Hydraulic Conductivity of Cracked Concrete Linings

Concrete linings are used for water containment, in particular in reservoirs and canals. When the soil underlying a concrete lining has a high permeability, seepage into the ground of water from concrete-lined reservoirs and canals is essentially governed by leakage of water through the concrete linings. Therefore, it is essential to properly evaluate the hydraulic conductivity of concrete linings. It is known that cracks generally develop in concrete linings. This article provides material data and a method for the evaluation of the hydraulic conductivity of concrete linings, in particular cracked concrete linings, through two approaches. The first approach consists of a review of selected published values of the measured hydraulic conductivity of intact and cracked concrete. The second approach consists in developing an original analytical method to determine the hydraulic conductivity of cracked concrete using the results of an experimental evaluation of the influence, on water flow, of the tortuosity and rugosity of concrete cracks. The results obtained with the two approaches are compared and numerical examples are presented. Based on these results, practical guidance is provided to design engineers for a safe evaluation of the hydraulic conductivity of concrete linings, cracked or not cracked.