LABORATORY REPORT 1 DETERMINATION OF PERMEABILITY FOR SOILS PREPARED BY:

NAME
MOHAMMAD ARZWAN BIN ABDUL RAHMAN MUHAMAD HAMIDDIN BIN MD KOMA MUHAMMAD FAISAL BIN MOHD RASHID
PREPARED FOR:

MATRIX NO.
2012235468 2012494124 2012899292

DR. MAZIDAH BINTI MUKRI

INTRODUCTION

A material is said to be permeable if it contains continuous voids. Permeablity is a property pf permeable material that permits flow of liquids through the voids. The flow of liquid through soil either by laminar or turbulent depending on permeability of soil and the head causing flow. Darcy(1856) demonstrated experimentally that for laminar flow conditions in a saturated soil, the rate of flow or discharge per unit time is proportional to the hydraulic gradient. q =kiA where, q = discharge per unit time k = Darcys coefficient of permeability I = hydraulic gradient A = total cross-sectional area of soil mass, perpendicular to the direction of flow The coefficient of permeability can be determined using two (2) types of apparatus namely : 1. Constant head permeameter apparatus for coarse grained soil 2. Fallin g head permeameter apparatus for fine grained soils

OBJECTIVES To determine the coefficient of permeability of coarse grained and fine grained soils

PERMEABILITY OF COARSE GRAINED SOILS USING CONSTANT HEAD PERMEAMETER Procedures: 1. The mould is cleaned and grease is applied inside the mould. Its weight is recorded 2. Sample is prepared a. The sample is trimmed to the size of ould from undisturbed lump of soil collected from the site. This sample is fit into the mould. Wax is applied around perisphery of the sample-mould to prevent leakage. or b. Statically compacted remolde specimen of desired density and water content is prepared Or c. Dynamically compacted remolded specimen of desired density and water content is prepared 3. The excess soil is trimmed. Filter paper is placed on top of oil specimen and fix perforated base plate to it. 4. The assembly is turned upside down and remove compaction plate or end plug and collar, as the case may be, place top perforated plate on top of soil specimen, insert sealing gasket anf fix top cap properly. 5. The sample is saturated. Vacuum desiccators is used if available 6. Specimen(mould) is taken out when saturation is complete. 7. The mould is placed in bottom tank 8. The bottom tank is filled with water uo to its outlet. 9. Outlet tube of constant head tank is connected to the inlet nozzle of the permeameter. All air bubbles is removed from the system. 10. Hydraulic head is adjusted. The head is resorded. 11. The stop watch is started, and the same tme put a beaker under the outlet of the bottom tank 12. The test is run for some convenient time interval. The time is recorded 13. The quantity of of water collected is measured and recorded during that time. 14. The test is repeated two times more under same head and for the same ime interval.

PERMEABILITY OF FINE GRAINED SOILS USING FALLING HEAD PERMEAMETER Procedure: 1. A U-100 sample is teken or from a core-cutter tube and trim the sampe to assure that both surface is flat and smooth. 2. The soil sample is placed fully into a triaxial cell on top of a porous stone and again place a porous stone on top of the soil sample. 3. The whole set up is placed in a bucket partially submerged in water. The sample should be encased in the triaxial cell to make sure that no air bubbles are entrapped in the soil sample. 4. The length,L and the Diemater,D of the sample is measured. The diameter, a of the standpipe used in the test is recorded. 5. The standpipe of the sample is connected. The connection of the standpipe to the sample should be intact to make sure that the presence of air is minimized. 6. The valve is opened and the water is filled into the tandpipe to a marked initilal height of the standpipe. The intial reading for height, h1 and time, t1 before the commencement of the test is recorded. 7. The valve s closed and the test is started by observing the flow of water and time of the reduction.Once the flow of water reaches the final height mark, stop the time and record the final reading for height, h2 and time t2 simultaneously 8. The temperature at the time of the test is recorded and obtain the temperature correctionfrom table 1 for kt and k20 .Compute the average value of k by repeating the above procedure. The correction for the effect of temperature is given by Kt =ktK20 Where: Kt = Value of k corresponding to a temperature of t K20= value of k corresponding to a temperature of 20oc Kt = temperature correction coefficient

RESULT

DETERMINATION OF THE COEFFICIENT OF PERMEABILITY OF SOIL (FALLING HEAD) Diameter of sample,D Cross sectional area of sample, A Mass of dry sample ,m Moisture content of sample,w Bulk density of sample, Length of sample, L 10.00 cm 78.54 cm 2 948.50 g 68 % 1.56 mg/cm 3 13.00cm

test

Standpipe no.

Diameter,d (cm)

1 2 3 1 2 3

0.15 0.3 0.47 0.15 0.3 0.47

Cross sectional area, a (cm2) 0.0176 0.0707 0.1735 0.0176 0.0707 0.1735

Time taken (s)

H1 (cm)

H2 (cm)

k (cm/s) 5.76 10-6 3.71 10-5 3.45 10-4 5.34 10-6 7.99 10-5 5.31 10-5

180

540

92.8 80 80 92.8 80 240

65.0 45.2 9.2 34.5 2.0 88.5

Permeability of Coarse Grained Soils using Constant Head Permeameter Diameter sample (cm) Area sample, D/4 (cm) Length sample 1, L (cm) Length sample 2, L (cm) Length sample 3, L (cm) Height of Water in Steady State Height of water in tube 1, H (cm) Height of water in tube 2, H (cm) Height of water un tube 3, H (cm) 8.03 50.64 7.50 7.00 14.50

30.0

22.5

15.5 Head loss (cm)

Quantity of water (cm) 2590 14560

Time taken (s) 120 540

Head loss 1, h 19.8 19.8

Head loss 2, h 14.1 14.1

Coefficient of Permeability, k (cm/s) Coefficient Coefficient Coefficient Average Head of of of Coefficient loss Permeability Permeability Permeability of 3, h 1, k 2, k 3, k Permeability 6.5 0.1614 0.2116 0.9508 0.4413 6.5 0.2017 0.2643 1.1878 0.5513

DISCUSSION

The objective of the permeability test is obviously to determine the permeability of the soil. Soil permeability is used to calculate drainage. For example, perimeter drains around a building and infiltration through a dam or landfill structure.permeability test can be divide into 2 test that is constant head and falling head. The permeability constant for either
method is calculated differently but are both based on Darcys law.

The constant head test is used to determine the coefficients of permeability (k) of coarse grained soils such as gravels and sands having values of k above 10-4 m/s.To find the coefficients of permeability (k), the derivation formula from darcys law is used like given.

Where Q = quantity of water collected in time t A = cross sectional area of sample (cm3) h = difference in manometer levels L = distance between manometer tapping points.

The falling haed test is used to determine the coefficient of permeability of the fine soils such as fine sand,silt and clay.for these soils,the rate of flow of water through them is too small to enable accurate measurement using the constant head permeameter.This test is suitable for the fine sands,silts and clay with values of k between 10-4 and 10-7 m/s. To find the coefficients of permeability (k), the derivation formula from darcys law is used like given.

Where a = cross sectional area of standpipe A = cross sectional area of sample.

Through this experiment there are several error that could happen that is air trapped in sample or sample not 100% saturated, not starting and stopping stop watch at correct point, sample settling during test, and the sample was disturbed by flowing water at inlet.So,in order to get accurate value of coefficient of permeability, make sure that the error cannot be happen.

CONCLUSION The value of both average coefficient of permeability in 120 second and 540 second for falling head test are 0.4415cm/s and 0.5513 cm/s and the value of coefficient of permeability for falling head test for standpipe 1,2 and 3 for 180 second are 5.76 10-6 cm/s , 3.71 10-5 cm/s and 3.45 10-4 cm/s .At the time 720 , the coefficient of permeability of falling head test for standpipe 1 ,2 , and 3 are 5.34 10-6 cm/s , 7.99 10-5 cm/s , and 5.31 10-5 cm/s.

REFERENCE Bowles, Joseph E. Engineering Properties of Soils. 4th. Boston: Irwin McGrawHill, 1992. Das, Braja M. Principles of Geotechnical Engineering. 6th. Toronto, ON: Thomson Canada Ltd., 2006. http://www.civil.umaine.edu/cie366/permeability/