TOTAL DISCHARGE

Question

Hello 
 ım studying seapage on embankment dams with clay core via PLAXIS 2D. I have a question about total discharge in unit m&sup3;/day/m or m/day. I mean total discharge in embankment not only a cross section. 
 Thank you.

Vasileios Basas · Answer

Hi Arife, 
 I am unsure which part of your post is the question, but I assume there may be a confusion between the specific and the total discharge. 
 The total discharge through a cross-section can be obtained by drawing a cross-section through the interface element and selecting Stresses &rarr; Groundwater flow&rarr;|q|/qx/qy. The value of total discharge is displayed below the plot in the unit of volume per unit of time, per unit of width in the out-of-plane direction (i.e. m&sup3;/day/m) 
 The specific discharge (groundwater flux) at the element stress points is presented in the unit of length per unit of time (i.e. m/day). This quantity represents the volume of water that flows through a unit cross-sectional area of porous media per unit time: q = Q/A = -k (dh/dl).