Horizontal Seepage Test System with Intelligent Graded Loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current seepage test systems for dam materials are limited by vertical water flow direction, small diameter, inability to apply overburden stress, and lack of visualization of failure phenomena, making them unsuitable for large-scale and realistic simulations.
Innovation Solution
An ultra-large horizontal seepage test system with intelligent graded loading and variable seepage path, featuring a water storage system, water pressure system, and intelligent loading and control system, allowing adjustable water head pressure, overburden stress application, and visualization of failure processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If vertical water flow direction is used in seepage test, then test setup is simple, but it is inconsistent with actual horizontal seepage and cannot accurately determine permeability coefficients
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional vertical water flow direction to horizontal water flow direction. The test piece is placed horizontally between upstream and downstream pools, and water flows horizontally through the test piece, consistent with actual seepage conditions in earth-rock dams. This inversion resolves the contradiction by making the test direction match the actual application scenario while maintaining test feasibility through proper support structure design.
2Length of moving object
If small diameter seepage apparatus is used, then device size is compact, but maximum particle size is limited to 6 cm and scale-down effect occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from small-diameter vertical apparatus to large-scale horizontal apparatus. The test piece dimensions are increased to accommodate maximum particle sizes up to 1 meter, with the apparatus length extending to several meters. This dimensional change eliminates scale-down effects and allows testing with actual dam material sizes, improving reliability while the horizontal configuration maintains manageable device proportions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If fixed small water head pressure is applied, then apparatus structure is simple, but it cannot meet actual project requirements for variable water pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic water head pressure control through independently controllable pressurized pumps on the upstream side. The water head pressure can be adjusted within 0.1-200 meters and changed during testing to simulate different reservoir conditions. This dynamic control capability provides adaptability to various project requirements while using standard hydraulic equipment to manage system complexity.
4Stress or pressure
If overburden stress is not applied, then test setup is simple, but seepage test is conducted only under self-weight stress and does not reflect actual 2 MPa overburden conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses hydraulic actuators to apply vertical overburden stress to the test piece, simulating the 2 MPa stress conditions in actual earth-rock dams. The loading system includes force measuring sensors and controllable actuators that can apply and maintain specified stress levels. This hydraulic approach provides accurate stress control while using established technology to manage system complexity.
5Measurement precision
If failure phenomenon cannot be observed, then test operation is simple, but misjudgment is easy to be made in anti-filter material testing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates transparent observation windows and transparent or translucent test piece sides to enable visual observation of failure phenomena. The horizontal configuration allows direct viewing of internal structures and failure modes during testing. This visualization capability improves detection accuracy while using simple optical design rather than complex instrumentation systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables realistic and large-scale seepage testing with adjustable water flow angles and stress levels, facilitating accurate determination of permeability coefficients and filter performance of dam materials.
Implementation Method 1
the water pressure system is used to apply a water pressure and a vertical pressure to a test piece
Implementation Method 2
seepage test is one of current commonly used methods for determining a permeability coefficient and hydraulic gradients
Implementation Method 3
an overburden stress can be applied by the commonly used seepage apparatuses, the seepage test is carried out merely under a self-weight stress of the test piece, which is inconsistent with an actual situation that the test piece may be subjected to an overburden stress of up to 2 MPa
Data Source
AI summary
An ultra-large horizontal seepage test system with intelligent graded loading and variable seepage path is provided, which includes a water storage system, a water pressure system, a horizontal seepage test system and an intelligent loading and control system. The water storage system, the water pressure system and the horizontal seepage test system are connected in sequence, and the water pressure system is used to apply a water pressure and a vertical pressure to a test piece to be tested in the horizontal seepage test system. An outlet valve of the horizontal seepage test system is connected to the water storage system, and the intelligent loading and control system is used to control operations of electrical components of the water pressure system and the horizontal seepage test system. With the test system, a water head pressure can be loaded intelligently, and an infiltration angle of water inflow can be adjusted.