STUDENT CODE OF ETHIC

(SCE)
DEPARTMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND GEOMATIC ENGINEERING
FACULTY OF CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

I, hereby confess that I have prepared this report on my own effort. I also admit not
to receive or give any help during the preparation of this report and pledge
that everything mentioned in the report is true.

_________________
Student Signature

Name

Matric No. :
Date

FACULTY: CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENG.

DEPARTMENT: INFRASTRUCTURE AND
GEOMATIC ENGINEERING

PAGE NO.:
EDITION:
REVIEW NO.:
EFFECTIVE
DATE:
AMENDMENT
DATE:

TEST TITLE: CONSTANT HEAD

PERMEABILITY TEST

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1.0 OBJECTIVE
TO DETERMINE THE PERMEABILITY OF SANDS AND GRAVELS CONTAINING LITTLE OR NO
SILT.

2.0 LEARNING OUTCOME

At the end of this experiment, students are able to:
Describe the procedure to determine the coefficient of permeability of sands and gravels based on
BS 1377.
Identify the relationship between permeability and pore size of the coarse grained soils.
Measure the coefficient of permeability of sands and gravels containing little or no silt.

3.0 THEORY
The most common permeability cell (permeameter) is 75mm in diameter and is intended for sands
containing particles up to about 5mm. A larger cell, 114mm, can be used for testing sands containing
particles up to about 10mm, i.e. medium gravel size. As a general rule the ratio of the cell diameter to the
diameter of the largest size of particle in significant quantity should be at least 12.
The constant head permeability cell is intended for testing disturbed granular soils which are recompacted
into the cell, either by using a specified compactive effort, or to achieve a certain dry density, i.e. void ratio.
In the constant head test, water is made to flow through a column of soil under the application of a pressure
difference which remains constant, i.e. under a constant head. The amount of water passing through the soil
in a known time is measured, and the permeability of the sample is calculated by using Equation (1).
If the connections to the cell are arranged so that water flows upwards through the sample, the critical
hydraulic gradient can be determined after measuring the steady state permeability, and the effects of
instability (boiling and piping) can be observed. It is important that use only air-free water, and measures for
preventing air bubbling out of solution during these tests is very crucial.

Permeability, k(m / s)

Where: q = rate of flow,

A = area of sample,
i = hydraulic gradient,
=

h 2 h1
L

h1 - h2 = head difference between 2 reference points

L = distance between 2 reference points

q
Ai

(1)

FACULTY: CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENG.

DEPARTMENT: INFRASTRUCTURE AND
GEOMATIC ENGINEERING
TEST TITLE: CONSTANT HEAD
PERMEABILITY TEST

PAGE NO.:
EDITION:
REVIEW NO.:
EFFECTIVE DATE:
AMENDMENT
DATE:

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4.0 TEST EQUIPMENTS

1. Constant head permeability cells, fitted with loading piston, perforated plates, flow tube connections,
piezometer nipples and connections, air bleed valve, sealing rings. Figure 1 shows permeameter
cells that commonly used in laboratory testing.

Figure 1: Permeameter cells for constant head test: (a) 75mm, (b) 114mm
(Courtesy of ELE International, 2007)

FACULTY: CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENG.

DEPARTMENT: INFRASTRUCTURE AND
GEOMATIC ENGINEERING
TEST TITLE: CONSTANT HEAD
PERMEABILITY TEST

PAGE NO.:
EDITION:
REVIEW NO.:
EFFECTIVE
DATE:
AMENDMENT
DATE:

3/6

3/01/12
3/01/12

5.0 PROCEDURES
1. Prepare permeameter cell,
a. Remove the top plate assembly from the cell.
b. Measure the following dimensions:
i.
Mean internal diameter (D mm),
ii.
Distance between centres of each set of manometer connection points along
the axis of the cell (L mm),
iii.
Overall approximate internal length of cell (H1 mm),
c. Calculate the following based on measured dimensions:
i.
Area of cross-section of sample, A = D2/4 mm2
ii.
Approximate mass of soil required, to fill the permeameter cell,
V = A H1/1000 cm3
iii.
Approximate mass of soil required, if placed at a density Mg/m3,
mass = A H1/1000 g
2. Select sample,
a. Air-dry the soil which the test sample is to be taken.
b. Sieve the soil sample and any particles larger than 5 mm need to be removed by
sieving.
c. The material needs to be reduced by the usual riffling process to produce several
batches of samples each about equal to the mass required to fill the permeameter cell
3. Prepare sample,
a. The sample may be placed in the permeameter cell by one of three methods:
i.
Compacting by rodding,
ii.
Dry pouring,
iii.
Pouring through water,
4. Assemble cell
a. Place a second porous disc (if one has already been used) and the second wire gauze
disc on top of the soil, followed by about 40mm thickness of glass balls or gravel filter
material,
b. The level of the top surface of the filter should be within the limits required to
accommodate the top plate,
c. Slacken the piston locking collar on the cell top, pull the piston up as far as it will go,
and re-tighten the locking collar,
d. Fit the cell top on the cell and tighten it down into place by progressively tightening the
clamping screws,
e. Release the piston locking collar and push the piston down until the perforated plate
bears on the filter material,
f. Hold it down firmly while the locking collar is re-tightened
5. Connect up cell
a. Connect the nozzle at the base of the cell to the de-aired water supply, and close the
inlet cock,
b. Connect each piezometer point that is to be used to a manometer tube and close with
a pinchcock close to the cell,
c. Connect the top outlet of the cell to the vacuum, fitted with a water trap, using rigid
plastic or thick-walled rubber tubing
d. Close the air bleed screw on the cell top

FACULTY: CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENG.

DEPARTMENT: INFRASTRUCTURE AND
GEOMATIC ENGINEERING
TEST TITLE: CONSTANT HEAD
PERMEABILITY TEST

PAGE NO.:
EDITION:
REVIEW NO.:
EFFECTIVE
DATE:
AMENDMENT
DATE:

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6. Saturate and de-air sample

7. Connect up for test
8. Run test
a. Turn on the supply of de-aired water to the constant head device, which be at a low
level initially,
b. Open water supply valve that connect it to the cell, and the base outlet cock
c. Allow water to flow through the sample until the conditions appear to be steady and the
water levels in the manometer tubes remain stationary
d. Adjust valve on the supply line to the constant head device so that there is a
continuous small overflow; if this is excessive, the de-aired water will be wasted.
e. To start a test run, empty the measuring cylinder and start the timer at the instant the
measuring cylinder is placed under the outlet overflow.
f. Record the clock time at which the first run is started.
g. Read the levels of the water in the manometer tubes (h1, h2, etc.) and measure the
water temperature (TC) in the outlet reservoir.
h. When the level in the cylinder reaches a predetermined mark (such as 50ml or 200ml)
stop the clock, record the elapsed time to the nearest half second,
9. Repeat test
a. Empty the cylinder, and make four to six repeat runs at about 5 minutes intervals.
10. Dismantle cell
11. Calculate results
12. Report

Figure 2: General arrangement for constant head permeability test (downward flow)
(Courtesy of ELE International, 2007)

FACULTY: CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENG.

DEPARTMENT: INFRASTRUCTURE AND
GEOMATIC ENGINEERING
TEST TITLE: CONSTANT HEAD
PERMEABILITY TEST

PAGE NO.:
EDITION:
REVIEW NO.:
EFFECTIVE
DATE:
AMENDMENT
DATE:

5/6

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6.0 RESULTS AND CALCULATIONS

Constant Head Permeability test
Location: Pantai Punggur
Operator:
Soil description: Light brown sand
Method of
preparation: lightly compacted in 3 layers
Sample diameter:
Sample area, A:
Sample dry mass:

80 mm
5026 mm

1925 g

S.G. measured/assumed: 2.65

Heights above datum: inlet
Manometer a:
mm
Head difference a to c, H:
Flow upwards/downwards
Temperature:

mm
Manometer b:
mm

Sample no: 2
Date:

Sample length:

232 mm

Sample volume:

1166 mm3

Sample dry density:

16.19 kN/m3

Voids ratio: 0.8

Heights above datum: outlet
mm
Manometer c:
Distance difference, L:
Hydraulic gradients (H/L)

mm
mm
mm
mm

Reading:
Time from
start

Time interval,
t

min.
2

min.
2

10

15

20

25

30

35

45

10

Measured
flow, Q
ml

Rate of flow, q
= Q/t
ml/min

1
t
t = time from start

FACULTY: CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENG.

DEPARTMENT: INFRASTRUCTURE AND
GEOMATIC ENGINEERING
TEST TITLE: CONSTANT HEAD
PERMEABILITY TEST

PAGE NO.:
EDITION:
REVIEW NO.:
EFFECTIVE
DATE:
AMENDMENT
DATE:

a) Plot the graph of q versus 1/t and determine the value of q at 1/t is equal to zero.
b) Use the q from the graph to calculate the permeability.

Calculations:
Permeability, k =

q
= _________________ (m/s)
Ai 60

7.0 QUESTIONS

1. Determine the coefficient of permeability for the given soil sample.

2. Discuss and give the conclusion of this test.

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