PERMEABILITY TEST INTRODUCTION

This test demonstrates the laboratory measurement of coefficient of permeability of soil using 1) Constant Head Permeameter. 2) Falling Head Permeameter.

THEORY The principal of the constant head permeameter is illustrated in Fig. 1.Water from the reservoir is allowed to flow through a soil sample of known cross sectional area A at a constant rate.The hydraulic head h is measured between to points a distance l.The water flowing through the sample is collected in a measuring cyclinder to find the quantity of water Q passing through the sample during time t.

CONSTANT HEAD PERMEAMETER

The principal of the falling head parameter is illustrated in Fig.2.Water is allowed to run through the stand pipe of cross sectional area A.The times t1,t2,t3 are noted when the dropping water level indicates readings h1,h2,h3 etc. During a small time interval dt the change in height of the water level in the stand pipe is (-dh),the negative sign indicating that the head is decreasing.Thevolume rate of flow is q=a(dh/dt). Applying Darcys Law :-

FALLING HEAD PERMEAMETER

PROCEDURE a. Constant Head Parameter (1) Transfer the sand to the permeameter.During this process some water should be added,to ensure that, there are no air bubbles trapped in the sand. (2) Connect the inlet to the constant head water supply and allow water to pass through,until the sample get saturated. (3) Watch on the water levels of the stand pipes.Wait until levels become constant (a teady has been achieved).Once a steady state been achieved,record the time required to collect 1000 ml of water. (4) Note the pressure difference in manometers.

b.Falling Head Parameter (1) Connect the water supply to graduated tube and open the valve to remove all the air from the system. (2) Record the water level in the stand pipe at time intervals of 5 min or 10 min as appropriate.

Some Additional Data on The Permeameters Distance between manometers in the constant in the constant head apparatus = 93 mm Diameter of the soil sample in the constant head apparatus = 75 mm Length of the soil sample in falling head apparatus = 150 mm Diameter of the soil sample in the falling head apparatus = 99.6 mm

Determination of the coefficient of permeability by the constant head method Amount of water collected = 1000 ml Distance between the piezometers = 93 mm Diameter of the sample = 75 mm

SET NUMBER

1 2 3 4 5 6

Time to collect 1000 ml water (sec) 20 25 30 35 40 45

h1 (cm)

h2 (cm)

H (cm) h2-h1

Rate of flow (m3/s) Q=v/t 0.001/20 = 0.050 x 10-3 0.001/25 = 0.040 x 10-3 0.001/30 = 0.030 x 10-3 0.001/45 = 0.029 x 10-3 0.001/40 = 0.025 x 10-3 0.001/45 = 0.022 x 10-3

65.5 70.1 66.1 72.1 82.1 90.1

95.1 94.1 86.9 89.2 97.1 103.4

65.5 95.5 = 30 94.1 70.1 = 24 86.9 66.1 = 20.8 82.2 72.1 = 17.1 82.1 97.1 = 15.0 103.4 90.1= 13.3

DETERMINATION OF THE COEFFICIENT OF PERMEABILITY BY THE FALLING HEAD Diameter of the sample = 99.6 mm Diameter of the stand pipe = 19 mm Length of the sample = 150 mm Level of the outlet = 33 cm Time Start t (min) Water level,h (cm) 90 87.5 h + 33 (cm) 123.0 120.5 h0 h1 h0/h1 Ln(h0/h1)

0 5

123 123

0 120.5

10

85.1

118.1

123

118.1

15

83.1

116.1

123

116.1

20

80.6

113.6

123

113.6

25

78.1

111.1

123

111.1

30

76.4

109.4

123

109.4

35

74.2

107.2

123

107.2

40

72.2

105.2

123

105.2

45

70.1

103.1

123

103.1

50

68.1

101.1

123

101.1

123/120.5 = 1.021 123/118.1 = 1.041 123/116.1 = 1.060 123/113.6 = 1.083 123/111.1 = 1.107 123/109.4 = 1.124 123/107.2 = 1.147 123/105.2 = 1.170 123/103.1 = 1.193 123/101.1 = 1.217

0.021

0.040

0.058

0.080

0.102

0.117

0.137

0.157

0.176

0.196

DISCUSSION
Based on the experiment constant head: Coefficient of permeability, k = 3.541 x 10-8 mm/s Type of soil: Clay Description:-Homogeneous below zone of weathering,Compacted clays-wet of optimum Drainage:Practically impermeable

Based on the experiment falling head method: Coefficient of permeability,k =3.5 x 10-3 mm/s Type of soil : Sand Description: Clean very fine,silty,stratified clay/silts,Fissured,desiccated. Drainage:Good

CONCLUSION
The objective of this experiment is to introduce the student to the idea of permeability of a soil through tests designed to find the permeability constant: a value that is unique among different soils and dictates how quickly water at a certain temperature will flow through a soil. The experiment implements the constant-head and falling-head methods of calculating the permeability constant, k.