1. National University Of Sciences and Technology
School Of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering (SMME)
Survey Report
Sand Permeability Meter
Submitted To:
Muhammad Naveed
Submitted By:
Syndicate 6
BE-ME-07-C
Dated: 1/12/15

2. Sand Permeability Meter:
A sand permeability meter is a device that is used to determine the permeability
of a particular type of granular sand. The measure of permeability of sand is a
means of checking the rate at which it can emit gases and hence its use in Sand
type Casting. The more is the permeability of the sand, the more is the quality of
Casting process.
𝒌 =
𝑸𝑳
𝑨𝒕𝒉
Where, k=Permeability coefficient
Q=total discharge
L=length of soil sample
A=area of cross-section of cylinder
t= time of flow of water
h=difference of two heads of manometer
Abstract:
For the making of this sand permeability meter, a thorough homework
was done on its design and feasibility and homework. A proper design was made
for its practical implementation. For executing the designed project, a thorough
market survey was carried out. The information collected about the project
design is here being drafted in form of a Survey report. This report highlights the
major aspects of the visits made to the market. Different places in the vicinity
were visited that include College Road, City Sadar Road, Iqbal Road, Sadar,
Haathi Chowk, Babu Muhalla, G-8 Markaz and Peshawar Road, these all places
being residing in the Rawalpindi city. The size of the material required was asked
for so that it could come to light whether the size required according to its size

3. and standard requirements was available or not. Moreover, the price of the
components of the sand permeability meter was also interrogated. This would
have ensured that the design implemented by the syndicate was duly cheap and
feasible. Some of the components of the project were not bought even after
their availability as in the views of the Survey team, those components could
also be obtained from the Manufacturing Resource Centre (MRC) located within
the premises of the University.
Aspects:-
 Place
 Size of material
 Price of material
 Dimensions of material
Components of Sand Permeability meter:-
 Water Reservoir
 Plastic pipes
 Moulding Glass tubes
 Porous Rock
 Manometer
 Valves
 Graduated Cylinder/Beaker
 Perplex Glass Cylinder
 Upper and lower lids
 Spring
 Fine wire mesh screen

4. The survey carried for collecting information about the above mentioned
aspects of the components of the sand permeability meter is explained in detail
as follows:-
1. Water Reservoir:-
Water reservoir is a type of containing cylinder that stores
water above the level of the upper lid of the perplex glass cylinder. The
gravity effect allows water to flow through the plastic pipe and the upper lid
to the sand contained within the cylinder.
 Material: The material proposed for this reservoir is mild steel.
 Size: The dimension for this reservoir are 50x50cm.
 Availability: The reservoir will be made in the Manufacturing Resource
Centre(MRC) using the CNC machines.
 Price: This reservoir will cost only the price of the metal sheet. The
price of the mild steel metal sheet as per the visit to G-8 Markaz is
approximately Rs. 600.
 Place visited: G-8 Markaz.
2. Plastic Pipes:-
The plastic pipes are used to allow the smooth flow of water from
the water reservoir to the perplex glass cylinder containing the granular soil.
 Material: High Pressure spray hose made of plastic fibre. W.P 60 bars,
temperature 300
C, B.P 2250 PSI. The other plastic pipe was ISO 900|:2000.
 Size: Diameter less than 1 inch. The other pipe’s diameter is less than 0.5
inch.
 Availability: The plastic pipes are easily available from sanitary stores.

5.  Price: The price of both plastic pipes is Rs.15/foot and Rs.15/foot
respectively.
 Place visited: College Road and Iqbal Road.
3. Moulding Glass Tubes:-
The moulding glass tubes are used as an
alternative for the Manometer. These glass tubes can be moulded using a
hotgun into the desired shape below its Melting pont.
 Material: This glass tube is made of moulding glass.
 Size: This diameter of this glass tube is less than 6mm.
 Availability: This glass tube is easily available with the glass
wholesalers.
 Price: The Moulding glass tube is available in terms of per kg. The
price of 1kg moulding glass is Rs.250.
 Place Visited: Babu Muhalla.
4. Porous Rocks:-
The porous rocks are rested on the the projections made inside
the upper and lower lids. These rocks are used to prevent the sand grains from
passing through the lower lid to the containing graduated cylinder or beaker.
These rocks have fine pores in them that only allow the water to pass through
but serve as a screen for the sand grains.

6.  Availability: The Survey team made several visits to several places
including Sadar, City Sadar Road and Peshawar Road but the porous
rocks were not available to them. It is highly anticipated that these
rocks will be easily available from outside the city and more
specifically from LAHORE. But this would mount the transportation
costs besides the buying expenditure.
 Places visited: Peshawar road and Sadar.
5. Manometer:-
The manometers are connected on the same side of the perplex
glass cylinder. These manometers provide the difference between their constant
head levels which are used in the formula to calculate the permeability
coefficient.
 Material: The manometers are made of moulding glass.
 Size: The manometers provide a maximum difference of 9cm in
their levels. The manometer according to the ASTM-D2434 standard
is calibrated in centimeters.
 Availability: The manometers are easily available with the
scientific stores that carry common laboratory instruments.
 Price: The price of the available manometer is Rs.600.
 Places visited: College Road.

7. 6. Valves:-
The valves are used to provide a manual opening and closing to the
water to the manometers and the graduated cylinder. The total number of
valves required for the designed permeameter are four(4). When the valves are
open the water is allowed to pass smoothly but when the required amount of
water is obtained in the graduated cylinder, the valve connecting to the lower lid
and plastic pipes is closed and hence closing the pathway for water to follow.
 Availability: The valves are easily available in all required sizes at
common sanitary stores.
 Price: The price of the valve available as per the report of Survey
team is approximately Rs.100.
 Size: The valves are available in all required sizes. The size required
per the designed meter is of diameter approximately 0.5 inch.
 Place visited: College Road and Iqbal Road.
7. Graduated Cylinder/Beaker:-
The graduated glass cylinder or beaker is used to
collect the specified amount of water to calculate the coefficient of
permeability. The graduated glass cylinder is made of glass. The graduated
cylinder required according to the standard ASTM-D2434 is made by BOMEX
with a tolerance of +10mL with a temperature range of 200
C.
 Material: The graduated glass cylinder is made of sugar glass or
Atlas Borosilicate glass 3.3.
 Size: The graduated glass cylinder has a capacity of 1000mL.

8.  Availability: The graduated glass cylinder is easily available with
scientific stores.
 Price: The price of graduated glass cylinder is Rs.700.
 Places visited: College Road/
8. Perplex Glass Cylinder:-
The perplex glass cylinder is the main component of the
Sand permeability meter. It is the part of the meter that contains granular
sand. The sand contained within is rammed and put in layers. The water from
the upper lid seeps into the sand and leaves the sand at the lower lid. The
time taken by the specified quantity of water is the kernel concept of
determining sand permeability using this type if sand permeameter. The
perplex glass is Poly(methyl methacrylate) and has a melting point of 1600
C.
This glass is obtained in raw form in the shgape of straight glass sheets. By the
use of a hotgun, this perplex glass can be moulded into any desired shape.
Another common name for perplex glass is Acrylic glass.
 Material: The perplex glass is a type of glass that is actually
poly(methyl methacrylate).
 Size: The perplex glass is available in the form of sheets that can be
moulded into desired shapes of desired sizes.
 Availability: The Survey team made its visit to places like Babu
Muhalla and Haathi Chowk but due to lack of shipment in recent
days, it was out of stock and the survey team could not find anything
as its alternate. The perplex glass will soon be available with the
survey team. The price is still unknown.
 Places Visited: Babu Muhalla and Hathi Chowk.

9. 9. Upper and Lower Lids:-
The upper and lower lids are used to pack the perplex
glass cylinder. The lower lid is fixed at its position. These lids carry threads
inside them so that the perplex glass easily fits inside. These lids carry small
projections inside them to provide support to the porous rocks. These lids
have two holes in them respectively to allow the plastic pipes to be
connected to them. These lids provide the function of stability to the glass
cylinder.
 Material: The lids are made of nylon which is a polymer.
 Size: The size of the lids is made in accordance with the size of the
perplex glass cylinder. Its diameter is slightly greater than the
diameter of the glass cylinder.
 Availability: The nylon fiber is easily available with the
Mechanical shops that deal in CNC work.
 Price: The price of ready-to-use lids is approximately Rs. 500.
 Places visited: G-8 Markaz.
10. Springs and Fine Wire mesh Screen:-
The spring is attached with the upper lid in the inner side.
The springs provide a slight force of 22-45 N to the upper porous rock so that it
does not pops up when the water flows through it to the sand beneath.
Whereas, the fine wire mesh is used as a screen for the water to pass. It has the
same function as the porous rock i-e it does not allows the sand grains to pass
through it while the water flows.

10.  Availability: The springs and the fine wire mesh are easily available
with the sanitary stores. They are easily available in all required
sizes.
 Size: The size of fine wire mesh according to the ASTM-D2434
standard is less than 0.2mm.
 Price: The spring and the fine wire mesh cost together Rs.300.
 Places visited: College Road and Iqbal Road.
Total Approximation:
By considering all the items mentioned above and some other minor tools our
total cost for all the items will approximate to about Rs. 6000 only.