HOMEWORK PROBLEMS

Hydraulic Conductivity and Darcy’s Law

1. A sand sample has been placed in the 1-D flow apparatus shown below. The cross-
sectional area of the sand sample is 55 cm2, and the hydraulic conductivity (k) of the sand
sample is 10-4 cm/sec. Assume steady-state flow conditions.

(a) Compute the total head, elevation head, and pressure head for points at the top and
bottom of the sand sample (Points X and Y). Assume that the datum elevation
corresponds to the bottom of the flow apparatus.

(b) Estimate how much water flows through the sample in a 24 hour period.

(c) Assume the void ratio of the sand to be 0.71 and calculate the seepage velocity, vs .


6 cm
Y

40 cm
SAND

15 cm

13 cm

Answers: @ Point X: hT = 40 cm; hz = 13 cm; hp = 27 cm

@ Point X: hT = 34 cm; hz = 28 cm; hp = 6 cm
q = 190 cm3 per day
vs = 0.000096 cm/sec
2. A sand sample has been placed in the 1-D constant head apparatus shown below. The
cross-sectional area of the sand sample is 60 cm2, and the permeability (k) of the sand
sample is 10-3 cm/sec. The saturated density of the sand is 2.0 g/cm3, and the density of
water is 1.0 g/cm3. Assume steady-state flow conditions. Estimate the minimum value of H
required to cause a gradient (i) equal to 1.0 within the soil sample.


H

10 cm

SAND
20 cm

18 cm

Answer: h = 20 centimeters

3. Two sand samples have been placed in the 1-D constant head apparatus shown below.
Assume steady-state flow conditions. Important information is noted on the sketch.
Estimate the head (h) within the vertical pipe located between the two materials. Also,
estimate the discharge flow rate (q) in cubic centimeters per minute. What is h if the
hydraulic conductivities for the two samples are the same?

50 cm
h
40 cm 40 cm
5 cm
q

Soil 1: Soil 2:
Area: 25 cm2 Area: 25 cm2
k = 10-2 cm/sec k = 10-4 cm/sec

Answers: h = 49.55 cm
q = 0.17 cm3 per minute
h = 27.50 cm
4. A well is used to pump water from the sand aquifer shown below. As a consequence, the
water pressure at point A is equal to 24.5 kPa, and is the same for all points that are just
at the top of the sand aquifer. As indicated, a silt layer and a silty sand layer overlie the
sand aquifer. Assume that this soil profile extends horizontally in all directions. Steady-
state flow conditions apply.

(a) At what level "x" must water be ponded at the ground surface in order for the
downward flow rate of water through the silt and silty sand layers to be equal to 0.2
m3/day per square meter of plan area?

(b) For this water level "x", what is the water pressure at point B?

x Water

Silty Sand (SM)

2m k = 10-3 cm/sec

B
Silt (ML)
3m k = 10-4 cm/sec

A
Sand Aquifer

Answers: x = 4.9 meters; u = 63.2 kPa

5. A sand sample has been placed in the 1-D flow apparatus shown below. The cross-
sectional area of the sand sample is 60 cm2, and the permeability (k) of the sand sample
is 10-3 cm/sec. Assume steady-state flow conditions. Find h for the apparatus shown
assuming that the flow rate of water through the sand is 2,300 cm3/day.

h 
8 cm
SAND

20 cm

15 cm

Answer: h = 16.9 cm
6. Given the 1-D flow apparatus below: Estimate the flow rate, q. Also, estimate the total
head, pressure head, elevation head, and pore-water pressure at the points labeled A
through E. Assume steady-state flow conditions. The cross-sectional area of the apparatus
is 5 square inches. Soils 1 and 2 have hydraulic conductivities equal to 10-2 and 10-4 cm/sec,
respectively.

Answers: Place datum at Point B - then @ Point C: hT = 33.76 in; hp = 21.76 in

q = 33.7 in3 per day

7. Given the 1-D flow apparatus below: Estimate the flow rate, q. Also, estimate the total head,
pressure head, elevation head, and pore-water pressure at the points labeled A through E.
Assume steady-state flow conditions. The cross-sectional area of the apparatus is 5 square
inches. Soils 1 and 2 have hydraulic conductivities equal to 10-2 and 10-4 cm/sec,
respectively.

Answers: Place datum at Point D - then @ Point C: hT = 46.84 in; hp = 34.84 in

q = 18.0 in3 per day (water is flowing downward)
8. A falling head permeability (hydraulic conductivity) test is performed on a sand sample. The
apparatus is illustrated below. Shown are water elevations in the burette for the start time (t1
= 0 seconds) and the end time (t2 = 23 seconds). The burette has a cross-sectional area of
0.20 square inches. The soil sample has a length (L) of 6 inches and a cross-sectional area
of 4.5 square inches. The sample has a dry unit weight of 102 pounds per cubic foot (pcf)
and a specific gravity (Gs) equal to 2.65.

(a) Estimate the total head, pressure head, and elevation head for Point A shown on
the apparatus sketch. Assume the water elevation in the burette corresponds to
the location illustrated for time t1. Report all answers in inches.

(b) Estimate the hydraulic conductivity (k) of the sample. Express your answer in
inches per day.

Water-Filled
Burette

t1

t2
33 inches

Permeability
Cell

A
21 inches

Soil
Sample
L

Drain 3 inches
Line

Answer: None Provided

Hint: See falling head test equation in textbook
9. The sketch shown below illustrates a case in which water is seeping from a reservoir into
an open trench located approximately 16 meters away. Seepage is occurring through a
confined stratum of poorly graded sand that is overlain and underlain by impervious
material. The sand stratum is 2.5 meters thick at the reservoir and decreases to 0.75
meters thick about two-thirds the way to the trench.

In order to maintain the water level in the trench 3 meters below the reservoir surface
elevation, it is found necessary to pump 1 cubic meter of water per hour per meter of
trench (into the page). Estimate is the hydraulic conductivity of the sand (in centimeters
per second). Assume the change in cross-section of the sand stratum to be abrupt.

Reservoir Trench

10 m 6m 7m

Fat Clay
(CH) Pump
5m 0.75 m 6m

2.5 m 2m

Impervious
Bedrock
Drawing not to scale.
Poorly Graded
Sand (SP)

Answer: None Provided

Hint: Assume two SP soil layers with different flow areas