A New Interpolation Meshing Method for Calculating Section Seepage Flux

• Published in: Physical and Numerical Simulation of Geotechnical Engineering no. 9; p. 22
• Main Authors: Shen, Zhenzhong, Qi, Shuwen, Xu, Liqun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brighton East St. Plum-Blossom Press Pty Ltd 01.12.2012
• Subjects: Computer simulation; Finite element method; Flux; Interpolation; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Meshing; Seepage
• ISSN: 1838-3254; 2204-2040

The one of main purposes of seepage analysis is calculating seepage flux. Now the finite element method (FEM) is usually used to analyze the seepage flow of water project, and by use of the mid-section method, the section seepage flux is calculated according to seepage field based upon FEM. But the mid-section is made of mid faces of many elements, which limited by the elements. It needs to consider the section composed by the elements when meshing. In the light of the characteristics of seepage field based on FEM, here a new method based upon FEM is proposed to calculate the section seepage flux. Firstly the arbitrary quadrangle section is meshing into many small grid elements automatically. Then the nodal water head of grid elements are obtained by interpolating in the seepage field, and the seepage gradient at the center of grid elements are calculated too. Finally the section seepage flux can be obtained by adding up. It is shown that the improved method has a high calculation precision. It is not limited by the element shapes, and is very convenient in use. It has more advantages than the mid-section method.