Permeability

Of the
Soil
What is permeability?
➢ Permeability is facility with which water flows through
soil volume.
➢ Soil is permeable due to the existence of voids between
soil grains that are interconnected and allow flow from
points of higher potentials towards points of lower
potentials (energy).
➢ It is one of the most important geotechnical parameters.
However, it is probably the most difficult parameter to
determine. In large part, it controls the strength and
deformation behavior of soils.
It directly affects the following:
✓ quantity of water that will flow toward an excavation
✓ design of cut offs beneath dams on permeable foundations
✓ design of the clay layer for a landfill liner.
 SCOPE

Bernoulli’s equation is the total pressure in terms of

water head is formed from 3 parts: 1), pressure head; 2),
dynamic head; and 3), elevation head.

If Bernoulli's equation is applied to the flow of water through a

porous soil medium, the term containing the velocity head can be
neglected because the seepage velocity is small, and the total
head at any point can be adequately represented by
Figure 6.1 shows the relationship among pressure, elevation, and total
heads for the flow of water through soil. Open stand pipes called
piezometer are installed at points A and B. The levels to which water
rises in the piezometer tubes situated at points A and B are known as
the piezometric levels of points A and B, respectively. The pressure
head at a point is the height of the vertical column of water in the
piezometer Installed at that point . The loss of head between two points, A
and B, can be given by
EVALUATION OF COEFFICIENT OF
PERMEABILITY •From field testing:
•From laboratory testing: 1.Pumping tests
1.Constant-Head Test 2.Borehole tests
2.Falling-Head Test
APPLICATIONS
•Design of pumping systems for dewatering of excavations.
•Estimating of seepage losses thru and under earth dams.
•Stability analyses of earth dams and earth retaining structures.
•Design of clay liners and cut off walls.

Importance of permeability
❑ The following applications illustrate the importance of permeability in
geotechnical design:
❖ Permeability influences the rate of settlement of a saturated soil under load.
❖ The design of earth dams is very much based upon the permeability of the
soils used.
❖ The stability of slopes and retaining structures can be greatly affected by the
permeability of the soils involved.
❖ Filters made of soils are designed based upon their permeability.
 Hydraulic Conductivity
❖ The coefficient or permeability is also known as hydraulic
conductivity;
❖ Hydraulic Conductivity, k, is a measure of soil permeability;
❖ The hydraulic conductivity of soils depends on several
factors: fluid viscosity, pore-size distribution, grain-size
distribution, void ratio, roughness of mineral particles and
degree of soil saturation.
❖ Hydraulic conductivity is generally expressed in cm/sec or
m/sec in SI units and in ft/min or ft/day in English units. In
hydrogeology a used to be popular unit is meinzer; in
geotechnical world is cm/sec; and in petroleum engineering
people just use the unit of darcy.
➢ 1 Meinzer= 1gal/day/ft
2
❖ k is determined in the lab using two methods:
-Constant-Head Test
-Falling-Head Test
 Constant-Head Test
❑ The constant-head test is used to determine the coefficient of
permeability of coarse grained soils. Water is allowed to flow
through a cylindrical sample of soil under a constant head (h). The
outflow (Q) is collected in a graduated cylinder at a convenient
duration (t).
SCOPE - METHOD OF TEST FOR
PERMEABILITY OF SOILS
o In this test, water is forced by a known constant pressure
through a soil specimen of known dimensions and the rate
of flow is determined. This test is used primarily to
determine the suitability of sands and gravels for drainage
purposes, and is made only on remolded samples.

Referenced Documents
ASTM Standards:
❖ D 422 Test Method for Particle-Size Analysis of Soils
❖ D 4253 Test Methods for Maximum Index Density and Unit Weight
of Soils Using a Vibratory Table
❖ D 4254 Test Methods for Minimum Index Density of Soils and
Calculation of Relative Density
❖ D 2434 Standard Test Method for Permeability of Granular Soils
APPARATUS
Permeameters
as shown in Fig. shall have
specimen cylinders with minimum
diameters approximately 8 or 12
times the maximum particle size in
accordance with Table 1.
APPARATUS

Constant Level Tank

manufactured from
transparent plastic with
attachment for wall mounting
to supply water and to
remove most of the air from
tap water, fitted with suitable
control valves.
Manometer Tubes
with metric scales
for measuring head of
water.
APPARATUS
Balance
of 2-kg (4.4-lb)
capacity, sensitive
to 1 g (0.002-lb).

Stop watch or timer

with sweep second hand

Compaction
Hammer,
Screen,
Beaker
 Procedure (Constant head)
1.Setup screens on the permeameter
2.Measurements for permeameter, (D), (L), H1
3.Take 1000 g passing No.4 soil (M1)
4.Take a sample for M.C.
5.Assemble the permeameter–make sure seals are air-tight
6.Fill the mold in several layers and compact it as prescribed.
7.Put top porous stone and measure H2
8.Weigh remainder of soil (M2)
9.Complete assembling the permeameter. (keep outlet valve closed)
10.Connect Manometer tubes, but keep the valves closed.
11.Apply vacuum to remove air for 15 minutes (through inlet tube attop)
12.Run the Test (follow instructions in the lab manual)
13.Take readings -Manometer heads h1 & h2
-Collect water at the outlet, Q ml at time t ≈60 sec.
 CALCULATIONS AND
PLOTTING
1. The permeability “K”, is
calculated from the following
formula:
K = Q/iAt
Q = quantity of water discharged,
A = cross-sectional area of
specimen
t = elapsed time
i = the hydraulic gradient = H/L
where: H = head of water
L = height of sample
2. Correct and record the
coefficient of permeability,
K, to that for 20 °C, using the
appropriate correction factor
from Table 1.
 Variable/Falling-Head Test
▪ The falling head test is used for fine-grained soils; 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.
 SCOPE - METHOD OF TEST FOR PERMEABILITY OF SOILS
▪ In this test, water is forced, by a falling head pressure, through a soil
specimen of known dimensions and the rate of flow is determined. This
test is used to determine the drainage characteristics of relatively fine-
grained soils and is usually performed on undisturbed samples.

Same procedure in constant head test except:

–Record initial head difference, h1at t = 0
–Allow water to flow through the soil specimen
–Record the final head difference, h2 at time t = t2
–Collect water at the outlet, Q (in ml) at time t ≈60 sec
 FIELD
SCOPE PERMEABILITY TEST
This method describes the procedure for the field determination of the
modified permeability of a soil. The test enables rapid comparisons of
rates of moisture infiltration through soil types or soil horizons.
APPARATUS
1. Surface permeameter
consisting of the following
units:
1.1 Perspex base, graduated
cylindrical reservoir,
rubber stopper.
1.2 Steel surcharge ring.
1.3 Rubber sealing ring.
1.4 Plastic inner ring.
1.5 Small rubber bung.
2. Bentonite paste
3. Fast flow filter papers.
4. Stop-watch.
 PROCEDURE
1. Test Preparation
1.1 Obtain a test site in accordance with Test Method WA 100.1.
1.2 Place sufficient bentonite paste onto the bottom of the rubber ring to ensure a good
seal.
1.3 Place the rubber ring with the bentonite paste on the test site.
1.4 Insert the plastic inner ring into the rubber ring and using the steel surcharge ring
apply pressure on to the top of the rubber ring.
1.5 Remove the excess bentonite and the inner plastic ring from inside the rubber ring
and lift off the steel surcharge ring.
1.6 Place the small rubber bung into the air inlet hole of the perspex base and invert the
permeameter.
1.7 Fill the reservoir with water up to the top of the perspex base.
1.8 Place a filter paper on top of the reservoir tube.
1.9 Invert the water filled permeameter and carefully place it on top of the rubber ring
making certain it is seated properly.
1.10 Place the steel surcharge ring around the cylindrical reservoir and seat it on top of
the perspex base.
2. Testing
2.1 Remove the rubber bung from the air inlet hole in the perspex base to begin the test.
2.2 Take an initial reading of the water level and simultaneously start the stop watch as
soon as the turbulence ceases and a reading can be determined.
2.3 Take water level readings at suitable time intervals .
2.4 Check for leaks between the sealing ring and the soil surface. If leaks are present
discontinue the test.
(j) The cumulative flow is the total quantity of water (in cylinder graduations) that
has flowed into the soil at any given time.
(k) The calibration factor is determined by calibrating the cylindrical reservoir. A
known mass of water is poured into the reservoir and the column of water is
measured by the graduations on the reservoir. The mass of water is divided
by the number of graduations and converted to cubic metres to give the
calibration factor (CF).
 Permeability Test in the Field by
Pumping from Wells (5.36)
In the field, the average hydraulic
conductivity of a soil deposit in the direction of
flow can be determined by performing pumping O
tests from wells. Figure 5.13 shows a case where R
the top permeable layer, whose hydraulic
conductivity has to be determined, is
unconfined and underlain by an impermeable
layer. During the test, water is pumped out at a THUS(5.37
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
From field
made after the start of pumping, until a steady
measurements, if q, r1,
state is reached. The steady state is established r2, h1, and h2 are
when the water level in the test and observation known, then the
wells becomes constant. The expression for the hydraulic conductivity
rate of flow of groundwater, q, into the well, can be calculated from
which is equal to the rate of discharge from the simple relationship
pumping, can be written as presented in Eq. (5.37).
 The average hydraulic
conductivity for a confined
aquifer can also be (5.38)
determined by conducting a
pumping test from a well or
with a perforated casing that
penetrates the full depth of
the aquifer and by observing
the piezometric level in a
number of observation wells
at various radial distances This gives the
(Figure 5.14). Pumping is hydraulic conductivity in
continued at a uniform rate q the direction of flow as
until a steady state is
reached. Because water can (5.39)
enter the test well only from
the aquifer of thickness H,
the steady state of discharge
is