In order to analyse the seepage flow problems through the dam, 39 kinds of models made were experimented according to the dam slope inclinations, the particle size of dam materials and the upstream water levels on the assumption that the flow is plane, steady and governed by Darcy’s law.
The problems were analysed and compared by adapting the experiment, the conventional methods, the fragment method and the relaxation procedure.
The results obtained are as the follows:
1. The seepage line gradients were steep in proportion to the rise of the upstream water level and the increment ratio is disposed to decrease as the easiness of the dam slope inclinations but the particle size of the dam materials were not influenced to the variations of the seepage line gradients.
2. The dam slope inclinations were in direct ratio to the seepage line gradients but the length of outcrop surface was in inverse proportion to it.
3. The position of outcrop point was upward tendency at the downstream slope surface as the rise of upstream water level and its height was approached to approximately 1/4-1/3 of the upstream water level.
4. The experimented and calculated results of the seepage line shape were in almost similar form each other and the equipotential lines were proved the perpendicular arc to the flow line.
5. The experimental seepage quantities were more than the calculated values and Schoklitsch’s values were closed to the experimental values.
6. The seepage line for the zone type section was similar to the cubic curve and the outcrop point was not appeared outward of the downstream slope surface.
7. In this seepage flow analysis, the conventional methods and fragment method were recognized to its validity of the applications in the field of seepage analysis of dam bndy. Especially, the relaxation technique were assured more rapid convergence to the desired value than any other methods and this method was possible to adapt the seepage flow analysis of the nonhomogeneous porous media.
In the future, more rapid and correct solutions for the seepage flow analysis of dams including the various soil conditions and boundary conditions will be solved under the condition of the development of computerized algorithm.