Soil Mechanics (ECIV 3351)

Discussion of Chapter 7: Permeability

General Review:
h
Hydraulic gradient (i) = height loss per unit length = .
L

Darcy law:
Velocity (V) = k i
q= Q/t = VA = K i A
.‫ ﺳرﻋﺔ ﺳرﯾﺎن اﻟﻣﺎء ﻓﻲ ﻣﻘطﻊ اﻟﺗرﺑﺔ اﻟﻌﻣودي ﻋﻠﻰ اﺗﺟﺎه اﻟﺗدﻓق‬:V
.Rate of seepage ‫ وﯾﺳﻣﻰ‬،‫ ﻣﻌدل ﺳرﯾﺎن اﻟﻣﺎء ﻓﻲ اﻟﺗرﺑﺔ وﻋﺎدة ﯾﺗم ﺣﺳﺎﺑﮫ ﻟوﺣدة طول ﻣن ﻋﻣق اﻟﺗرﺑﺔ‬:q
Seepage velocity (Vs) = V / n.
.‫ ﺳرﻋﺔ ﺳرﯾﺎن اﻟﻣﺎء ﻓﻲ اﻟﻔراﻏﺎت ﺑﯾن ﺣﺑﯾﺑﺎت اﻟﺗرﺑﺔ‬:Vs
.(Hydraulic conductivity ) ‫( أو‬Coefficient of permeability) ‫ ﻣﻌﺎﻣل اﻟﻧﻔﺎذﯾﺔ ﻟﻠﺗرﺑﺔ‬:K
Constant head test:
QL
K
Aht
K: Hydraulic conductivity.

Q: Quantity of water that flows

through the soil specimen.

L: Height of soil specimen.

A: Cross section of soil specimen.

h: Constant head between inlet

and outlet.

t: Required time to collect quantity

Q of water.

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Falling Head test:
aL  h1 
k  2.303 log 
At  h2 
a: Cross section of stand pipe.
A: Cross section of soil specimen.
L: Length of soil specimen.
h1: difference in height of water in stand
pipe at time t1.
h2: difference in height of water in stand
pipe at time t2.
t: Time interval during falling of water head
from h1 to h2(i.e. t=t2-t1)

γw
k K
η

Equivalent Hydraulic conductivity:

1- Equivalent Hydraulic conductivity for layered soil with horizontal flow:
.(‫ وﻟﯾس ﻋﺑور اﻟﻣﺎء ﻣن طﺑﻘﺔ إﻟﻰ أﺧرى‬، ‫) ﻋﺑور اﻟﻣﺎء ﻟﻛل طﺑﻘﺔ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺣدة‬
q eq  q1  q 2  q3  ...  q n
k eq ieq A  k1i1 A1  k 2 i2 A2  k 3i3 A3  .....  .k n in An

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 2- Equivalent Hydraulic conductivity for layered soil with Vertical flow:
qeq  q1  q 2  q3  ...  q n
k eq ieq A  k1i1 A1  k 2 i2 A2  k 3i3 A3  .....  .k n in An

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Problem 1) 6.5 Text book
 For constant head test, the following data were given:
 L = 400 mm.
 A = 135 cm2.
 h = 450 mm.
 Water collected in 3 minutes = 640 cm3.
 Void ration of sand = 0.54
Determine :
a. Hydraulic conductivity (k cm/sec).
b. Seepage velocity.
Solution
a. K=??
QL 640  40
k k  0.023cm / sec
Aht 135  45  3  60
b. Vs=??
q Q / t 640 / 180
V    0.026cm / sec
A A 135
V e 0.54
Vs  , n  n  0.35
n 1 e 1  0.54
0.026
Vs   0.075cm / sec
0.35
Problem 2) 6.6 Text book
For variable head permeability test, the following data were given:
 Length of soil specimen = 20 in.
 Area of soil specimen = 2.5 in2.
 Area of stand pipe = 0.15 in2.
 Head difference at t=0.00 is 30 in.
 Head difference at t=8 min is 16in.
Determine:
a. Hydraulic conductivity ( k in/min).
b. What is the head difference at time t=6 min.
Solution
a. K=??
aL  h1  0.15  20  30 
k  2.303 log   k  2.303 log   k  0.0943in / min
At  h2  2.5  8  0  16 
b. At t2=6min, h2=??
aL h  0.15  20  30 
k  2.303 log 1   0.0943  2.303 log 
At  h2  2.5  6  0   h2 
 30  ln(30 / h2 )
 log   0.2047   0.2047  ln(30 / h2 )  0.47
 h2  ln 10
30 / h2  e 0.47  h2  18.72in

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Problem 3)
An inclined premeameter tube is filled with three layers of soil of different permeability as
shown below. Find the head at points (A – B – C – D) with respect to given datum, for the
following cases:
a. Assume k1 = k2 = k3.
b. Assume 3k1 = k2 = 2k3.

Solution
a. k1 = k2 = k3
: vertical flow ‫ وﺑﺎﻟﺗﺎﻟﻲ ﻛﺄﻧﻧﺎ ﻧﺗﻌﺎﻣل ﻣﻊ‬، ‫ﻧﻼﺣظ أن طﺑﻘﺎت اﻟﺗرﺑﺔ ﻣرﺗﺑﺔ ﺑﺣﯾث أن اﻟﻣﺎء ﺳﯾﻧﺗﻘل ﻣن طﺑﻘﺔ ﻟﻸﺧرى‬
q eq  q1  q 2  q3
k eq ieq A  k1i1 A1  k 2 i2 A2  k 3 i3 A3
 A1  A2  A3  A
 k1  k 2  k 3  k  k eq
 ieq  i1  i2  i3
20  10  5 5
ieq  
8  4  16 28
h A  20m
No loss of head as A is first point
 5 
hB  h A  i1 L1  hB  20     8  18.57cm
 28 
 5 
hc  hB  i2 L2  hc  18.57     4  17.85cm
 28 
 5 
hD  hc  i3 L3  hD  17.85     16  15cm
 28 

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 b. 3k1 = k2 = 2k3 → k2 = 3k1 , k3 = 1.5 k1.
q eq  q1  q 2  q3
k eq ieq A  k1i1 A1  k 2 i2 A2  k 3 i3 A3
 A1  A2  A3  A
 k 2  3k1 , k 3  1.5k1
H 8  4  16
k eq   k eq   k eq  1.4k1
 H1   H 2   H 3   8   4   16 
               
 k1   k 2   k 3   k1   3k1   1.5k1 
 k eq ieq  k1i1  k 2 i2  k 3 i3  1.4k1ieq  k1i1  3k1i2  1.5k1i3
1.4ieq  i1  3i2  1.5i3

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1. i1  1.4ieq  1.4   0.25
28

1 .4 1 .4 5 1
2. i 2  ieq   
3 3 28 12

1 .4 1 .4 5 1
3. i3  ieq   
1 .5 1.5 28 6

hA  20m

hB  h A  i1 L1  hB  20  0.25  8  18cm
1
hc  hB  i2 L2  hc  18     4  17.67cm
 12 
1
hD  hc  i3 L3  hD  17.67     16  15cm
6

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This Notes Have been Prepared with a kind help of Eng. Amr Abu Qmbz