Design of Earthern Embankment for S.V.

Kulam Tank

S.V. Kulam Tank

Design note on Earthern Embankment

1) Preamble:
The design note highlights the design aspects of Cross-section and Stability of
Earthern Embankment for SV Kulam Tank located at Tamilnadu.

2) Introduction:
It is proposed to rejenuvate the existing SV Kulam Tank at Tamilnadu. For this it
is proposed to modify the existing embankment and carry out the stability
analysis of proposed embankment.

3) Design Approach:
To Store the water in SV Kulam tank it is proposed to construct the
embankment with zoned section. Zoned embankment is provided with centrally
impervious core i.e. Hearting zone, covered by comparatively pervious casing
zone. The central impervious zone checks the seepage, and outer zone gives
stability to the central impervious fill and also distribute the load over area of
foundation.

4) Refernces:
a) IS 7894:1975 - Code of practice for Stability Analysis of Earth Dams
b) IS 875:1987 (3) - Code of practice for Design Loads for buildings and structures
c) "Irrigation Engineering and Hydraulic Structures" by Santosh Garg
d) "Indian Practical Civil Engineers Handbook" by P.N. Khanna
e) Government of Maharashtra, P.W.D handbook, Chapter No.21, Earth and
composite Dams

5) Design of Cross-section of Embankment

Design data provided

Top Level of embankment = 8.00 m

FSL in Tank = 6.40 m
Proposed Bottom EL of tank = 4.00 m
Foundation strata at proposed clayey
=
bottom EL of tank soil

A) Wave Height in Tank

Waves are generated on the surface of the reservoir the blowing winds, which
exert a pressure towards the downstream side. Wave pressure depends upon
wave height.

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 Design of Earthern Embankment for S.V.Kulam Tank

Ref. 'Irrigation Engineering and Hydraulic Structures' by Santosh Kumar Garg,

Page no 977

Wave Height (hw) = 0.032 x (sqrt(V x F)) + 0.763 - 0.271 (F)(3/4)

Whrere,
hw = height of water from top of crest to
bottom of trough in meters
V = Wind Velocity in Km/Hr
F = Fetch or straight length of water
expanse in Km
Thus, refering the data provided,
F = 1.2 Km

Ref. IS875 - 1987 (part 3)

V = 169.2 Km/Hr

Therefore, Hw = 0.91 m

B) Freeboard
Freeboard is vertical distance between the maximum reservoir level and the
top of the embankment

Ref. 'Irrigation Engineering and Hydraulic Structures' by Santosh Kumar Garg,

Page no 1055

min height of freeboard = 1.5 x hw

= 1.36 m
Hence Top level of
embankment = FSL + Freeboard
= 6.4 + 1.36
= 7.76 m
Provided top level of
embankment = 8.00 m

C) Top width of embankmnet

Ref. 'Irrigation Engineering and Hydraulic Structures' by Santosh Kumar Garg,

Page no 1056
Top Width(A) = (H/5) + 3
A = 3.8 m

For small embankments top width is generally goverened by minimum

roadway width requirement

Therefore, Provide top width = 3.5 m in view of roadway requirement

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 Design of Earthern Embankment for S.V.Kulam Tank

D) Upstream and downstream slopes of embankment

Ref. 'Irrigation Engineering and Hydraulic Structures' by Santosh Kumar Garg,

Page no 1057

According to strange's recommendations for height of embankments upto 4.5

m, the upstream slope of dam should be 2:1 and downstream slope of
embankment should be 1.5:1

The Phreatic line of the proposed embankment as calculated in below analysis

cuts the downstream slope if 1.5:1 slope is provided. Therefore to
accommodate the Phreatic line within the embankment the downstream slope
is proposed as 2.5:1

Accordingly adopted slopes are as follows.

Upstream slope = 2:1

downstream slope = 2.5 : 1

6) Stabality Analysis of Earthern Embankment

A) Analysis of phreatic line (seepage line)

Design Data
Top Level of embankment = 8.00 m
FSL in Tank = 6.40 m
Bottom Level of embankment = 4.00 m
Height of embankment = 4.00 m
Width of embankment at top = 3.50 m
Width of embankment at bottom = 19.50 m
Safe Bearing Capacity = 200 kN/sqm

3.50

wall
A 1.44 6.40 FSL Level
B

H
water 0.16
pressure Soil

8.00 3.50 8.00 4.00 GND LVl

b F
4.8
B

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 Design of Earthern Embankment for S.V.Kulam Tank

Equation of parabola = SQRT(x^2 + y^2) = x + S

The point A is determined is such a way that ,

AB = 0.3 x b
= 1.44
plotting point A at distance AB m from B point A is starting point of parabola

Now co-ordinates of point A with X Y

respect to F as origin are (from = 18.4 2.40
Auto-cad)
substititing co-ordinates in the equation of parabola

'SQRT(x^2 + y^2) = X+S

18.56 = 18.4 +S
S = 0.16 m

Now the vertex C of the parabola shall be situated at distance equal S/2
beyond the point F and directrix shall be at distance S from point F
At point F
X = 0
S=Y = 0.16

A few more co-ordinates of base of parabola are worked out

below using formula
Y = sqrt(2xS + S^2)

X Y
0 0.16
1 0.59
2 0.82
3 0.99
4 1.14
5 1.27
6 1.39
7 1.51
8 1.61
9 1.7
10 1.8
11 1.88
12 1.97
13 2.05
14 2.12
15 2.2
16 2.27
17 2.34

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 Design of Earthern Embankment for S.V.Kulam Tank

As per IS 7894:1975, page 13, cl 5.5.3

Portion below phreatic line is saturated for calculating Driving Forces and
bouyant for Resisting Forces

In Circular arc method there are two ways of checking stability of embankment
1) Arithmetic method
2) Graphical Method

As final results of the computations by both the methods are practically

same. Therefore for this analysis Graphical Method is adopted

Design Calculations
Case1 - Steady Seepage (for Downstream Slope)

IS 7894:1975 page 28, table No 4,

Design Data to be adopted is as follows

Zone R Strength Unit weight, Kn/cum

Cohesion tan ф Moist submerge Saturated
Casing 0 0.55 20.5 10.69 21
Hearting 2 0.35 17.6 9.05 18
foundation 1.9 0.45 7.44 -

Circular Arc Method - Graphical Method

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 Design of Earthern Embankment for S.V.Kulam Tank

Figure showing Area Computations of Soil

There are two forces acting at a point called as normal force and tangential
force
Normal force acting at a point is called resisting force
Tangential Force acting at a point is called Driving Force

normal component
radius of failure

tangential component

Here,
Normal component = W cos ф
Tangential component = W sin ф
Resisting Forces

Table for computation of Resisiting Forces

Zone Area Unit wt. Normal N x tanф
sqm Kn/cum force (KN) (KN)
ABI 1.8 10.69 19.24 10.58
BCHI 0.98 9.05 8.87 3.10
CDGH 15.65 10.69 167.30 92.01
DEFG 9.98 7.44 74.25 33.41
AILMKJFON 19.14 20.5 392.37 215.80
IHJKML 2.22 17.6 39.07 13.68
Total 369.00

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 Design of Earthern Embankment for S.V.Kulam Tank

Calculation for cohesive weight of soil

Zone Unit length of cohesion

cohesion [C] arc (L) CXL
ABI 0 2.49 0.00
BCHI 2 0.686 1.37
CDGH 0 1.79 0.00
DEFG 1.9 13.194 25.07
Total 26.00

Therefore, Total Resisting Force = 369 + 26

= 395.00 KN

Driving Forces

Figure For Computation of Driving Forces

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 Design of Earthern Embankment for S.V.Kulam Tank

Driving force = W x sin ф KN

Slice No. Zone Angle in Area Weight Driving

degrees sqm kn/cum force (KN)
1 Casing below phreatic line 3.7 0.46 4.92 0.32
Casing above phreatic line 3.7 0.48 9.84 0.63

2 Casing below phreatic line 3.5 0.96 10.26 0.63

Casing above phreatic line 3.5 1.04 21.32 1.30
Hearting below phreatic 3.5 0.027 0.24 0.01

3 Casing below phreatic line 3.4 0.4 4.28 0.25

Casing above phreatic line 3.4 1.63 33.42 1.98
Hearting below phreatic 3.4 0.75 6.79 0.40

4 Casing below phreatic line 3.3 1.56 16.68 0.96

Casing above phreatic line 3.3 1.39 28.50 1.64
Hearting below phreatic 3.3 0.2 1.81 0.10
Hearting above phreatic 3.3 0.59 10.38 0.60

5 Casing above phreatic line 3.3 1.33 27.27 1.57

Casing below phreatic line 3.3 1.89 20.20 1.16
Hearting above phreatic 3.3 0.75 13.20 0.76
Foundation below phreatic 3.3 0.002 0.01 0.001

6 Casing above phreatic line 3.2 1.453 29.79 1.66

Casing below phreatic line 3.2 1.89 20.20 1.13
Hearting above phreatic 3.2 0.75 13.20 0.74
Foundation below phreatic 3.2 0.45 3.35 0.187

7 Casing above phreatic line 3.2 2.09 42.85 2.39

Casing below phreatic line 3.2 1.71 18.28 1.02
Hearting above phreatic 3.2 0.15 2.64 0.15
Foundation below phreatic 3.2 0.702 5.22 0.292

8 Casing above phreatic line 3.2 2.01 41.21 2.30

Casing below phreatic line 3.2 1.6 17.10 0.95
Foundation below phreatic 3.2 0.895 6.66 0.372

9 Casing above phreatic line 3.1 1.72 35.26 1.91

Casing below phreatic line 3.1 1.48 15.82 0.86
Foundation below phreatic 3.1 1.03 7.66 0.414

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 Design of Earthern Embankment for S.V.Kulam Tank

10 Casing above phreatic line 3.1 1.46 29.93 1.62

Casing below phreatic line 3.1 1.35 14.43 0.78
Foundation below phreatic 3.1 1.11 8.26 0.447

11 Casing above phreatic line 3.1 1.2 24.60 1.33

Casing below phreatic line 3.1 1.21 12.93 0.70
Foundation below phreatic 3.1 1.14 8.48 0.459

12 Casing above phreatic line 3.1 0.96 19.68 1.06

Casing below phreatic line 3.1 1.04 11.12 0.60
Foundation below phreatic 3.1 1.11 8.26 0.447

13 Casing above phreatic line 3.1 0.741 15.19 0.82

Casing below phreatic line 3.1 0.878 9.39 0.51
Foundation below phreatic 3.1 1.11 8.26 0.447

14 Casing above phreatic line 3.2 0.61 12.51 0.70

Casing below phreatic line 3.2 6.2 66.28 3.70
Foundation below phreatic 3.2 0.908 6.76 0.377

15 Casing above phreatic line 3.2 0.709 14.53 0.81

Casing below phreatic line 3.2 0.11 1.18 0.07
Foundation below phreatic 3.2 0.71 5.28 0.295

16 Casing above phreatic line 3.2 0.419 8.59 0.48

Foundation below phreatic 3.2 0.473 3.52 0.196
Total 42.54
From above calculations

Total Resisting force = 395.00 KN

Total Driving Force = 42.54 KN

Total Resisiting Force

Therfore Factor of Safety =
Total Driving Force

395.00
=
42.54

= 9.28
Ref. IS 7894:1975, page18,
Factor of safety to be should be <= 1.50

Hence the proposed cross-section of embankment at downstream face is safe

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 Design of Earthern Embankment for S.V.Kulam Tank

Case2 - Sudden Drawdown (for Upstream Slope)

IS 7894:1975 page 28, table No 4,

Design Data to be adopted is as follows

Zone R Strength Unit weight, Kn/cum

Cohesion tan ф Moist submerge Saturated
Casing 0 0.55 20.5 11.19 21
Hearting 2 0.35 17.6 9.05 18
foundation 1.9 0.45 - 7.44 -

Circular Arc Method - Graphical Method

Figure showing Area Computations of Soil

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 Design of Earthern Embankment for S.V.Kulam Tank

There are two forces acting at a point called as normal force and tangential
force
Normal force acting at a point is called resisting force
Tangential Force acting at a point is called Driving Force

normal component
radius of failure

tangential component

Here,
Normal component = W cos ф
Tangential component = W sin ф

Resisting Forces

Table for computation of Resisiting Forces

Zone Area Unit wt. Normal N x tanф
sqm Kn/cum force (KN) (KN)
ABCKIEDGF 10.27 20.5 210.54 115.79
DEIHGJ 2.23 17.6 39.25 13.74
HIKLJ 1.45 20.5 29.73 16.35
JLO 3.7 21 77.70 42.74
JONG 1.65 18 29.70 10.40
FGNM 9.73 21 204.33 112.38
Total 311.00

Calculation for cohesive weight of soil

Zone Unit length of cohesion

cohesion [C] arc (L) CXL
JLO 0 5.05 0.00
JONG 2 1.13 2.26
FGNM 0 5.24 0.00
Total 2.26

Therefore, Total Resisting Force = 311 + 2.26

= 313.26 KN

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 Design of Earthern Embankment for S.V.Kulam Tank

DRIVING FORCES

Figure For Computation of Driving Forces

Driving force = W x sin ф KN

Slice No. Zone Angle in Area Weight Driving

degrees sqm kn/cum force (KN)
1 Casing below phreatic line 3.1 0.35 7.35 0.40

2 Casing below phreatic line 3.1 0.98 20.58 1.11

3 Casing below phreatic line 3.1 1.45 30.45 1.65

4 Casing below phreatic line 3.1 1.79 37.59 2.03

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 Design of Earthern Embankment for S.V.Kulam Tank

5 Casing above phreatic line 3.1 0.15 3.15 0.17

Casing below phreatic line 3.1 1.9 38.95 2.11

6 Casing above phreatic line 3.1 1.453 29.79 1.61

Casing below phreatic line 3.1 1.89 39.69 2.15
Hearting below phreatic 3.1 0.75 13.50 0.73

7 Casing above phreatic line 3.1 0.86 17.63 0.95

Casing below phreatic line 3.1 1.09 22.89 1.24
Hearting below phreatic 3.1 0.487 8.77 0.47

8 Casing above phreatic line 3.1 1.2 24.60 1.33

Casing below phreatic line 3.1 0.68 14.28 0.77
Hearting below phreatic 3.1 0.71 12.78 0.691

9 Casing above phreatic line 3.1 1.33 27.27 1.47

Casing below phreatic line 3.1 0.903 18.96 1.03
Hearting below phreatic 3.1 0.403 7.25 0.392
Hearting above phreatic 3.1 0.29 5.10 0.276

10 Casing above phreatic line 3.2 1.18 24.19 1.35

Casing below phreatic line 3.2 1.17 24.57 1.37
Hearting above phreatic 3.2 0.69 12.14 0.678

11 Casing above phreatic line 3.2 1.35 27.68 1.54

Casing below phreatic line 3.2 0.88 18.48 1.03
hearting above phreatic 3.2 0.73 12.85 0.717

12 Casing above phreatic line 3.3 1.83 37.52 2.16

Casing below phreatic line 3.3 0.44 9.24 0.53
Hearing above phreatic 3.3 0.5 8.80 0.507

13 Casing above phreatic line 3.4 2.7 55.35 3.28

Casing below phreatic line 3.4 0.021 0.44 0.03

14 Casing above phreatic line 3.5 0.57 11.69 0.71

Total 34.49
From above calculations

Total Resisting force = 311.00 KN

Total Driving Force = 34.49 KN

Total Resisiting Force

Therfore Factor of Safety =
Total Driving Force

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 Design of Earthern Embankment for S.V.Kulam Tank

311.00
=
34.49

= 9.02
Ref. IS 7894:1975, page18,
Factor of safety to be should be <= 1.50

Hence the proposed cross-section of embankment at upstream face is safe

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