Geotechnical and Foundation Engineering November 30, 2016

EXPERIMENT # 7

DETERMINATION OF COEFFICIENT OF PERMEABILITY

BY CONSTANT HEAD APPARATUS
7.1 OBJECTIVE
This test method measures hydraulic conductivity also known as coefficient of
permeability) of materials with a rigid-wall mould permeameter. Such materials
can be tested whose hydraulic conductivity is less than or equal to 1 x 105
cm/sec.
The determination of the coefficient of permeability by a constant-head method
for the laminar flow of water through granular soils to establish representative
values of the coefficient of permeability of granular soils that may occur in
natural deposits as placed in embankments, or when used as base courses
under pavements.
In order to limit consolidation influences during testing, this procedure is limited
to disturbed granular soils containing not more than 10 % soil passing the 75
m (No.200) sieve.
7.2 APPARATUS
Permeameter
Tamper
Balance
Scoop
1000 mL Graduated cylinders
Stopwatch
Thermometer
Filter paper

7.3 SIGNIFICANCE AND USE

This test method applies to one-dimensional, laminar flow of water within
laboratory-compacted, porous materials
The hydraulic conductivity of porous materials generally decreases with an
increasing amount of air in the pores of the material. This test method applies
to porous materials containing little or no air.
The test method is designed to minimize the amount of air in the test specimen.

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7.4 RELATED THEORY

Permeability is a soil property indicating the ease with which water will flow through
the soil.

In the design of engineering projects, one of the most important soil properties of
interest to the soils engineer is permeability. To some degree, permeability will play a
role in the design of almost any structure. For example, the durability of concrete is
related to its permeability. In designs that make use of earthen materials (soils and
rock) the permeability of these material swill usually be of great importance.

Soils are permeable (water may flow through them) because they consist not only of
solid particles, but a network of interconnected pores. The degree to which soils are
permeable depends upon a number of factors, such as soil type, grain size distribution
and soil history. This degree of permeability is characterized by the coefficient of
permeability.

Permeability depends on the following factors:

The size of soil grains

The properties of pore fluids
The void ratio of the soil
The shapes and arrangement of pores
The degree of saturation

7.4.1 HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY(K)

The rate of discharge of water under laminar flow conditions through a unit cross-
sectional area of a porous medium under a unit hydraulic gradient and standard
temperature conditions (20C).

7.4.2 HYDRAULIC GRADIENT:

The hydraulic gradient is a vector gradient between two or more hydraulic head
measurements over the length of the flow path.

Where h2 and h1 are the piezometric heads and length is the length of flow between
two piezometers.

7.4.3 DARCY LAW

Darcy's law states that flow rate is directly proportional to the drop in vertical elevation
between two places in the medium and inversely proportional to the distance between
them.

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7.4.3.1 ASSUMPTIONS
Test is valid only for permeation of materials with water only.
Darcy law is valid.(validity of Darcy law can be tested by measuring hydraulic
conductivity of specimen at three different gradients , if measured values are
similar then Darcy law is valid)
Level of effective stress is controlled.
Result of laboratory test could not be applied to in-place materials directly, it
may vary.

The test method is applicable to that material whose shrinkage is minimal when
exposed to water.

7.4.4 LIMITATION OF CONSTANT HEAD METHOD

The following ideal test conditions are prerequisites for the laminar flow of water
through granular soils under constant-head conditions.
Continuity of flow with no soil volume change during a test,
Flow with the soil voids saturated with water and no air bubbles in the soil voids,
Flow in the steady state with no changes in hydraulic gradient
Direct proportionality of velocity of flow with hydraulic gradients below certain
values, at which turbulent flow starts.
7.5 PROCEDURE
First of all, connect the reservoir of constant head apparatus to three lines. One
line is intake and is connected to a tap for the supply of water. One line is the
overflow discharge line and is used to drain out the excess water to maintain a
constant head. Another line is the test line, it is connected to the test cylinder
and it contains valve.
Place porous plate at the bottom of the test cylinder to avoid the passing of soil
particles. Take 1 kg of soil sample and fill the test cylinder into three layers by
slightly compacting each layer. Use a small hammer for compaction.
Connect intake line to the head of test cylinder. Connect the tubes of two
manometers to outlets present at the surface of test cylinders. Close the valve
present at intake outlet before filling the reservoir.
When level of water is constant in the reservoir open the intake valve and let
the water run through test cylinder that keeps it flowing for some time to
completely saturate the sample and also to remove air voids present in cylinder.
Now collect the specific volume of water in a pre-weighed beaker and record
time needed to collect the specific quantity of water.
Similarly collect two more samples of different volumes and record time of
collection. Measure the heads at two manometers from the bottom of test
cylinder.

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Calculate co-efficient of permeability for all the three volumes collected and
report the average of three as co-efficient of permeability.
=
ht
Where:
k = coefficient of permeability
V = Volume of water collected in graduated cylinder
L = distance between manometers
A = cross-sectional area of specimen
t = total time of discharge
h = difference in head on manometers

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7.6 OBSERVATIONS & CALCULATIONS

Volume of water collected in graduated cylinder = 892 ml = 892 cm3
Time = 112 sec
Diameter of specimen = 18 cm
Area of Specimen = 254.469 cm2
Elevation of water in upper most piezometer = h1= 181 cm
Elevation of water in lower most piezometer = h2= 116.6 cm
Piezometer inlets are spaced at = L = 50.1 cm c/c

=
ht

(892 )(50.1)
=
(254.469)(64.4)(112)

= 0.0243
7.7 REFERENCE
ASTM D2434
Standard Test Method for Permeability of Granular Soils (Constant Head)
7.8 COMMENTS
Coefficient of permeability is used to assess drainage characteristics of soil, to predict
rate of settlement founded on soil bed
During test, there should be no volume change in the soil, there should be no
compressible air present in the voids of soil i.e. soil should be completely saturated.
The flow should be laminar and in a steady state condition.
The result of this test used to calculate rate of consolidation and settlement of
structures.
It is important that use only air-free water, and measures for preventing air bubbling
out of solution during these tests is very crucial.

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