Soil Mechanics I Tutorial Problems

1. Determination of Hydraulic Heads

Determine:
a) the variations of the elevation, pressure, and total heads through the soil when the
pressure gage in the experimental setup shown in Figure has a pressure of 19.6 kPa,
b) the elevation, pressure, and total heads in the middle of the soil.

HINT

 Define your datum.

 The pressure from the pressure gage should be converted to a pressure
head by dividing by the unit weight of water (9.8 kN/m3).
 To determine the pressure head at a point, assume that you connect a
small tube at that point and then figure out how high the water will rise
in the tube.

Solution
 Define the datum position. Choose C as datum
 Determine the heads.
Top of soil—B
Pressure gage = 19.6 kPa;
Equivalent pressure head = pressure/unit weight of water = 19.6/9.8 = 2 m = 200 cm
Elevation head = 50 cm;
Pressure head of water above B + pressure gage head = 100 + 200 = 300 cm;
Total head = elevation head + pressure head = 50 + 300 =350 cm
Bottom of soil—C
Elevation head = 0 cm;
Pressure head = 0 cm;
Total head = 0 + 0 = 0 cm
 Determine the heads at the center of the soil.
The heads are proportional to the soil height. At the center of the soil,
Elevation head = 25 cm,
Pressure head = 300/2 = 150 cm, and
The total head = 25 + 150 =175 cm.

ASTU 2024/25 Page 1 of 12

Soil Mechanics I Tutorial Problems

2. Calculating Flow Parameters

A soil sample 10 cm in diameter is placed in a tube 1 m long. A constant supply of water is
allowed to flow into one end of the soil at A, and the outflow at B is collected by a beaker
(Figure). The average amount of water collected is 1 cm3 for every 10 seconds. The tube is
inclined as shown in Figure. Determine the:
a) Hydraulic gradient,
b) flow rate,
c) average velocity,
d) seepage velocity if e = 0.6,
e) hydraulic conductivity.

Solution
 Define the datum position. Select the top of the table as the datum.
 Find the total heads at A (inflow) and B (outflow).

 Find the hydraulic gradient

If you were to select the outflow, point B as the datum, then HA = 1 m + 0.2 m = 1.2 m
and HB = 0. The head loss is ∆H = 1.2 m, which is the same value we obtained using the
table’s top as the datum. It is often simpler, for calculation purposes, to select the exit
flow position as the datum.
 Determine the flow rate.
Volume of water collected, Q = 1 cm3, t = 10 seconds

 Determine the average velocity.

qz = Av

 Determine seepage velocity

 Determine the hydraulic conductivity. From Darcy’s law, v = kzi.

ASTU 2024/25 Page 2 of 12

Soil Mechanics I Tutorial Problems

3. A sand sample of 25 cm length was subjected to constant head permeability in a

permeameter having an area of 30 m2. A discharge of 100 cm3 was obtained in a period of 1
minute under a head of 39 cm. Mass of dry sand in the sample was 1,350 g. The specific
gravity of the sand particles was 2.67. Determine
i. the coefficient of permeability,
ii. the superficial velocity, and
iii. the seepage velocity
Solution

(iii) Determine the void ratio in order to find the porosity:

ASTU 2024/25 Page 3 of 12

Soil Mechanics I Tutorial Problems

4. A soil sample has a length of 3.5 m and a cross-sectional area of 2 m2. If water flows through
such a soil sample and the fluid energy lost is 1,650 N-m for every cubic meter flow of water,
estimate Darcy’s velocity and permeability. The time of flow for 1 m3 of water is 26 hours.
Find also the seepage velocity if the void ratio of the sample is 0.58.
Solution

5. Constant-Head Test: In a laboratory constant head permeability test, a cylindrical sample

100mm in diameter and 150mm high is subjected to a vertical flow of 540cm3 /min. the head
loss over the length of the sample is measured to be 360mm. calculate the coefficient of
permeability in m/s.
Given Required
D = 100mm t = 1min k =? m/sec
3
L = 150mm Q = 540cm
Solution
 The flow is laminar
 Darcy’s law is valid

Based continuity equation, flow through soil sample is equal to out flow to the cylinder
Out flow to the cylinder
Flow through soil sample

( )

ASTU 2024/25 Page 4 of 12

Soil Mechanics I Tutorial Problems

6. Constant-Head Test: A sample of sand, 5 cm in diameter and 15 cm long, was prepared at a

porosity of 60% in a constant-head apparatus. The total head was kept constant at 30 cm and
the amount of water collected in 5 seconds was 40 cm3. The test temperature was 200C.
Calculate the hydraulic conductivity and the seepage velocity.
Solution
a) Calculate the sample cross-sectional area, hydraulic gradient, and flow.

b) Calculate kz.

c) Calculate the seepage velocity.

7. In a laboratory falling head test, the recorded data are, diameter of the tube = 20mm,
diameter of the cell = 100mm, length of the sample = 1000mm. the head measured from the
top level of the sample dropped from 800mm to 60mm within 1hour and the temperature of
the water was 300c. Calculate the coefficient of permeability at 200c.
( ) ( )
Given Required
d = 20mm h1= 800mm
D = 100mm h2 = 600mm k =? At 200c m/sec
L = 1000mm T=
t = 1hour
Solution

( ) ( ) ( )
( )
( ) ( )

ASTU 2024/25 Page 5 of 12

Soil Mechanics I Tutorial Problems

8. Falling-Head Test
The data from a falling-head test on a silty clay are:
Cross-sectional area of soil = 80 cm2 Duration of test = 15 minutes
Length of soil = 10 cm Diameter of tube = 6 mm
Initial head = 90 cm Temperature = 220C
Final head = 84 cm Determine k.

NB: Make sure you are using consistent units.

Solution
d) Calculate the parameters required

e) Calculate kz.

ASTU 2024/25 Page 6 of 12

Soil Mechanics I Tutorial Problems

9. Vertical and Horizontal Flows in Layered Soils

A canal is cut into a soil with a stratigraphy shown in Figure below. Assuming flow takes
place laterally and vertically through the sides of the canal and vertically below the canal.
a) Determine the equivalent hydraulic conductivity in the horizontal and vertical
directions. The vertical and horizontal hydraulic conductivities for each layer are
assumed to be the same.
b) Calculate the ratio of the equivalent horizontal hydraulic conductivity to the
equivalent vertical hydraulic conductivity for flow through the sides of the canal.
c) Find kz(eq) below the bottom of the canal.

NB: To make the calculations easier, convert all exponential quantities to a single exponent.
Solution
a) Find kx(eq) and kz(eq) for flow through the sides of the canal.

b) Find the kx(eq)/kz(eq) ratio.

c) Find kz(eq) below the bottom of the canal.

ASTU 2024/25 Page 7 of 12

Soil Mechanics I Tutorial Problems

10. Interpretation of Pumping Test Data

A pumping test was carried out in a soil bed of thickness 15 m and the following
measurements were recorded. Rate of pumping was 10.6 x 10-3m3/s; drawdowns in
observation wells located at 15 m and 30 m from the center of the pumping well were 1.6 m
and 1.4 m, respectively, from the initial groundwater level. The initial groundwater level was
located at 1.9 m below ground level. Determine k.
Solution:
 Draw a sketch of the pump test with the appropriate dimensions

 Substitute given values in Equation to find k.

q ln(r r )
k  v 2 2 21
 (h2  h1 )

ASTU 2024/25 Page 8 of 12

Soil Mechanics I Tutorial Problems

11. Flow Rate, Effective Stress, Pressure head

For the flow net shown below, calculate:
a. Flow Rate per unit length.
b. Uplift force per unit length under the dam.
c. Effective stress at points A and B.
d. Pressure head at point C (from ground surface) (additional).
e. Total head at point A (additional).
f. The exit gradient (additional).
(k=1×10 5m/s γsat=19 KN/m3)

a. ( ) ( ) m /s/m
b. Determination of pressure at point 1, 2, 3, 4

Point “1”:

/
Point “2”:
m
/
Point “3”:
m
/
Point “4”:
m

ASTU 2024/25 Page 9 of 12

Soil Mechanics I Tutorial Problems

/
Now, the stress distribution under the dam as shown in figure below:

The uplift force can be calculated as following: F uplift = A1+A2

F uplift=1/2* (91.55+68.65)*20+1/2*(35.93+26.12)*15=2067.38 KN/m2

c. Effective stress at points A and B.

Point “A”:
σtotal = σeff + u → σeff = σtotal − u
σtotal,A=10×γw+13×γsat =10×9.81+13×19=345.1 KN/m2
hp,A= (10+13)−1×0.667 = 22.333m uA= 22.333×9.81=219.08 KN/m2
σeff, A=345.1−219.08=126 KN/m2

Point “B”:
σtotal,A= 2×γw+13×γsat =2×9.81+13×19=266.62 KN/m2
hp,A= (10+13)−10×0.667 = 16.333m uA= 16.333×9.81=160.2 KN/m2
σeff, A=266.62 −160.2 = 106.42 KN/m2
d. Pressure head at point C (from ground surface)
We note that, there are 3 potential drops to reach point C hp,C=(10+hc)−3×0.667=7.99+hc=7.99
(𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞)
If the value 7.99 is negative value, that means (below the ground surface)
e. Total head at point A
H total, A= (10+22) − lossesA→1 potential drop to reach A h total, A = (10+22) − 0.667×1 = 31.333 m.
We note that, also we can calculate pressure head from total head hp, A= h total,A − he, A
hp, A = 31.333−(22−13)=22.333m (the same as calculated above).
f. The exit gradient

( )

ASTU 2024/25 Page 10 of 12

Soil Mechanics I Tutorial Problems

EXERCISES

1. The classic Bernoulli’s equation is used to define the flow of water through soil masses.
Explain Bernoulli’s equation.
2. Explain Darcy’s law of permeability.
3. Briefly explain surface tension and capillary
4. When it is appropriate to use a constant-head permeability test versus a falling-head
permeability test?
5. Natural soil deposits are stratified. If the stratification is continuous, the effective coefficients
of permeability for flow in the horizontal and vertical directions can be readily calculated.
Derive an equation used to determine hydraulic conductivity:
i. when the flow is parallel to the soil layer
ii. for flow normal to the soil layers
iii. the equivalent hydraulic conductivity for flow parallel and normal to soil layers
6. Laboratory permeability tests have some shortcomings and the sample size is so small that
the measured values may not be necessarily true representatives of field conditions, which
may include non-uniformity and fissures. An alternative way to obtain a more representative
and reliable k value is to use field methods, although these may be relatively expensive. One
of the field methods to determine the hydraulic conductivity is pumping test. Explain this
method briefly.
7. A constant head permeability test was conducted on a sand sample of 250 mm length and
2,000 mm2 area. The head loss was 500 mm, and the discharge was found to be 260 ml in
130 seconds. Determine the coefficient of permeability of the sand sample. Find the
superficial and seepage velocities if the dry unit weight and specific gravity of the samples
were 17.98 kN/m3 and 2.62, respectively.
8. A variable head permeability test was conducted and the following data were obtained.
Compute the coefficient of permeability:
L = 15 cm
D (sample diameter) = 7.2 cm
Δh1 (at t = 0) = 40.0 cm
Δh2 (at t = 10 min) = 22.9 cm
d (burette diameter) = 1.2 cm

ASTU 2024/25 Page 11 of 12

Soil Mechanics I Tutorial Problems

PERMEABILITY OF STRATIFIED SOILS

i. Horizontal Flow

ii. Vertical Flow

ASTU 2024/25 Page 12 of 12