The importance of permeability in granular filter design and control

Delgado-Ramos, F. and Escudero-Merino, D. and Olalla, C. (2016) The importance of permeability in granular filter design and control. In: ICSE 2016 (8th International Conference on Scour and Erosion), 12-15 September 2016, Oxford, UK.

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Abstract

Granular filters are required to perform two basic functions in embankment dams: (a) prevent the migration of base soil particles, and (b) allow drainage of seepage water. Traditionally, retention function (a) has been evaluated using Particle Size Distribution (PSD) and drainage function (b) using Permeability (kf), but usually permeability have been also correlated with PSD, so the permeability criterion have been expressed in terms of D15b of the base soil and D15f of the granular filter. Only few authors have used filter permeability for the assessment of retention function and there is no general agreement with them, but permeability should be a very important variable because it takes into account not only the whole PSD of the filter, (instead of just several representative diameters), but also other important characteristic such as compaction, porosity, density and particle shape. Based on a literature review and research experience at the University of Granada, this paper analyses the importance of filter permeability in the design and control of granular filters in embankment dams, even with dispersive base soils.

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