Flow Nets

Philip B. Bedient
Civil & Environmental Engineering
Rice University
 Flow Net Theory
1. Streamlines and Equip. lines are .
2. Streamlines are parallel to no flow
boundaries.
3. Grids are curvilinear squares, where
diagonals cross at right angles.
4. Each stream tube carries the same
flow.

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Flow Net Theory

3
Flow Net in Isotropic Soil
Portion of a flow net is shown below

Stre
am tub
e

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 Flow Net in Isotropic Soil
The equation for flow nets originates
from Darcys Law.

Flow Net solution is equivalent to

solving the governing equations of flow
for a uniform isotropic aquifer with well-
defined boundary conditions.

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 Flow Net in Isotropic Soil
Flow through a channel between
equipotential lines 1 and 2 per
unit width is:
q = K(dm x 1)(h1/dl)

n

m
q

q h1
h2
dm
dl

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 Flow Net in Isotropic Soil
Flow through equipotential lines 2 and 3
is:
q = K(dm x 1)(h2/dl)
The flow net has square grids, so the
head drop is the same in each potential
drop: h1 = h2
If there are nd such drops, then:
h = (H/n)
where H is the total head loss between
the first and last equipotential lines.

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 Flow Net in Isotropic Soil
Substitution yields:

q = K(dm x dl)(H/n)

This equation is for one flow channel. If

there are m such channels in the net,
then total flow per unit width is:

q = (m/n)K(dm/dl)H

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 Flow Net in Isotropic Soil
Since the flow net is drawn with
squares, then dm dl, and:

q = (m/n)KH [L2T-1]

where:
q = rate of flow or seepage per unit width
m= number of flow channels
n= number of equipotential drops
h = total head loss in flow system
K = hydraulic conductivity
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 Drawing Method:
1. Draw to a convenient scale the cross
sections of the structure, water
elevations, and aquifer profiles.

2. Establish boundary conditions and draw

one or two flow lines and
equipotential lines near the
boundaries.

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 Method:
3. Sketch intermediate flow lines and
equipotential lines by smooth curves
adhering to right-angle intersections and
square grids. Where flow direction is a
straight line, flow lines are an equal distance
apart and parallel.

4. Continue sketching until a problem develops.

Each problem will indicate changes to be
made in the entire net. Successive trials will
result in a reasonably consistent flow net.

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 Method:
5. In most cases, 5 to 10 flow lines are
usually sufficient. Depending on the
no. of flow lines selected, the number
of equipotential lines will automatically
be fixed by geometry and grid layout.

6. Equivalent to solving the governing

equations of GW flow in 2-dimensions.

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Seepage Under Dams
Flow nets for
seepage through
earthen dams
Seepage under
concrete dams
Uses boundary
conditions (L & R)
Requires
curvilinear square
grids for solution

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Two Layer Flow System with
Sand Below

Ku / Kl = 1 / 50 14
 Two Layer Flow System with
Tight Silt Below

Flow nets for seepage from one side of a channel through two
different anisotropic two-layer systems. (a) Ku / Kl = 1/50. (b)
Ku / Kl = 50. Source: Todd & Bear, 1961.
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Effects of Boundary Condition
on Shape of Flow Nets

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 Radial Flow:

Contour map of the piezometric surface near Savannah,

Georgia, 1957, showing closed contours resulting from
heavy local groundwater pumping (after USGS Water- 17
Flow Net in a Corner:

Streamlines
areatright
anglesto
equipotential
lines

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 Flow Nets: an example
A dam is constructed on a permeable
stratum underlain by an impermeable
rock. A row of sheet pile is installed at
the upstream face. If the permeable soil
has a hydraulic conductivity of 150
ft/day, determine the rate of flow or
seepage under the dam.

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 Flow Nets: an example
Position: A B C D E F G H I J
Distance 0 3 22 37.5 50 62.5 75 86 94 100
from
front toe
(ft)
n 16.5 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1.2

The flow net is drawn with: m = 5 n = 17

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 Flow Nets: the solution
Solve for the flow per unit width:

q = (m/n) K h

= (5/17)(150)(35)

= 1544 ft3/day per ft

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 Flow Nets: An Example
There is an earthen dam 13 meters
across and 7.5 meters high.The
Impounded water is 6.2 meters deep,
while the tailwater is 2.2 meters deep.
The dam is 72 meters long. If the
hydraulic conductivity is 6.1 x 10-4
centimeter per second, what is the
seepage through the dam if n = 21

K = 6.1 x 10-4cm/sec
= 0.527 m/day
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 Flow Nets: the solution
From the flow net, the total head loss,
H, is 6.2 -2.2 = 4.0 meters.
There are 6 flow channels (m) and 21
head drops along each flow path (n):
Q = (KmH/n) x dam length
= (0.527 m/day x 6 x 4m / 21)
x (dam length)
= 0.60 m3/day per m of dam

= 43.4 m3/day for the entire 72-meter

length of the dam

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