1D Fluid Flow – Darcy’s Experiment

Qin

Influent water Effluent water

Henry Darcy Qout
reservoir reservoir
(1803-1858)

h1 L
h2
Saturated
datum A
Sand

Flow
 Qin

Influent water Effluent water Qout

reservoir reservoir

h1 L
h2
Saturated
datum A
Sand

Flow

•Q = volumetric flow rate (volume/time), e.g., cm3/sec

•At steady state, Q = Qin = Qout
•Darcy found that

h1  h2 h h = total head loss

Q  i = h/L = “hydraulic gradient”
L L
 Darcy’s Law
• For steady state saturated flow in porous media

ht
Qk A k = “hydraulic conductivity” (length/time)
L ht = total head loss (length)
L = distance over which head loss occurs (length)
Q  kiA A = cross-sectional area of flow (length squared)

Qin

Qout

h1 L
h2
datum A
 ht  cm 
 cm  cm  2
 
3
Qk A   cm   
L  sec  cm   sec 
 
  2
 
3
cm cm
Q  kiA    cm   
 sec   sec 

Q  cm  q = v = “Darcy velocity”
q  v   ki    or “discharge velocity”
A  sec 

v
So, k is a property of the soil (and fluid) that
k quantifies conductivity to water flow.

Sand – high k
Clay – low k
i
 Constant Head Method
• Steady-state flow established under constant gradient (constant head)
• Measure Q for applied gradient to determine k from Darcy’s Law

Qin

h A

Qout L
Constant Head Example Problem

Qin = 892 ml
in 112 sec
V 892cm3
Q   7.96 cm3 / s
h = 60cm t 112 s
d 2 3.1418cm 2
A   254cm 2
d=18 cm 4 4
ht 60cm
i   3.59
Qout L 16.7cm
L=16.7 cm
Q  kiA
Q 7.96cm3 / s
k 

iA 3.59  254cm 2 
k  8.73 10 3 cm / s
Qin = Qout = (k)(h/L)(A) ( sand )
Procedure:
1. Prepare ancillary apparatus
2. Prepare permeameter cell
3. Prepare sample
4. Place sample in permeameter cell : (preparation style)
5. Connect sample with tubes
6. Saturate (de-aired) sample
7. Run the test
8. Repeat with different I
9. Dismantle
10. Calculation