Seepage Meaning
Seepage is the movement of water in soils or the ground. The flow of water through the soil or ground is called seepage. But seepage meaning does not only limit itself to water only but other fluids as well. Thus, seepage meaning is the flow of water or any fluid through the soil or the ground. Seepage is often a critical problem in geology. A common example of such a problem is the flow of water or fluids through the building foundations. This flow of water or other fluids occurs through the pores or interstices. It is a common phenomenon around hydraulic structures in buildings or water bodies.
Seepage - A Menace
Seepage, as already introduced above, is the flow of water through the pores or interstices especially in building foundations, it becomes a critical factor to be understood. Water seepage meaning depends on several factors. These factors include pressure gradient and the permeability of the soil which is essentially the combination of the forces of gravity through other factors. The permeability can vary widely over a range depending on the soil structure and the composition making it possible for the safe design of such structures as earth dams and reservoirs with very little or negligible loss via leakage and other structures such as roadbeds and filtration beds in which the rapid drainings are desirable.
Some of the following factors can be checked when seepage is to be observed, especially water seepage meaning is satisfied in any of the leaks. They are Water, Dampness, Moisture, Corrosion, Discoloration, Staining, Exudations, Efflorescence, and Incrustations. When any such leakage and seepage meaning fulfilling symptoms are visible then they are to be reported since the seepage can cause serious problems to the building foundations. This water seepage meaning becomes a common menace when the iron or steel used commonly in modern building constructions gets corroded thus weakening the foundations and the structure of the building and the constructions.
Seepage of Groundwater
Commonly speaking seepage synonyms is leakage. But there is a difference between the two. Leakage is the flow of water not through the interstitial or very minute spaces in-between material molecules but through the cracks of damaged materials carrying water or any other fluids. Also, the flow of water through leakage is generally faster than the seepage. Another concept that is related to the flow of fluids is permeability. But permeability is the allowance of the fluid through the material and it's an intrinsic property of the material. Whereas seepage is generally seen in damaged construction materials or sometimes occurs in materials with the passage of time. There is also groundwater seepage. In this, the water seeps through the soil. Sometimes when there is excess groundwater available it can seep through the porous soil material against the gravity and get collected in the basements of construction sites or already constructed buildings. Thus, seepage occurs from a reservoir to drainage i.e. from sites having a higher quantity of water to sites with a lesser quantity of water. In many ways, seepage is an undesirable phenomenon, unlike permeability which can be desirable under special conditions.
Thus, it is clear that seepage is the slow flow of water or any other fluid through spaces present in between porous materials and can be considered as leakage as well but is significantly different from the permeability of fluids.
FAQs on Seepage
1. What is Meant by Seepage of Water?
Ans: Seepage is the process of anything seeping, or leaking that too extremely slowly. When any liquid or gas slowly flows through or rather leaks through the tiny holes or gaps in the container or barrier it is known as seepage. The seepage of rainwater through the foundation of the houses or building bases can cause damage to the entire structure as it can lead to a damp basement and corrode the metals used in the construction materials.
2. What are Leakage and Seepage?
Ans: Both the leakage and seepage are noun forms of words. Leakage means the act of leaking or flowing of fluid either liquid or gas through a crack or a damaged area. While seepage means the process of flowing the fluid be it liquid or gas through a porous material, an aperture, or through any of the interstitial spaces in a porous material. Seepage is generally a very slow process as compared to leaking. Seepage occurs in buildings where the rainwater seeps through the construction material or through the soil into the ground as well, which is also a very common phenomenon.
3. What is the Seepage Problem?
Ans: Water seepage is a common problem in building constructions. Water seepage is the very slow flow of water through the interstitial spaces in the construction materials over a period of time. Water seepage is caused by the slow leakage occurring in defective pipes, drainage pipes, sanitary fitments, etc. Most of the time these defects can be solved by simple repair works after identifying the cause of the leakage through the works. The common factors that indicate seepage are Water, Dampness, Moisture, Corrosion, Discoloration, Staining, Exudations, Efflorescence, and Incrustations. Once these factors are identified and reported the seepage problem can be solved.
4. What is the Difference Between Permeability and Seepage?
Ans: Permeability as the name suggests is the flow of liquid when it is allowed to flow through. It is a measure of how easily a fluid can flow through a porous medium. Thus, it is considered to be an intrinsic property of the medium. Also, under certain circumstances permeability is a desirable physical property. On the other hand, seepage is the slow leakage of water or any other fluid through the porous material. It is a menace in building construction activities but good when it comes to restoring groundwater. Rainwater through the buildings can lead to the occurrence of damp basements and corroded structures. When the same rainwater seeps through the solid it gets collected as groundwater. But since the process is slow it can take many years to replenish the groundwater resources. Seepage takes place when there is a difference in the water level on two sides of a structure such as a dam.
