OBJECTIVE

1)To demonstrate groundwater flow and

2)the resulting hydraulic gradient between two different potentials.

 THEORY-

“Rate of flow through a porous media is

proportional to headloss and inversely
proportional to the length of the flow path”

𝑑ℎ
𝑣=𝑘
𝑑𝐿

V can also be calculated as:

Source: http://nptel.ac.in/courses/105103026/3
𝑄
v=
𝐴
Where
k is coefficient of permeability
dh/dl is hydraulic gradient
Q flow rate
A wetted area
 DARCY’S LAW FOR GROUNDWATER FLOW

Source :http://geologylearn.blogspot.in/2015/12/groundwater-flow.html

Rate at which groundwater flows at a given location depends on:

a)Permeability of material containing the groundwater

b)Hydraulic gradient
EXPERIMENTAL
SETUP

Source:discoverarmfield.com/en/products/view/s11/ground-water-flow-unit
Laboratory Set up
 OBSERVATIONS

• Head values at various fixed locations

• Time required to collect a particular volume of water from outlet-

to calculate flow rate

NODE DISTANCE(mm) HEAD(mm)

1 0 …….

2 125 …….

3 170 …….

4,5,6,7,8,9 200 …….

10 230 …….
SAMPLE CALCULATIONS

1) Theoretical hydraulic gradient 2. Hydraulic gradient from graph

 Darcy’s law
ℎ2 − ℎ1
𝑣=𝑘𝑥 𝑖 = 𝑣/𝑘
𝐿
K is 0.013mm/s

 Where v is given by
v=Q/A

 Where Q is given by
𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑
Q=
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒
SAMPLE OBSERVATIONS

1)Theoretical hydraulic gradient

• Area of tank = 50x135cm
• K =0.013mm/s

• Actual discharge(Q) = vol/time

=(166x10-6) /60
= 2.76x10-6 cumecs

2.67𝑥10−6 𝑥109
• dh/dx= Q/kA =0.013𝑥500𝑥1350 = 0.304

2)Hydraulic gradient from graph

61−49.5
• i= =0.017
800−125
EXPECTED RESULTS

 Theoretical i(hydraulic gradient) value and value obtained from graph are comparable

INFERENCE

• A linear graph was obtained for head vs piezometer position

• Graded coarse sand (0.6-2mm ) has to be used for conducting the experiment,else it can
affect the assumed k value .

• Minimum of 30min has to provided to stabilize the head values after setting a particular
discharge

• The assumption of flow area equal to area of sand filled part of tank can affect the
theoretical i value calculation.