The comparison of experimental & theoretical uplift on a model structure due to a high water table

McArdle, Paul (2014) The comparison of experimental & theoretical uplift on a model structure due to a high water table. Bachelors thesis, Dundalk Institute of Technology.

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Abstract

Uplift pressure can be defined as the hydrostatic force of water exerted on or underneath a structure tending to cause a displacement of the structure. This force is quite common in structures such as dams and tunnels. Hydrostatic uplift can become significant when considering the size of structures such as dams or tunnels. However structural failures have occurred due to the failure to design for hydrostatic uplift. The purpose of this dissertation is to assess the forces that hydrostatic uplift can exert on a structure when it is subjected to a high water table using a flow net approach. An experimental analysis was constructed in a drainage and seepage tank to model the performance of the structure and the magnitude of the uplift forces as the level of water table varied. This dissertation contains a brief history of Hydrostatic Uplift, some failures which have occurred due to it and the theories associated with it. The theoretical and experimental results will be compared and discussed and conclusions will be drawn as to the reliability of the methods associated with analysing Hydrostatic Uplift. This paper concludes that analysing the effects of Hydrostatic Uplift by using a flow net approach, does provide a reasonable and conservative estimate of the actual hydrostatic pressure.

Item Type:	Thesis (Bachelors)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Water table; Hydrostatic uplift; Displacement; Flow net approach.
Subjects:	Engineering
Research Centres:	UNSPECIFIED
Depositing User:	Sean McGreal
Date Deposited:	29 Jul 2015 15:02
Last Modified:	29 Jul 2015 15:29
URI:	https://eprints.dkit.ie/id/eprint/434

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