On the Non-Linearity and Anisotropy of Seepage Flow in Compacted Soils

Abstract

10 soil samples included coarse sand, fine sand, sandy silt, and silty clay wererecompacted in cylindrical and cubic molds for 1 and 2-directions falling-head permeability testrespectively. The results represent that even though unsaturated condition in compacted soilscaused the seepage flow to be non-linear, Darcy's law could be applied approximately. Deviationfrom Darcy's law becomes enormous only if hydraulic gradient is less than 1. Ratio of horizontaldischarge flux to vertical discharge flux is roughly constant when hydraulic gradient is greater than1. The smaller the hydraulic gradient is, the more the ratio varies. Method of compaction hardlyaffected flow behavior in coarse sand. According to 2-directions test results, anisotropy affectedthe soils which is finer than coarse sand.