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Permeability Test

Permeability Tests
Constant-Head Test
Falling-Head Test

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Permeability in Soils
Permeability is the measure of the soils
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

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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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

Coefficient of Permeability
Coefficient of Permeability, 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

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Hydraulic Conductivity (Cont.)

Hydraulic conductivity of soils depends on
several factors:
Type of soil

Fluid viscosity
Pore size distribution
Grain size distribution
Void ratio
Degree of soil saturation

Darcys Law
In 1856, Darcy established an empirical
relationship for the flow of water through
porous media known as Darcys Law,
which states:
q = kiA
q = flow rate (cm3/s)
k = coefficient of permeability (cm/s)
A = cross-sectional Area (cm2)
i = hydraulic gradient
i

where;

h
L

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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)
IS2720-Part36, 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

Calculation (Constant head)

Determine the unit weight
Calculate the void ratio of the compacted
specimen
Calculate k as

QL
Aht

k 270 C k T 0C

T0 C

270 C

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Falling Head Test

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Falling Head Test

The falling head test is used both for coarsegrained soils as well as fine-grained soils (k in
the range of .. To . cm/sec)
Same procedure in constant head test except:

Record initial head , h1 at t1 = 0

Allow water to flow through the soil specimen
Record the final head , h2 at time t2 = t
Collect water at the outlet, Q ml at time

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Calculation (Falling head)

Calculate k as

k
Where;

aL h1
ln
At h2

a = inside cross sectional area of the stand pipe

h1 = initial head before the test
h2 = final head after the test
L = soil sample height
A = cross sectional area of soil sample

Calculate k 270 C k T 0C

T0 C

270 C

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10

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11

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Terzaghi, Peck, Mesri (1996)

12

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