Exercise - XSLOPE Seepage Analysis

For this exercise, we will perform a pair of seepage analyses using XSLOPE for problem with confined (fully-saturated) conditions. For both cases, we will first prepare the problem inputs in an XSLOPE Excel input file starting with the standard template:

input_template.xlsx

After preparing each input file, launch the following Google Colab notebook to upload the Excel input file and perform the seepage analysis:

Open In Colab

1. Clay Blanket Sheetpile Problem

This problem corresponds to the clay-blanket sheetpile case that we analyzed in our flow net section:

sheetpilefigure.png

Use the Excel file to specify the material properties, define the geometry using a profile line, and assign boundary conditions. As you set up the problem, you will need to define a local coordinate system. Set up your coordinate system as follows:

sheetpilepoints.png

Solution: xslope_clay_blanket.xlsx

2. Sea Trench Problem

The following problem is for a construction project in a harbor that requires that a section of the harbor bottom be exposed by pumping the water out of a trench formed by a pair of parallel sheetpile walls. The sheetpiles pass through an upper silt layer until they penetrate a lower silty clay layer with a lower permeability to a depth of 4 ft.

sea_trench.png

The properties of the soil layers are as follows:

Soil Layer K1 K2
Silt 0.5 0.5
Silty Clay 0.1 0.1

Since this is a fully saturated problem, the kr0 and h0 material parameters are ignored. The problem set up requires 3 profile lines: 1 at the top of the silt layer on the left side, 1 at the top of the silt layer on the right, and 1 at the top of the silty clay layer that goes all the way from the left side to the right side of the problem. This profile line includes a small gap at the location of each sheetpile penetration to create a no-flow boundary along the edge of the sheetpile. The first two profile lines will reference material 1 (Silt) and the third profile line will reference material 2 (Silty Clay).

As you build the problem input, you may wish to use the following coordinates:

sea_trench_coords.png

Solution: xslope_sea_trench.xlsx