*SFLOW

Define seepage coefficients and associated sink pore pressures normal to a surface.

This option is used to provide seepage coefficients and sink pore pressures to control pore fluid flow normal to the surface in consolidation analysis.

This page discusses:

Optional parameters

AMPLITUDE

Set this parameter equal to the name of the amplitude curve that gives the variation of reference pore pressure with time. If this parameter is omitted, the reference magnitude is applied immediately at the beginning of the step or linearly over the step depending on the value assigned to the AMPLITUDE parameter on the STEP option (see Defining an Analysis). The AMPLITUDE parameter is ignored for nonuniform seepage flow boundary conditions defined in user subroutine FLOW and for drainage-only seepage boundary conditions.

OP

Set OP=MOD (default) to modify existing flows or to define additional flows.

Set OP=NEW if all existing SFLOWs applied to the model should be removed. New flows can be defined.

Data lines to define uniform seepage

First line
  1. Surface name.

  2. Seepage flow type label Q.

  3. Reference pore pressure value, uw. (Units of FL−2.)

  4. Reference seepage coefficient value, ks. (Units of F−1L3T−1.)

Repeat this data line as often as necessary to define uniform seepage for various surfaces.

Data lines to define drainage-only seepage

First line
  1. Surface name.

  2. Seepage flow type label QD.

  3. Drainage-only seepage coefficient value, ks. (Units of F−1L3T−1.)

Repeat this data line as often as necessary to define drainage-only seepage for various surfaces.

Data lines to define nonuniform seepage

First line
  1. Surface name.

  2. Seepage flow type label QNU.

  3. Optional reference pore pressure value. If given, this value is passed into user subroutine FLOW in the variable used to define the sink pore pressure.

  4. Optional reference seepage coefficient. If given, this value is passed into user subroutine FLOW in the variable used to define the seepage coefficient.

The reference pore pressure value, uw, and reference seepage coefficient, ks, are defined in user subroutine FLOW for nonuniform flow.

Repeat this data line as often as necessary to define nonuniform seepage for various surfaces.