Faculty of Engineering Technology

Civil Engineering Department

Soil Laboratory

ENCE 311

Experiment #8

“Permeability Test”

Instructors :

Dr. Abdelhamid Mimi, Eng. Shuroq AL Jamal

Done By Group C

`ANAS AKRAM 1160382

AYA KAHALA 1171720

AHMAD SAHEM 1160074

HANNA SAFAR 1172052

ANAS RABBA 1151890

Section :2

Date of perform the experiment : 23/11/2019

Date of submitting the experiment:30/11/2019

Contents
Introduction: .................................................................................................................................. 1
Background information: ......................................................................................................... 1
objectives: ............................................................................................................................... 5
Hypothesis: ............................................................................................................................. 5
Instruments: ................................................................................................................................... 6
Procedure: ...................................................................................................................................... 7
Data and Calculation: ................................................................................................................... 8
Result and conclusion: ................................................................................................................ 10
Reference:..................................................................................................................................... 12
Introduction:

Background information:

Permeability can be defined as the property of the soil which enables the flow of water

through it. There are voids in the soil, which if are interconnected to each other, provides

the path for the flow of water through it. It is very important to study the permeability of

soil here are a few reasons why:

(1) Almost all civil engineering structures are constructed on soil and if the soil below

them is pervious, this may result in the percolation of the water, and may also result in

piping action ,which will reduce the strength of the soil to handle structural weight.

(2) Soil embankments are likely to fail if the soil used to construct them is of high

permeability, because it will reduce the soil shear strength. So it is important to study the

permeability of the soil to be used for pavement construction.

(3) The canals are likely to fail if there is any leakage from the embankments, so it is

important to study soil used to construct them

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The coefficient of permeability, k is defined as the rate of flow of water under laminar

flow conditions through a porous medium area of unit cross section under unit hydraulic

gradient.

Soil type K(cm/sec)

Clean gravel 100-0.1

Coarse sand 0.1-0.01

Fine sand 0.01-0.001

Silty clay 0.001-0.00001

Clay <0.00001

Table (1): Classification of soil according to its K.

The coefficient of permeability (k) is obtained by two ways in this experiment:

1. constant head test:

The constant head permeability test is a common laboratory testing method used to

determine the permeability of granular soils like sands and gravels containing little or no

silt. This testing method is made for testing reconstituted or disturbed granular soil

samples.

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 Fig (1) constant head permeability test

And the coefficient Κ can be calculated by using this formula:

𝑸𝒍
Κ= 𝑨𝒉𝒕where:

A: area of cross section of the soil specimen

Q: volume of water collected

t: duration of water collection

2.falling head test:

The falling head permeability test is a common laboratory testing method used to

determine the permeability of fine grained soils with intermediate and low permeability

such as silts and clays. This testing method can be applied to an undisturbed sample.

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the falling head permeability test involves flow of water through a relatively short soil

sample connected to a standpipe which provides the water head and also allows

measuring the volume of water passing through the sample.

figure 2: falling head test

the coefficient Κ can be calculated by using this formula:

𝟐.𝟑𝟎𝟑𝒂𝑳 𝑯𝟏
K= Log 𝑯𝟐
𝑨𝒕

where:

A: area of cross section of the soil specimen

a: cross-sectional area of the standpipe

t : duration of water collection

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 A number of factors affect the permeability of soils:

• particle size .

• absorbed water

• impurities in water

• degree of saturation

• temperature and viscosity of liquid according to this formula:

𝐾𝑇∗𝜂𝑇
K20 = Where ηT: the viscosity at the temperature T
𝜂20

η20: are the viscosity at 20°C

objectives:

1- The constant head method is used to find the permeability of high permeability

soil.

2- The falling head method is used to find the permeability For soils of intermediate

to low permeability.

Hypothesis:

The granular soil is more permeable than the clayey soil, so the coefficient of

permeability (k) for the granular will be larger than it for the clayey soil. Moreover , k is

the average value in the constant head and falling head ,because the change of cross-

section area leads to different losses due to friction and different values of k

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Instruments:

Coarse soil sample

Fine soil sample

water supplier

Graduated cylinder

pipes

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 Procedure:

Constant Head test:

1. The specimen was prepared in the device(coarse) by the instructor.

2. The valve was open with a slow flow rate.
3. After the steady state flow was achieved, we take 3 reading in a graduated cylinder.
4. The valve was open, the stop watch was obtained and we put a graduated cylinder under
the valve to record the amount of water, after period of time (10s-20s-30s) we take 3
readings.
5. The rate of flow was increasing and we repeated step 3 and 4
6. The rate of flow was increasing also. And we repeated the steps 3,4.

Falling Head test:

1. The sample was prepared and the device was also prepared (fine sample)by the
instructor.
2. The valve was opened.
3. In the first trial with diameter =1.5, when the reading approves 100cm the stop watch
time starts counting till the reading be 90cm.
4. We repeated this step from (90cm-80cm) and (80cm-70cm) with cumulative time.
5. The second trial with diameter =3cm and when the reading approves 100cm the stop
watch time starts counting, but the decrease in the head is 5cm.
6. The step 3 was repeated from (100-95) cm, (95-90) cm and (90-85) cm.
7. The final trial with diameter =4.5cm and when the reading approves 100cm the stop
watch time starts counting, the decrease in the head is 2.5cm.
8. The step 3 was repeated from (100-97.5) cm, (97.5-95) cm and (95-92.5) cm.

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 Data and Calculation:

Table (2) preparation for calculation

A&B B&C A&C

length between manometer(cm)
9 9 18
Diameter for constant head sample
11.4
(cm)
Diameter for falling head sample
10
(cm)
Length/Height(cm) 13
Area for constant head sample (cm2) A=102.07
Area for falling head sample (cm2) A=78.5398
Diameter of pipe(mm) 1.5 3 4.5
Area for stand pump (cm2) a a=0.0177 a=0.0707 a=1.6

Table (3) calculation for constant head

Volume Elapsed Difference in
Manometer head
of water time head Coeff. of permeability (cm/sec)
cm3 (sec) (cm) h (cm)
(V) (t) A B C AB BC AC K1 K2 K3
First Trial
30 10 99.8 98.5 97.1 1.3 1.4 2.7 0.20348027 0.18894596 0.19594396
60.5 20 99.8 98.5 97.1 1.3 1.4 2.7 0.20517594 0.19052051 0.19757683
87 30 99.8 98.5 97.1 1.3 1.4 2.7 0.19669759 0.18264776 0.18941249
Avg.
(K) 0.2017846 0.18737141 0.19431109
(cm/sec)
second trial
56 10 98.3 96 92.9 2.3 3.1 5.4 0.21468643 0.15928348 0.18288103
130 20 98.3 96 92.9 2.3 3.1 5.4 0.2491896 0.18488261 0.21227262
190 30 98.3 96 92.9 2.3 3.1 5.4 0.24280012 0.18014203 0.20682974
Avg.
(K) 0.23555872 0.17476937 0.20066113
(cm/sec)
Third Trial
130 10 93.7 88.6 82.8 5.1 5.8 10.9 0.22475925 0.19763313 0.21032517
260 20 93.7 88.6 82.8 5.1 5.8 10.9 0.22475925 0.19763313 0.21032517
370 30 93.7 88.6 82.8 5.1 5.8 10.9 0.21323313 0.1874981 0.19953926
Avg.
(K) 0.22091721 0.19425479 0.20672987
(cm/sec)

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 Sample of calculations:
𝑉∗𝑙 30 ∗ 9 𝑐𝑚
𝐾= = = 0.2034803 ( )
𝑡 ∗ ℎ ∗ 𝐴 10 ∗ 1.3 ∗ 102.07 𝑠

Table (4) calculation for falling head

Trial number 1 2 3

diameter of pip mm 1.5 3 4.5

area of pip (cm2) 0.0177 0.0707 0.16

initial head(cm) 100 90 80 100 95 90 100 97.5 95

final head(cm) 90 80 70 95 90 85 97.5 95 92.5

cumulative time(sec) 50 102 162 62 130 202 97 203 307

individual time(sec) 50 52 60 62 68 72 97 106 104

coff 6.18E- 6.64E- 6.52E- 9.68E- 9.31E- 9.29E- 6.91E- 6.49E- 6.79E-
permeability(cm/sec) 06 06 06 06 06 06 06 06 06
Avg coff of
permeability 6.4444*10-06 9.4271*10-06 6.73229*10-06
(cm/sec)

Sample of calculation (1)

𝑎𝑙 ℎ𝑜 0.0177 ∗ 13 100 𝑐𝑚
𝐾 = 2.303 ∗ ∗ log = 2.303 ∗ ∗ log = 6.175E − 06 ( )
𝐴𝑡 ℎ1 78.5398 ∗ 50 90 𝑠

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Result and conclusion:

Constant head permeability test 0.2034803 𝑐𝑚/𝑠

Falling head permeability test 6.175 ∗ 10 − 06

The passage of water through porous material is called seepage. A material with

continuous voids is called a permeable material. Hence permeability is a property of a

porous material which permits passage of fluids through inter connecting conditions.

The permeability test on soil is a test conducts in laboratory in order to evaluate the
permeability (imperviousness) of the tested sample, which is an important variable to
consider. The permeability is indicated by permeability coefficient of soil.

During test there should be no volume change in the soil, there should be no compressible

air present in the voids of soil and soil should be completely saturated. The flow should

be laminar and in a steady state condition.

For the constant head test it was noticed that the flow is very low at the beginning,

gradually increases and then stands constant. Constant head permeability test is suitable

for cohesion less soils. But for cohesive soils falling head method is suitable.

The values for coefficient of permeability for tested sample was 0.2034803 𝑐𝑚/𝑠
for coarse sample and6.175E − 06.which gives an indication about the amount of voids

in the sample for both types of soil (coarse and fine), for a specimen that has a high void's

ratio the value of coefficient of permeability will be high which means that the water will

flow through it easily and faster than a specimen that has a low permeability coefficient.

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According to USCS classification, soil may be classified based on permeability

coefficient as table (5) shown.

Table (5): Typical Values of permeability coefficient for different type of soil.

Soil type Value of permeability Relative Permeability

Coarse soil Exceeds 10-1 High

Clean sand 10-1 to 10-3 Medium

Dirty sand 10-3 to 10-5 low

Silt 10-5 to 10-7 Very low

Clay Less than 10-7 Impermeable

So, the tested soil in constant head part can be classified as coarse soil and has a high
permeability, whereas the soil used in variable head test was silty soil and has a very low
permeability.

There was some source of error that affect the previous results for example inaccurate

reading for water volume and time (since non accurate steady state case). Also, if the

sample wasn’t saturated to the required amount it may affect the results.

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Reference:

• Das, Braja M., Principles of Geotechnical Engineering, 7th edition.

• Das, Braja M., Soil Mechanics Laboratory Manual, 6th edition, University of

California State, 2002 print.

• Das, B. M. (2006). Principles of geotechnical engineering. Stamford,CT:

Thomson Learning College.

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