Section 3.

9
Governing Flow Equation for
Consolidation Analysis

3.9-1 1.1-1
 Derivation of Governing Flow Equation for Consolidation Analysis

Consider a saturated soil element located at some depth

in the ground, and subjected to a loading at the surface.

force equilibrium

flow continuity

3.9-2
 Derivation of Governing Flow Equation for Consolidation Analysis
By considering flow in and flow out of each of the four
faces in 2-D (per m normal to the paper), we obtain:
v y
vy + y
y

y v x
vx vx + x
y x x

x
vy

In Flow (x-direction) = v x y (1a)

 v x 
Out Flow (x-direction) = vx + x  y (1b)
 x 
In Flow (y-direction) = v y x (1c)
 v y 
Out Flow (y-direction) =  v y + y  x (1d)
3.9-3  y 
 Derivation of Governing Flow Equation for Consolidation Analysis

Hence, the total in-flow and out-flow can be written as:

Total In Flow = v x y + v y x (2a)

 v x   v y 
Total Out Flow =  v x + x  y +  v y + y  x (2b)
 x   y 
Under steady-state conditions, the requirement for flow continuity
must hold true:
Total In Flow = Total Out Flow
 v x   v y 
v x y + v y x =  v x + x  y +  v y + y  x
 x   y 
v x v y
 x
x y +
y
y x = 0

v x v y
 x
+
y
=0 (3)

3.9-4 continuity equation in 2-D

 Derivation of Governing Flow Equation for Consolidation Analysis
To get the flow continuity equation in 3-D, consider
the figure below:
v y
vy + y
y

vx vz

y

v z v x
vz + z vx + x
z x
y x z
vy

z
x
3.9-5
 Derivation of Governing Flow Equation for Consolidation Analysis

Following the same in-flow and out-flow considerations as in

Slide 3.9-4, we obtain for the 3-D case, and invoking the flow
continuity requirement under steady state condition, we obtain:

 v y 
(v x )yz + (v y )xz + (v z )xy =  v x + v x x yz +  v y +  v 
y xz +  v z + z z xy
 x   y   z 

Total In Flow Total Out Flow

v x v y v z
 + + =0 (4)
x y z
continuity equation in 3-D

3.9-6
 Derivation of Governing Flow Equation for Consolidation Analysis
Let’s start with the flow continuity equation in 3-D:
v x v y v z
+ + =0 (4)
x y z
We can use Darcy’s law to re-write the equation in terms of pressure
head, and subsequently the excess pore pressure.
Using Darcy’s law, the flow velocity can be related to the permeability
and the hydraulic gradient as follows:
h
v x = − k xix = − k x (5a)
x
h
v y = − k yi y = − k y (5b)
y

h
v z = − k ziz = − k z (5c)
z
We then substitute vx , vy and vz from Eqs. 5a to 5c into the flow
3.9-7
continuity Eq. 4.
 Derivation of Governing Flow Equation for Consolidation Analysis
By substituting Eq. 5 into Eq 4, we obtain
v x v y v z
+ + =0
x y z
  h    h    h 
  − kx + 
 − ky 
 +  − kz =0
x  x  y  y  z  z 

 2h  2h  2h
 kx 2 + ky 2 + kz 2 = 0 (6)
x y z
This is the same equation as the steady state seepage flow
equation that we will consider shortly in Section 4 (on seepage).
It is valid for the steady state flow condition in which the net flow
into (or out of) the soil element is zero.
That is, there is no change in volume of the soil element with time,
since there is no accumulation or reduction of the pore fluid within
3.9-8
the element (due to net flow = 0).
 Derivation of Governing Flow Equation for Consolidation Analysis
Since we are interested in calculating the pore pressure for
consolidation analysis, it will be helpful if the head h in Equation
6 can be expressed as the pore pressure.

To do this, we use the relationship

p = h w (7)
from which,
h = p/ w (8)

Note that, for consolidation analysis, the nodal pore pressure

that we are calculating is the excess pore pressure.
This excess pore pressure does not include the steady state or
hydrostatic pore pressure

Hence, for consolidation analysis, the head h in Equation 6 is the

excess pore pressure head hexcess in the pore fluid, given by
hexcess = pexcess /  w (9)

where pexcess is the excess pore pressure in the soil element.

3.9-9
 Derivation of Governing Flow Equation for Consolidation Analysis

Hence, Equation 6 can be re-written in terms of hexcess as:

 2hexcess  2hexcess  2hexcess
kx + ky + kz =0 (10)
x 2
y 2
z 2

In Eq. 10, hexcess can be replaced by pexcess using Eq. 9,

leading to

k x  2p excess k y  2p excess k z  2p excess

+ + =0 (11)
 w x 2
 w y 2
w z 2

Henceforth in Section 3, it will be taken that the pore

pressure p in the governing equation refers to the excess
pore pressure pexcess , and hence we will write Eq. 11 more
simply as
kx  p ky  p kz  p
2 2 2
(12)
+ + =0
 w x 2
 w y 2
 w z 2

3.9-10
 Derivation of Governing Flow Equation for Consolidation Analysis

Hence, Eq. 12 is actually the steady-state seepage flow

equation written in terms of the excess pore pressure in the
soil element.

kx  p 2
k y  p
2
kz  p
2
+ + =0 (12)
 w x 2
 w y 2
 w z 2

How does it apply to consolidation analysis?

To understand the link between the steady state seepage

flow equation and consolidation analysis, we first recap
some of the key features of the consolidation phenomenon.

3.9-11
 Derivation of Governing Flow Equation for Consolidation Analysis

Key Features of the Consolidation Process:

➢ Consolidation is a time-dependent phenomenon.

(not steady-state)

➢ There is volume change involved, as water

seeps out during consolidation and the excess
pore pressure dissipates.

➢ Hence, we need to include volume change term

in the continuity equation.

3.9-12
 Derivation of Governing Flow Equation for Consolidation Analysis
In other words, during the consolidation process:
Total In Flow  Total Out Flow
v y
vy + y
y
y

z vx vz
x
y

v z v x
vz + z vx + x
z x
x z
vy

If inflow  outflow, there is net accumulation or reduction

of fluid in the element, hence the element will experience
volumetric change.
3.9-13
 Derivation of Governing Flow Equation for Consolidation Analysis

If total inflow  total outflow, Eq. 12 is strictly not true, that is:
k x  2p k y  2p k z  2p
+ + 0 (13)
 w x 2
 w y 2
 w z 2

The difference between the inflow and the outflow results in a

volumetric strain of the element.
In other words, the RHS of Eq. 13 must reflect the difference
between the inflow and outflow of the element, which is the
volumetric strain v. This gives:

k x  2p k y  2p k z  2p v rate of
+ + =− volumetric
 w x 2
 w y 2
 w z 2
t strain

k x  2p k y  2p k z  2p v
 + + + =0 (14)
 w x 2
 w y 2
 w z 2
t
3.9-14
 Derivation of Governing Flow Equation for Consolidation Analysis

Hence, Eq. 14 is the governing flow equation for

flow continuity with consolidation
k x  2p k y  2p k z  2p v
+ + + =0 (14)
 w x 2
 w y 2
 w z 2
t
➢ Note that the volumetric strain, v, depends on the
stresses / strains in the element
➢ The stresses/strains in the element are dependent on
the pressure loadings/boundary conditions. Hence
the calculation of v involves the stress equilibrium
equation.
➢ This means that the flow continuity equation Eq. 14
has to be solved together with the stress equilibrium
equation for consolidation problems.
➢ This results in a Coupled Analysis!
3.9-15