CHAPTER 5
ENGINEERING PROPERTIES OF SOIL
CE12 – GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
PERMEABILITY ON SOIL
CE12-GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
PERMEABILITY
Permeability is the property of the soil which permits water or any liquid
to flow through its voids.
Soils are permeable due to the existence of interconnected voids through
which water can flow from points of higher energy to points of lower
energy
Hydraulic conductivity (k ), also called coefficient of permeability, is the
rate of flow of water in the soil.
PERMEABILITY
Different soils have different permeability.
Coarse-grained soil – loose soil (sand and gravel) – high permeability
Fine-grained soil – dense soil (silt and clay) – low permeability
IMPORTANCE OF SOIL PERMEABILITY
Permeability influences the rate of settlement of a saturated soil under
load.
The stability of slopes and retaining structures can be greatly affected by
the permeability involved.
The design of earth dams is very much based upon the permeability of
soil used.
Investigating problems involving the pumping of water for underground
construction
Making stability analyses of earth dams and earth-retaining structures
that are subject to seepage forces.
FACTORS AFFECTING PERMEABILITY
Factors Related to Medium (Soil):
Grain or particle size. Larger particles create larger pore spaces, which leads to
higher permeability.
Void ratio. A higher void ratio means more space for fluid to flow through, increasing
permeability.
Soil Stratification. Layers of different soil types can create barriers or conduits for
flow, impacting overall permeability.
Entrapped Air. Air trapped within the pores reduces the effective area for fluid flow,
thus decreasing permeability.
Organic Impurities. Organic matter can clog pore spaces, hindering fluid movement
and lowering permeability.
Factors Related to the Fluid:
Viscosity. Permeability is inversely proportional to fluid viscosity; a less viscous fluid
can flow more easily.
Temperature. Higher temperatures decrease fluid viscosity, leading to increased
permeability.
FACTORS RELATED TO FLUID-MEDUIM INTERACTION
Temperature. Soils with less than 100% saturation (unsaturated soils) will have lower
permeability than saturated soils.
BERNOULLI’S EQUATION
DARCY’S LAW
Seepage Velocity – actual velocity of water through void spaces
Volume Flow Rate
where q = volume flow rate
q = kiA A = area of soil specimen
HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY
LABORATORY DETERMINATION OF PERMEABILITY
CONSTANT-HEAD TEST
This laboratory testing method is used to determine the permeability of granular soils like sands and
gravels. In this type of laboratory setup, the water supply at the inlet is adjusted in such a way that the
difference of head between the inlet and the outlet remains constant during the test period. After a
constant flow rate is established, water is collected in a graduated flask for a known duration.
LABORATORY DETERMINATION OF PERMEABILITY
FALLING-HEAD TEST
This laboratory testing method is used to determine
the permeability of fine-grained soils with
intermediate and low permeability such as silts and
clays. Water from a standpipe flows through the soil.
The initial head difference h1 at time t = 0 is
recorded, and water is allowed to flow through the
soil specimen such that the final head difference at
time t = t2 is h2.
h1 = head at time t1
h2 = head at time t2
SAMPLE PROBLEM 1
SAMPLE PROBLEM 1
SAMPLE PROBLEM 2
SAMPLE PROBLEM 2
SAMPLE PROBLEM 3
a. Determine the coefficient of permeability of the soil in m/sec.
b. What was the head difference at t = 7mins in cm ?
SAMPLE PROBLEM 3
SAMPLE PROBLEM 4
SAMPLE PROBLEM 4
SAMPLE PROBLEM 5
In a constant head permeameter test, the outflow Q is equal to 782
mL in a measured time of 31 seconds. The sand specimen has a
diameter of 6.35 cm and a length L of 2.54 cm. The total head loss Δh
for the permeameter is 2.0 m. Calculate the hydraulic conductivity in
cm/sec (also known as the coefficient of permeability).
SAMPLE PROBLEM 5
SAMPLE PROBLEM 6
A constant head permeability test is performed on a soil sample with
a length of 30 cm, a cross-sectional area 110cm2, and a hydraulic
conductivity of 0.019 cm/sec. If a flow rate of 130 cm3/min must be
maintained, what is the head difference across the specimen, and
what is the seepage velocity, if the porosity is 0.25?
SAMPLE PROBLEM 6
EQUIVALENT HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY IN
STRATIFIED SOIL
FLOW PARALLEL TO SOIL LAYERS
Head loss is constant for all layers hence the hydraulic gradient is constant for all the
layers.
Total discharge is the sum of individual layer discharges.
EQUIVALENT HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY IN
STRATIFIED SOIL
FLOW NORMAL TO SOIL LAYERS
The velocity of flow through all the layers is the same.
Total head loss is equal to the sum of the head losses in all layers.
SAMPLE PROBLEM 1
SAMPLE PROBLEM 1
SAMPLE PROBLEM 2
a. Compute the average vertical coefficient of permeability in meters/day.
b. Compute the average horizontal coefficient of permeability in meters/day.
SAMPLE PROBLEM 2
PERMEABILITY TEST IN THE FIELD BY PUMPING WELLS
Used to determine the hydraulic conductivity of soil in the field.
During the test, water is pumped out at a constant rate from a test well that has a
perforated casing. Several observation wells at various radial distances are made around
the test well. Continuous observations of the water level in the test well and in the
observation wells are made after the start of pumping, until a steady state is reached.
The steady state is established when the water level in the test and observation wells
become constant.
PERMEABILITY TEST IN THE FIELD BY PUMPING WELLS
AQUIFER
An aquifer is a saturated geological formation that contains and transmits significant quantities of
water under normal field conditions.
An underground layer of permeable rock or unconsolidated materials such as gravel, sand or silt is
called an Aquifer. It is a body of saturated rock through which water can easily move.
1. Unconfined Aquifer –an aquifer that
does not have a confining layer
between it and the ground surface.
Water can flow directly between the
surface and the saturated zone of the
aquifer.
2. Confined Aquifer – an aquifer that
is confined or sandwiched between
two impervious layers of soil and the
aquifer is bounded at the top and
bottom by relatively impermeable
strata.
PERMEABILITY TEST IN THE FIELD BY PUMPING WELLS
UNCONFINED AQUIFER
Hydraulic Conductivity
q
PERMEABILITY TEST IN THE FIELD BY PUMPING WELLS
UNCONFINED AQUIFER
Transmissivity
- Rate at which groundwater can flow
through an aquifer section of unit
width.
q
PERMEABILITY TEST IN THE FIELD BY PUMPING WELLS
CONFINED AQUIFER
Hydraulic Conductivity
H = thickness of the aquifer
PERMEABILITY TEST IN THE FIELD BY PUMPING WELLS
CONFINED AQUIFER
Transmissivity
- Rate at which groundwater can flow
through an aquifer section of unit
width.
q
SAMPLE PROBLEM 1
A well penetrates an unconfined aquifer. Prior to pumping, the water
level is h = 25m. After a long period of pumping at a constant rate of
0.05 m3/s, the drawdowns at distances of 50m and 150m from the
well were observed to be 3m and 1.2m, respectively. Compute for the
hydraulic conductivity and transmissivity of the aquifer.
SAMPLE PROBLEM 1
SAMPLE PROBLEM 1
SAMPLE PROBLEM 2
SAMPLE PROBLEM 2
SAMPLE PROBLEM 2
SAMPLE PROBLEM 3
A confined aquifer has a saturated thickness of H = 10m. Observation
wells are located at a distance of 20m and 40m from the pumping well.
Water is pumped from the well at a constant rate of 0.1m3/s. After
pumping for t = 30 hours (sufficiently ling time), the steady state of
flow is reached and the following piezometric levels are collected: r1 =
40m, h1 = 11m; r2 = 20m, h2 = 8m. Evaluate the hydraulic conductivity
in m/s.
SAMPLE PROBLEM 3
SAMPLE PROBLEM 3
ASSESSMENT PROBLEMS
PERMEABILITY ON SOILS
PROBLEM 1
The hydraulic conductivity of a soil sample was determined in a soil
mechanics laboratory by making use of a falling head permeameter.
The data used and the test results obtained were as follows:
diameter of sample = 2.36 m, height of sample = 5.91 m, diameter
of stand pipe = 0.79 m, initial head h1 = 17.72 m., final head h2 =
11.81 m. Time elapsed = 1 min 45 sec. Determine the hydraulic
conductivity in m/day.
PROBLEM 2
A pumping test was made in pervious gravels and sands extending
to a depth of 50 m, where a bed of clay was encountered. The
normal groundwater level was at the ground surface. Observation
wells were located at distances of 10m and 25m from the pumping
well. At a discharge of 761 m3 per minute from the pumping well, a
steady state was attained in about 24 hr. The drawdown at 10 m
was 5.5 m, and at 25 m was 1.21m. Compute the hydraulic
conductivity (m/sec) and transmissivity (m2/s).
PROBLEM 3
A field pumping test was conducted from an aquifer of sandy soil of
8 m thickness confined between two impervious strata. When
equilibrium was established, 90 liters of water was pumped out per
hour. The water elevation in an observation well 6.0 m away from
the test well was 4.1 m and another 9.0 m away was 4.7 m from the
roof level of the impervious stratum of the aquifer. Find the value of
k of the soil in m/sec.
PROBLEM 4
A sand deposit contains three distinct horizontal layers of equal
thickness. The hydraulic conductivity of the upper and lower layers
is 10-3 cm/sec and that of the middle is 10-2 cm/sec. What are the
equivalent values of the horizontal and vertical hydraulic
conductivities of the three layers, and what is their ratio?