Using the profile shown in Figure 4, determine model a flow system where K1/K2 = 10,
K1/K2 = 100, K1/K2 = 1000
2) Plot the resulting head contours for all three scenarios
3) Through which soil does the most head loss occur?
4) Draw flow paths

Given:
• Figure 2 shows the location of the interface between soils
• Lesson 2a) K1/K2 = 10, Lesson 2b) K1/K2 = 100, Lesson 2c) K1/K2 = 1000

Figure 2 Saturated flow through a heterogeneous system

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Lesson 3 – Saturated Flow Through an Anisotropic System

If the saturated hydraulic conductivity of a soil is independent of the direction of flow, then the
soil is considered to be isotropic. In many soils, such as sedimentary soils, the saturated
hydraulic conductivities both parallel and perpendicular to the direction of flow can vary
significantly, resulting in a K-ratio (Ky/Kx) either greater or less than 1. These soils are said to
be anisotropic. A K-direction “angle” is used to define a dipping system. In this type of system,
the flow is not in the horizontal and vertical direction, but is in the x’ and y’ direction, therefore,
the hydraulic conductivites are referred to as Kx’ and Ky’. The following example will
highlight the phenomena of an anisotropic flow system.

Required: Two scenarios, 2a) K-ratio = 0.1 2b) K-ratio= 10

1) What does the flow system for each K-ratio look like?
2) What is the total flow around the cutoff for the two scenarios.

Given:
• Soil profile as shown in Figure 3, angle of inclination is 26 degrees
• Lesson 3a: Ky/Kx = 0.1 where Kx is the input K-function (Ksat = 1x10-5 m3/s)
• Lesson 3b: Ky/Kx = 10 where Kx is the input K-function (Ksat = 1x10-5 m3/s)
• Modelling Hints
• The anisotropy information is assigned to the soil when assigning the material
properties to a particular soil.

Figure 3 Profile for a dipping, anisotropic soil

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 Student Edition Workbook for SEEP/W

Lesson 4 – Seepage Through a Homogeneous Dam

The purpose of this lesson is to understand the significance and importance of using appropriate
K-functions in seepage modelling. Unconfined seepage through a dam results in a saturated zone
as well as an unsaturated zone above the phreatic surface. Model this lesson using three different
K-functions; a gently sloping function, a steep function and a horizontal function.

Required:
1) What does the phreatic surface look like for each of the three simulations? How much
does it vary between the simulations?
2) What is the difference in total head and pressure head contours between each simulation?
3) What is the difference between total flux rates through the dam?
4) Show velocity vectors and flow paths in CONTOUR for each simulation.

Given:
• Profile as shown in Figure 4.
• K-functions as described by Table 1 and shown in the adjoining figure.
• Modelling Hints
• It is a good idea to use the mesh generation feature to create the mesh on the side
slopes of the dam first.

Figure 4 Profile for unconfined flow through a dam

TABLE 1: Hydraulic conductivity values for Lesson 4

Steep Gently Sloping Horizontal

Pressure K Pressure K Pressure K

(kPa) (m/s) (kPa) (m/s) (kPa) (m/s)
-2 1.0E-05 -2 1.0E-05 1 1.0E-05

-40 9.0E-12 -60 7.0E-09 -1 1.0E-05

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 Student Edition Workbook for SEEP/W

Lesson 5 – Dam Cores: A Sensitivity Study for Hydraulic

Conductivity
For this lesson, a sensitivity study will be conducted in modelling a dam with a less permeable
core to see the effect of making the core 2x, 10x and 20x less permeable than the surrounding
dam fill.

Required:
1) Look at the total head contours that develop as the permeability of the core is decreased
relative to that of the surrounding material.
2) How does the flux through the dam change as the permeability of the core is decreased?

Given:
• Figure 5 shows the dimensions of the dam. Note the inclusion of a toe drain.
• Table 2 shows the Ksat values for both the embankment and the core material. Define
one function (i.e., steep function from Lesson 4) and then use this function for both
materials, only varying the saturated conductivity rates to obtain the relative difference
required between the two soils.
• Modelling Hints: You may need to play with the convergence criteria for these
simulations. Make sure that the max number of iterations is set high enough to reach
your desired tolerance.

Figure 5 Profile for flow through a dam core

TABLE 2: Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity Values

Run # Fill Ksat (m/s) Reduced by Core Ksat (m/s)

1 1 x 10-5 2x 5 x 10-6
2 1 x 10-5 10x 1 x 10-6
3 1 x 10-5 100x 1 x 10-7

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 Student Edition Workbook for SEEP/W

Lesson 6 – Infiltration into Unsaturated Soils

The objective of this lesson is to model the potential for mounding of the groundwater table due
to leakage from a containment facility fit with a clay liner. To model this scenario, apply a
surface flux of 1 mm/day over the surface of the embankment and apply boundary conditions to
model a pond 1.0 m deep in the clay-lined containment facility on the upper left portion of the
embankment. The clay liner should be roughly 0.25 m thick. Note: If a full-license version
which enabled transient analysis were to be used, you could determine the length of time that it
would take for mounding of the water table to develop due to leakage from the containment
facility. The student edition will not support transient or time-dependent analyses, however, the
steady-state results obtained from this lesson shows the maximum mounding potential that would
eventually develop.

Required:
1) Conduct a steady-state simulation to determine the maximum amount of mounding that
could develop due to leakage from a containment pond through the unsaturated zone.

Given:
• Profile with boundary conditions applied as shown in Figure 6
• K-functions as shown in Table 3.

Figure 6 Profile used to model leakage from a clay-lined pond

TABLE 3: Material property information

Clay Liner Soil #1

Pressure K Pressure K
(kPa) (m/s) (kPa) (m/s)
-10 5.0E-08 -2 1.0E-06

-200 1.0E-11 -70 1.0E-09

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 Student Edition Workbook for SEEP/W

Lesson 7 – SEEP/W Generated Pore-water Pressures in

SLOPE/W Analysis
The objective of this lesson is to learn how to use finite element pore-water pressures results in a
stability analysis.

Required:
1) Set up and solve a steady-state finite element SEEP/W simulation. In CONTOUR show
the positive pressure heads that develop.
2) Set up a slope stability problem in SLOPE/W based on the SEEP/W finite element mesh
and computed pore-water pressures. Determine the critical slip surface and the factor of
safety using the SEEP/W pore-water pressures. Graph the pore-water pressure and
strength along the slip surface.
3) Repeat the analysis, but this time do not use the SEEP/W total heads as the pore-water
pressures option. Instead, select “piezometric line” and draw a horizontal piezometric
surface that reflects the water table to be at an elevation of 10 m. Determine the critical
slip surface, factor of safety and graph the pore-water pressure and strength along the slip
surface (Note how the negative pore-water pressures have been ignored).

Given (for SEEP/W analysis):

• Profile as shown in Figure 7.
• Note that the soil above and below the low permeability layer has the same hydraulic
properties (Ksat 1E-3 m/day)
• Define each hydraulic conductivity function as a two point function. Point#1 is at P=0
and Ksat Point #2 is at P=100 and Ksat/100.
• Steady-state infiltration rate applied of q = 5.0 x 10-5 m/day over the surface
• Use potential seepage review along face of slope
• Downstream water table at elevation of 10 m.

Figure 7 Finite element mesh for SEEP/W pore-water pressure analysis

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Given (for SLOPE/W analysis):

• Import the SEEP/W mesh into SLOPE/W by selecting SEEP/W total heads as the pore-
water pressure option under the KEY-IN: Analysis Settings: PWP tab. Then draw the
soil lines over the mesh (Hint: Drawing points on the mesh using DRAW: Points on
mesh can greatly ease the construction of the soil lines.)
• Soil property information as shown in Table 2.
• Use the Morgenstern-Price method with a half-sine interslice force function.
• Force the radius of the slip surface with a tangent line (Points 12, 13). Use the grid
corner points as shown (Point 9, 10, 11) (see Figure 7b below)

TABLE 2: SLOPE/W soil information

Soil Basic Parameters

Layer Model
Unit Phi Cohesion
Weight

1 Mohr-Coulomb 18 25 5

2 Mohr-Coulomb 20 30 10

3 Bedrock - - -

Figure 7b Location of grid and radius points

For question #3, where a piezometric line will be used instead of SEEP/W computed heads, your profile
should look like the one shown in Figure 7c.

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Figure 7c Location of the piezometric line with no SEEP/W total heads

defined

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 Solution Set – Student Edition Workbook for SEEP/W

SOLUTION SET

Lesson 1 - Saturated Flow Around a Cutoff

1. Reasonable upstream and downstream horizontal extents are approximately 15 m and 14 m
respectively.
2. The amount of flow around the cutoff is 2.88 x 10-5 m3/s
3. Figure 8 shows the total head contours and flow paths
4. Figure 9 shows the pressure head contours

Figure 8 Total head contours, velocity vectors and flow paths

Figure 9 Pressure contours and flux section results

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 Solution Set - Student Edition Workbook for SEEP/W

Lesson 2 - Saturated Flow Through a Heterogeneous System

1, 2) Head contours and velocity vectors for Lessons 2a, b and c are shown in Figures 10, 11
and 12 below. Ksat values used to obtain the flux section values shown in the figures were
K1 = 1E-5 m/s and K2 = 1E-6 m/s (lesson 2a), 1E-7 m/s (lesson2b) and 1E-8 m/s (lesson 2c)

Figure 10 Total head contours, velocity vectors and flow paths for Lesson
2a

Figure 11 Total head contours, velocity vectors and flow paths for Lesson
2b

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 Solution Set - Student Edition Workbook for SEEP/W

Figure 12 Total head contours, velocity vectors and flow paths for Lesson
2c

3. Soil #2, which has the lower hydraulic conductivity causes the most head loss through the
system.

4. Flow paths are shown in the above figures for all three scenarios.

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 Solution Set - Student Edition Workbook for SEEP/W

Lesson 3 - Saturated Flow Through an Anisotropic System

Figure 13 Total head contours, velocity vectors and flow paths for K-
ratio=0.1

Figure 14 Total head contours, velocity vectors and flow paths for K-
ratio=10

2) Flux section result for Lesson 3a = 8.69x10-6 m3/s, Lesson 3b = 5.15x10-5 m3/s

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 Solution Set - Student Edition Workbook for SEEP/W

Lesson 4 – Seepage Through a Homogeneous Dam

1) The phreatic surface is exactly the same for all three simulations.
2) The differences between the total head profiles and pressure head profiles are minimal
3) Total flux rates (m3/s):
a) Gently Sloping = 1.51E-05 b) Steep = 1.48E-05 c) Horizontal = 1.69E-05
4) Velocity vectors for all three simulations are below. Note the similar vectors for both
simulations that used a non-horizontal function. For the horizontal function, the velocity
vectors indicate flow both above and below the water table, since even the unsaturated
zone can conduct water at the saturated rate. This larger cross-section of conductive soil
results in a greater flux rate through the profile.

Figure 15 Location of the phreatic surface and velocity vectors - Gently

Sloping Function

Figure 16 Location of the phreatic surface and velocity vectors - Steep

Function

Figure 17 Location of the phreatic surface and velocity vectors – Horizontal

Function

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 Solution Set - Student Edition Workbook for SEEP/W

Lesson 5: Dam Cores: A Sensitivity Study of Relative

Conductivity
1, 2) Total head contours for all three simulations are shown below in Figure 18, 19 and 20

Figure 18 Total head contours - Ksat of core 2x less than Ksat of fill

Figure 19 Total head contours - Ksat of core 10x less than Ksat of fill

Figure 20 Total head contours - Ksat of core 100x less than Ksat of fill

3) Flux section results:

Run 1: 1.41 x 10-5 m3/s
Run 2: 5.90 x 10-6 m3/s
Run 3: 7.68 x 10-7 m3/s

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 Solution Set - Student Edition Workbook for SEEP/W

Lesson 6 – Infiltration into Unsaturated Soils

Figure 21 Pressure contours, the phreatic surface and velocity vectors
showing mounding of the water table

Note: There are two phreatic surfaces, one within the containment facility and another which represents
the groundwater regime. Since the two phreatic surfaces are separated by a zone where the water pressures
are negative, the leakage from the containment facility was conducted through an unsaturated zone.

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 Solution Set - Student Edition Workbook for SEEP/W

Lesson 7 – SEEP/W Generated Pore-water Pressures in a

SLOPE/W Analysis
1) The phreatic surface develops as shown in Figure the SEEP/W analysis are shown in Figure 22.

Figure 22 Velocity vectors and location of the phreatic surface

2) SLOPE/W results using SEEP/W pressure head results in Figure 23

Figure 23 SLOPE/W results using SEEP/W computed heads

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 Solution Set - Student Edition Workbook for SEEP/W

Figure 24 Graphs of strength and pore-water pressure along the slip

surface using SEEP/W computed heads

3) SLOPE/W results using a piezometric line instead of SEEP/W computed heads are shown in
Figure 25.

Figure 25 SLOPE/W results using a piezometric line instead of SEEP/W

computed heads

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 Solution Set - Student Edition Workbook for SEEP/W

Figure 26 Graphs of strength and pore-water pressure along the slip

surface for pore-water pressures defined by a piezometric line.

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