Soil premeability by using filtration method.

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SOIL PREMEABILITYBY USING FILTRATION METHOD
THIVYAAPRIYA A/P SAMBAMOORTHY
SITI ANISAH BINTI MOHD SOBREE
PRA-U 2 ATHENS
SMK DATO’ MOHD SAID NILAI, NEGERISEMBILAN

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DEDICATION
We wish to express our sincere appreciation to our principal
Madam Hajah Kamilah Bt Salleh , our Chemistry teacher Madam. Noorzaila
Bt. Mat Taib for their keen and endless guidance, encouragement, critics and
inspiration till the success and completion of this work.
Special thanks to lab assistants Madam. Hanita Bt. Rasid and Mr.
Ismail B. Mahad for their sincere help and cooperation in carrying out our
research. We are also grateful to them for their help in our laboratory works
and in preparing the apparatus and materials regarding our project.
We wish to express here, our sincere appreciation and thanks to all
teachers and fellow friends that had directly and indirectly helped us
throughout this research project.

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ABSTRACT
The objective of this experiment is to measure the capacity of the soil
to allow the flow of water through a soil volume by using basic filtration
method. Some examples of the soil that were used are river bank soil, forest
land soil, clay soil and beach soil. Based on the hypothesis, it is assumed that
the forest land soil is more suitable for the agricultural industry compared with
the other types of soil. The method of separation used is basic filtration method
by collecting different type of soil, and then carried by simple filtration. By
this we conclude, there’s few types of soil that is permeable to water. Hence,
pursuing in this experiment, Forest land soil is more permeable to water.

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TABLE OF CONTENT
CHAPTER TITLE PAGE
DEDICATION 2
ABSTRACT 3
TABLE OF CONTENT 4
1 INTRODUCTION TO TITLE
1.1 INTRODUCTION
1.2 LITERATURE REVIEW
1.3 PROBLEM STATEMENTS
1.4 OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH
5
5
7
9
10
2 METHODOLOGY
2.1 APPARATUS AND MATERIAL
2.2 PROCEDURES
2.3 DATA COLLECTION
11
11
12
14
3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
3.1 OBSERVATIONS AND RESULTS
3.2 INTEPRETATION AND DISCUSSIONS
15
15
16
4 CONCLUSION 22
5 REFERENCES 24

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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION TO TITLE
1.1 INTRODUCTION
Soil are assemblages of solid particles with interconnected voids where water
can flow from a point of high to a point of low energy. 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. Loose soil which usually contains large amount of voids has high
permeability whereby water is easy to flow through the soil due to large
porosity. In contrast, where dense soil which usually contains slit voids has
low permeability and hence water is very difficult to flow through the soil due
to small porosity.

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The soil permeability is often represented by the permeability coefficient (k)
through the Darcy’s equation:
V=ki
Where v is the apparent fluid velocity through the medium i is the hydraulic
gradient , and K is the coefficient of permeability (hydraulic conductivity)
often expressed in m/s
K depends on the relative permeability of the medium for fluid constituent
(often water) and the dynamic viscosity of the fluid as follows.
K= (Gamma_w)*K/ (eta)
where Where Gamma_w is the unit weight of water Eta is the dynamic
viscosity of water K is an absolute coefficient depending on the characteristics
of the medium (m2)
The permeability coefficient can be determined in the laboratory using falling
head permeability test, and constant head permeability test. On the field, the
permeability can be estimated using Lugeon method which is filtration method.

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1.2 LITERATURE REVIEW
The theory of soil permeability obeys the Darcy’s Law, where Henri Darcy in
1856 derived an empirical formula for the behavior of the flow through
saturated soils. He found that the quantity of water (q) per sec flowing through
a cross-sectional area (A) of soil under hydraulic gradient (i) can be expressed
by the formula:
V = ki
Where,
V : discharge velocity, which is the quantity of water flowing I unit time
through a unit gross cross-sectional area of soil (cm/s)
K : coefficient of permeability or hydraulic conductivity (cm/s)
i : hydraulic gradient
The coefficient or permeability (k) also known as hydraulic conductivity, is a
measure of soil permeability. It is generally expressed in cm/sec or m/sec in SI
units. (k) is determined can be determined by a famous test known as
Constant-Head Test.

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The constant head permeability test is a common laboratory
testing method used to determine the permeability of granular soils like
sands and gravels containing little or no silt. This testing method is
made for testing reconstituted or disturbed granular soil samples.
The constant head permeability test involves flow of water
through a column of cylindrical soil sample under the constant pressure
difference. The test is carried out in the permeability cell, or
permeameter, which can vary in size depending on the grain size of the
tested material. The soil sample has a cylindrical form with its diameter
being large enough in order to be representative of the tested soil. As a
rule of thumb, the ratio of the cell diameter to the largest grain size
diameter should be higher than 12 (Head 1982). The usual size of the
cell often used for testing common sands is 75 mm diamater and 260
mm height between perforated plates. The testing apparatus is equipped
with a adjustable constant head reservoir and an outlet reservoir which
allows maintaining a constant head during the test. Water used for
testing is de-aired water at constant temperature. The permeability cell
is also equipped with a loading piston that can be used to apply
constant axial stress to the sample during the test. Before starting the
flow measurements, however, the soil sample is saturated. During the
test, the amount of water flowing through the soil column is measured
for given time intervals.

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Knowing the height of the soil sample column L, the sample
cross section A, and the constant pressure difference Δh, the volume of
passing water Q, and the time interval ΔT, one can calculate the
permeability of the sample as
K=QL / (A.Δh.Δt)
1.3 PROBLEM STATEMENT
1) Why is it important to determine the soil permeability?
2) What is soil porosity?
3) How can porosity be measured?
4) Which of soil samples tested has the greatest and least porosity?
5) Which soil is most and least permeable to water?
6) Is the any relationship between particles size and pore space?

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1.4 OBJECTIVE OF RESEARCH
The objectives of this experiment are:
(a) To describe characteristics of different types of soils.
(b) To determine how water flows through these different types of soils.
(c) To discuss the relationship between porosity and permeability.

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CHAPTER 2
METHODOLOGY
2.1 APPARATUS AND MATERIALS
In order to successfully conducting the experiment, the following
apparatus and materials were used. Apparatus used are as follow: 100cm3
beaker, asbestos sheet, 100ml measuring cylinders, stop watch, tripod stand,
large drinking bottles, hand gloves, distilled water, fined net, different types of
soil and rubber bands.
In this method, there is no chemical used in pursuing this experiment.

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2.2 PROCEDURES
The procedures were described below:
1) Firstly, the large bottles are cut into two sections from the middle.
The bottle with the cap holder is used as a funnel where the tip of
the bottle mouth is cover with fined net and tightens with a rubber
band.
2) Then, place one cleaned beaker on top of asbestos sheet, then
followed my tripod stand and finally the bottle which we used as a
funnel to filtrate the soil.
3) Now, measure the Forestland soil exactly 200ml and place it into
the bottle funnel, as shown below.

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1) Then, by using measuring cylinder, measure 300ml of distill water
and pour it into a beaker.
4) Lastly, after the apparatus has been set up, pour the distill water
into the bottle funnel and immediately start the stop watch.
5) Immediately stop the stop watch after there’s movement of water
from the soil.
6) The time taken has been recorded.
7) The filtrate of the filtration is measured and recorded by using
measuring cylinder.
8) Use the formula below to calculate the percentage porosity of the
soil:
Porosity = (Amount of water obtained / total soil volume) x 100
9) The steps from 1-8 is repeated for Riverbank soil, Beach soil and
clay soil.

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2.3 DATA COLLECTION
In this experiment, the data collected were recorded in the table as
described below:
Types of soil
Total soil
volume (ml)
Amount of water
obtained after the
filtration (ml)
The time taken
for the water to
pass through the
soil (min)
Porosity %
Forestland soil
Riverbank soil
Beach soil
Clay soil

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CHAPTER 3
RESULTS AND DICUSSION
3.1 OBSERVATION AND RESULTS
The results of the experiment are recorded in table as described below:
Types of soil
Total soil volume
(ml)
Amount of water
obtained after the
filtration (ml)
The time taken
for the water to
pass through the
soil (min)
Porosity %
Forestland soil 200 0 2 0%
Riverbank soil 200 93 13 46.5%
Beach soil 200 46 6 23%
Clay soil
200 200 Infinity 100%

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3.2 INTERPRETATIONAND DICUSSION
Different soils have different types of porosity and permeability
towards water. For forestland soil, there’s no water obtained after the filtration
and it only took few minutes to penetrate through the soil, and this is due to the
size of the voids is very wide which allowed water to flow through. Therefore,
forestland soil which has less total pores volumes has less porosity which leads
to the greatest permeability to water. Next, the riverbank soil and beach soil
both also known as intermediate soil which where both also has different types
voids in them, hence proven the values of porosity which there’s not much
different. In sense of permeability, beach soil is more permeable than riverbank
soil, because the time taken for water to flow through the soil for riverbank soil
is longer than the beach soil. And the porosity of riverbank soil shows the size
of voids is smaller compared to beach soil. Lastly, for the clay soil, based on
the results obtained, clay soil is not permeable to water, where clay soil usually
has greater total pore volume. In another meaning, the gap between the voids is
totally closed packed, and that is why there’s no water can penetrate through it.
Soil which has great total pore volume usually has great porosity and hence,
has lowest permeability towards water. This explains why the time taken for
clay soil is infinity.

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3.2.1 Pictures of beach soil and forestland soil
3.2.2 Pictures of clay soil and riverbank soil

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3.2.3 Filtration of forestland soil with distilled water

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3.2.4 Filtration of beach soil with distilled water.

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3.2.5 Filtration of riverbank soil with distilled water.

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3.2.6 Filtration of clay soil with distilled water.

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CHAPTER 4
CONCLUSION
As a conclusion, this experiment has allows us to know that the
permeability of the soil volume to let the water flow through. All our
problem statement has been answered thoroughly by conducting this
experiment. By this, we actually learn the composition of a particular
soil and the ability of it to let the movement of water through it. Many
factors affect soil permeability. Sometimes they are extremely
localized, such as cracks and holes, and it is difficult to calculate
representative values of permeability from actual measurements. A
good study of soil profiles provides an essential check on such
measurements.

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Observations on soil texture, structure, consistency, color/mottling layering,
visible pores and depth to impermeable layers such as bedrock and clay
pan form the basis for deciding if permeability measurements are likely to be
representative. The size of the soil pores is of great importance with regard to
the rate of infiltration (movement of water into the soil) and to the rate
of percolation (movement of water through the soil). Pore size and the number
of pores closely relate to soil texture and structure, and also influence soil
permeability. Thus, the types of soil sample were classified as very fine sands,
slit and clay. This experiment also can be proven by other variety tests, like for
examples the constant head permeability. Therefore, we deduced that
forestland soil is the most suitable soil to be used in agricultural industry where
this soil is more potentially in producing more fresh plants and it’s proven
theatrically and experimentally by well-known scientist in those ages which
made big contribution to the world of science.

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CHAPTER 5
REFERENCES
 Swiss Standard SN 670 010b, Characteristic Coefficients of
soils, Association of Swiss Road and Traffic Engineers
 Carter, M. and Bentley, S. (1991). Correlations of soil
properties. Penetech Press Publishers, London.
 Leonards G. A. Ed. 1962, Foundation ENgineering. McGraw
Hill Book Company
 Dysli M. and Steiner W., 2011, Correlations in soil mechanics,
PPUR
 West, T.R., 1995. Geology applied to engineering. Prentice
Hall, 560 pp.

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 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darcy%27s_law
 Head, K. H., 1982, Manual of soil laboratory testing, Vol 2,
Pentech Press, ISBN 0-7273-1305-3
 General description of the permeability tests MADHIRA R.
MADHAV, Indian Institute of Technology
 Determination of coefficient of permeability of sand by constant
head method Dr Anand J Puppala, Lecture notes, SOIL
MECHANICS LABORATORY, THE UNIVERSITY OF
TEXAS AT ARLINGTON
 Constant head permeability test method, DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION, STATE OF CALIFORNIA—
BUSINESS, TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING AGENCY
 A powerpoint presentation of the constant head permeability
test, Soil mechanics, Civil, architectural, & Environmental
Engineering Department, Drexel University
 Constant head and falling head permeability tests, Binod
Tiwari, Soil Mechanics Laboratory, California State University,
Fullerton
 Illustrated description of constant head permeability tests, Prof.
Krishna Reddy, Engineering Properties of Soils Based on
Laboratory Testing, UIC

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