Seepage Stochastic Analysis through the Saturated and Unsaturated Media Around the Channel

Accurate estimation of seepage flow around open channels is essential in geotechnical and hydraulic engineering. The inherent complexity of unsaturated flow and soil heterogeneity introduces variability that deterministic analyses overlook. We propose a numerical framework for stochastic seepage analysis that captures spatial variability in permeability explicitly. A stochastic permeability-suction relationship is derived from the uncertain wetting branch of the Soil Water Retention Curve (SWRC), which represents intrinsic seepage variability robustly. Implemented in MATLAB, the approach starts from a deterministic baseline and extends to include stochastic effects, enabling a comprehensive assessment of seepage rates in both saturated and unsaturated zones around the channel. Results demonstrate that soil permeability uncertainty and unsaturated-zone behavior significantly affect the total seepage flux, highlighting the need for probabilistic treatment in unsaturated seepage flow in geotechnical analysis and design. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate the individual and combined effects of the stochastic parameters on the predicted seepage flux.

کلیدواژه ها:

Stochastic seepage analysis ، Seepage flow ، Soil permeability ، Uncertainty ، Unsaturated