Falling Head Permeability Test 2012

1.0 OBJECTIVE

To determine permeability of soils of intermediate and low permeability

(less than 10-4 m/s), I.E silts and clays.

2.0 LEARNING OUTCOME

At the end of this experiment, students are able to:

 Describe the general accepted practice to determine the coefficient of permeability

of silts and clays.
 Identify the relationship between permeability and pore size of the fine grained
soils.
 Measure the coefficient of permeability of silts and clays.

3.0 THEORY

In the falling head test a relatively short sample is connected to a standpipe which
provides both the head of water and the means of measuring the quantity of water
flowing through the sample. Several standpipes of different diameters are normally
available from which can be selected the diameter most suitable for the type of
material being tested.

In permeability tests on clays, much higher hydraulic gradients than are normally used
with sands can be applied, and are often necessary to induce any measurable flow.
The cohesion of clays provides resistance to failure by piping at gradients of up to
several hundred, even under quite low confining or surcharge pressures. Dispersive
clays however are very susceptible to erosion at much lower gradient.

The falling head principle can be applied to an undisturbed sample in a sampling tube
and to a sample in an oedometer consolidation cell. The equation used in determines
the permeability of fine grained soils is given in Eqn (1).

aL h 
Permeability, k  log e  1  ………..Eqn (1)
A(t 2  t1 )  h2 
 Falling Head Permeability Test 2012
The time difference (t2-t1) can be expressed as the elapsed time, t (minutes). The
heights h1 and h2 and the length, L are expressed in millimetres, and the areas A and a
in square millimetres. Eqn (1) then becomes Eqn (2).

aL h 
Permeability, k  log e  1 (mm / s) ………..Eqn (2)
Ax60t  h2 

To convert natural logarithms to ordinary (base 10) logarithms, multiply by 2.303. If k

is epxressed in m/s, the above equation becomes Eqn (3).

2.303aL h 
Permeability, k  log 10  1 (m / s) ………..Eqn (3)
1000 xAx60t  h2 

Where: a = area of cross-section of standpipe tube,

A = area of cross section of sample

h1 = heights of water above datum in standpipe at time t1

h2 = heights of water above datum in standpipe at time t2

L = heights of sample

t = elapsed time in minutes

 Falling Head Permeability Test 2012
4.0 TEST EQUIPMENTS

1. Permeameter cell, comprising:

Cell body, with cutting edge (core cutter), 100 mm diameter and 130 mm long.

Perforated base plate with straining rods and wing nuts.

Top clamping plate.

Connecting tube and fittings.

Figure 1: Compaction permeameter

(Courtesy of ELE International, 2007)

 Falling Head Permeability Test 2012
5.0 PROCEDURES

1. Assemble apparatus,

a. The apparatus was set up as shown in Figure 2. The volume of water

passing through a sample of low permeability was quite small and a
continuous supply of de-aired water was not necessary, but the reservoir
supplying the de-airing tank should be filled with distilled or de-ionised
water.

2. Calibrate manometer tubes,

a. The areas of cross-section of the three manometer tubes should be

determined as follows for each tube:
i. Fill the tube with water up to a known mark near the top of the scale,
observed to the nearest mm,
ii. Run off water from the tube into a weighted beaker, until the level in
the tube has fallen by about 500mm or more,
iii. Read the new water level on the scale, to the nearest mm,
iv. Weigh the beaker containing water from the tube (weighings should
be to the nearest 0.01g)
v. The diameter of the manometer can be calculated as follows:

1000m w
diameter, a  mm2
h1  h2

If mw = mass of water (g),

h1 = initial level in tube (mm),

h2 = final level in tube (mm),

A = area of cross-section of tube (mm2)

vi. Repeat the measurements two or three times for each tube, and
average the results.
 Falling Head Permeability Test 2012
3. Prepare cell,

a. Dismantle the cell,

b. Check the cell body is clean and dry, and weigh it to the nearest 0.1g,
c. Measure the mean internal diameter (D) and length (L) to the nearest
0.5mm

4. Prepare sample,
a. Undisturbed sample can be taken by means of core cutter.
b. Make sure that the sample is a tight fit in the body and there are no
cavities around the perimeter through which water could pass,

5. Assemble cell

6. Connect cell

7. Saturate and de-air sample

8. Fill manometer system

9. Run test
a. Open screw clip at inlet to allow water to flow down through the sample,
and observe the water level in the standpipe,
b. As soon as it reaches the level h1, start the timer clock,
c. Observe and record the time when the level reaches h3, and when it
reaches h2, then stop the clock,
d. Close screw clip at inlet

10. Repeat test

11. Calculate permeability

12. Report result

 Falling Head Permeability Test 2012

Figure 2: Falling head permeability cell with manometer tubes

(Courtesy of ELE International, 2007)
 Falling Head Permeability Test 2012
6.0 RESULTS AND CALCULATIONS

Falling Head Permeability test

Location: Geotechnical Laboratory Sample no:

Operator: Group 9 Date: 09 / 11 / 2012

Soil description: Disturbed Soil

Method of
preparation:

Sample diameter, D: 99.21 mm Sample length, L: 129.84 mm

Sample area, A: 7730.38 mm2 Sample volume, V: 1003.7 cm3
Mass of mould: 960.0 g Mass of sample+mould: 2820.0 g
Mass of sample: 1860.0 g

S.G. measured/assumed: Voids ratio:

Bulk density, : 16.43 kN/m3 Dry density, : 16.19 kN/m3
Mositure content: 20.0 % Test temperature: 24 c

Standpipe diameter: 4.05 mm Standpipe area, a: 12.88 mm2

Reading:

Reference Height Height Test

point above above outlet, No. Time, t Height
datum, y h (min) ratios
(mm) (mm)
1 900 800 1 1.17 1.125
2 800 700 2 1.19 1.143
3 700 600 3 1.46 1.167
4 600 500 4 1.55 1.200

Calculations:

2.303aL h 
Permeability, k  log 10  1 (m / s) =
1000 xAx60t  h2 
 Falling Head Permeability Test 2012
CALCULATIONS

2.303𝑎𝐿 ℎ1
𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦, 𝑘 = 𝑙𝑜𝑔10 ( ) (𝑚⁄𝑠)
1000𝑥𝐴𝑥60𝑡 ℎ2

a = 12.88 mm² = 12.88x10−6 m2

L = 129.84 mm² = 129.84x10−3 m

A = 7730.39 mm² = 7730.38x10−6 m²

Reference point 1

t = 77 seconds

h1 = 900 mm

h2 = 800 mm

2.303(12.88x10−6 )(129.84x10−3 ) 900

k= −6
log10 ( )
1000x7730.38x10 x77 800

= 3.290x10−10 𝑚/𝑠

Reference point 2

t = 79 seconds

h1 = 800 mm

h2 = 700 mm

2.303(12.88x10−6 )(129.84x10−3 ) 800

k= log 10 ( )
1000x7730.38x10−6 x79 700

= 3.636x10−10 m/s
 Falling Head Permeability Test 2012
Reference point 3

t = 106 second

h1 = 700 mm

h2 = 600 mm

2.303(12.88x10−6 )(129.84x10−3 ) 700

k= log 10 ( )
1000x7730.38x10−6 x106 600

= 3.128x10−10 m/s

Reference point 4

t = 115 second

h1 = 600 mm

h2 = 500 mm

2.303(12.88x10−6 )(129.84x10−3 ) 600

k= −6
log10 ( )
1000x7730.38x10 x115 500

= 3.410x10−10 m/s

Average of permeability = ∑ k / number of k

= 1.319x10−9 /4
= 3.298x10−10 m/s
 Falling Head Permeability Test 2012

DISCUSSION

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

From the experiment, we need to find the value of hydraulic conductivity

(coefficient of permeability), k for low permeable soil such as silts and clay. The
value between all this points is not in large difference because the interval distance
from each point is constant.

It is important to determine the permeability of the soil before any structure

was constructed on any land. The permeability of the soil helps to find out the rate of
consolidation and settlement of structures. Besides that, it is very useful in estimating
ground water flow, calculating seepage through dams and the uplift pressure and
piping.

The common problem is related to the degree of saturation achieved within the
soil samples during the test. Air bubbles are usually trapped within the pore space,
and although they tend to disappear slowly by dissolving into the desecrated water,
their presence in the system may alter the measured results. The recorded time also
had an error because of the time must be recorded in seconds. So, we must be more
alert while doing this experiment.

Based on experiment, there are average permeability coefficient value of soil

is equal to 3.298x10−10 m/s. It is possible to have zero permeability in a high
porosity soil if the pores are isolated.The permeability through the soil such as clay
also zero too.
 Falling Head Permeability Test 2012

CONCLUSION

Give a conclusion for this test.

As a conclusion, we can say that this experiment achieved their objective to

determine permeability of soils of intermediate and low permeability which less than
10-4 m/s such as silts and clays. This experiment shows that for cohesion soil, the
suitable experiment to determine coefficient of permeability is falling head
experiment. We also can get the value of k with more accurate using pumping test
from well.
 Falling Head Permeability Test 2012
REFERENCE

 Das, B. (2008) Fundamentals of Geotechnical Engineering Fourth Edition. Canada:

Cengage Learning.

 http://www.ukm.my/zuhairi/Pengajaran/intranet/e-
ibrary/Soil%20lab/permeability%20test.PDF
(15 November 2012)

 http://www.engr.uconn.edu/~lanbo/CE240LectW043permeability1.pdf
(15 November 2012)
 Falling Head Permeability Test 2012
APPENDIX

Pictures taken during experiment were carried out.