This document discusses permeability testing methods for geotechnical engineering laboratory class. It describes two common permeability test methods: the constant-head test and falling-head test. The constant-head test applies a constant head of water to a soil specimen in a permeameter to measure hydraulic conductivity. The falling-head test similarly uses a permeameter but measures the change in head over time. Both tests aim to determine the hydraulic conductivity value k, which indicates a soil's ability to transmit water and is important for analyzing seepage, settlement, and slope stability.

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CE 3121: Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory
Class 5
Permeability Test
Sources:
Soil Mechanics – Laboratory Manual,B.M. DAS (Chapters 10, 11)
Soil Properties, Testing, Measurement, and Evaluation, C. Liu, J. Evett

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 Permeability in Soils
 Hydraulic Conductivity
 Darcy’s Law
 Permeability Tests
 Constant-Head Test
 Falling-Head Test
Class Outlines

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Soil Permeability
Physical
(Soil Characteristics)
Mechanical
Moisture Content
Unit Weight
CompressibilityPermeability
Specific
Gravity
Gradation
Atterberg
Limits
Strength
(Shear)
Soil Properties
Compaction
1 – Constant-Head Test
2 – Falling-Head Test

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Permeability in Soils
 Permeability is the measure of the soil’s
ability to permit water to flow through its pores
or voids
 It is one of the most important soil properties
of interest to geotechnical engineers

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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.

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Use of Permeability
 Knowledge of the permeability properties of
soil is necessary to:
 Estimating the quantity of underground
seepage
 Solving problems involving pumping seepage
water from construction excavation
 Stability analyses of earth structures and earth
retaining walls subjected to seepage forces

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Hydraulic Conductivity
 Hydraulic Conductivity, k, is a measure of soil
permeability
 k is determined in the lab using two methods:
 Constant-Head Test
 Falling-Head Test
 K is usually expressed in cm/sec
 Hydraulic conductivity is also known as the
coefficient or permeability

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Hydraulic Conductivity (Cont.)
 Hydraulic conductivity of soils depends on
several factors:
 Fluid viscosity
 Pore size distribution
 Grain size distribution
 Void ratio
 Degree of soil saturation

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Darcy’s Law
 The hydraulic conductivity, k, is a product of Darcy’s
Law.
 In 1856, Darcy established an empirical relationship
for the flow of water through porous media known as
Darcy’s Law, which states: q = kiA
q = flow rate (cm3/s)
k = coefficient of permeability (cm/s)
A = cross-sectional Area (cm2)
i = hydraulic gradient
where;
L
h
i



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Constant Head Test
 The constant head test is used primarily for
coarse-grained soils
 This test is based on the assumption of
laminar flow where k is independent of i (low
values of i)
 ASTM D 2434
 This test applies a constant head of water to
each end of a soil in a “permeameter”

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Permeameter

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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 at top)
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.

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Calculation (Constant head)
 Determine the unit weight
 Calculate the void ratio of the compacted specimen
 Calculate k as
 Calculate
Aht
QL
k 
C
CT
CT
kk C
020
0
00
20




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Falling Head Test
 The falling head test is used both for coarse-
grained soils as well as fine-grained soils
 Same procedure in constant head test
except:
 Record initial head difference, h1 at 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 ml at time t  60
sec

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Calculation (Falling head)
 Calculate k as
 Where;
a = inside cross sectional area of the water tank
h1 = distance to bottom of the beaker before the test
h2 = distance to bottom of the beaker after the test
 Calculate
2
1
ln
h
h
At
aL
k 
C
CT
CT
kk C
020
0
00
20




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Typical Values of k