What do streamlines represent in a flow net?

Streamlines in a flow net represent the path taken by seepage, which is critical in analyzing groundwater flow behavior. In a flow net, streamlines indicate the direction and pathway that water would follow as it moves through soil or rock materials. This is particularly useful in civil engineering to understand how water will behave under various conditions, such as in the design of foundations, retaining structures, and systems for managing groundwater.

The visualization of streamlines helps engineers assess the effectiveness of drainage systems and predict potential issues related to seepage, such as erosion or pore pressure build-up. By following these paths, one can derive important insights into the hydraulic properties of soil and the overall stability of structures in saturated conditions.

The other options do not accurately describe the role of streamlines within a flow net. For instance, potential energy, pressure distribution, and settlement are important concepts but do not directly relate to the visualization of the paths that seepage takes. Rather, they represent different aspects of soil mechanics or geotechnical analysis. Streamlines specifically highlight the trajectory of fluid movement, which is fundamental for understanding groundwater flow in engineering contexts.