GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING 1

CE161P
 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF
SOILS

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 DETERMINATION OF THE
HYDRAULIC
CONDUCTIVITY
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 CONSTANT-HEAD TEST

◆ The constant-head test is used to

determine the hydraulic
conductivity of coarse-grained soils.
A typical constant-head apparatus
is shown in the figure. Water is
allowed to flow through a cylindrical
sample of soil under a constant
head (h). The outflow (Q) is
collected in a graduated cylinder at
a convenient duration (t).
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 CONSTANT HEAD TEST

◆ The flow rate through the soil is qz = Q/t, where Q is the total
quantity of water collected in the measuring cylinder over
time t :
qz QL
◇ kz= =
Ai tAh
where kz is the hydraulic conductivity in the
vertical direction and A is the cross-sectional area.

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 FALLING-HEAD TEST
◆ The falling-head test is used for fine-
grained soils because the flow of
water through these soils is too slow
to get reasonable measurements from
the constant-head test.
◆ Water flows through the sample from
a standpipe attached to the top of the
cylinder. The head of water (h)
changes with time as flow occurs
through soil. At different times, the
6 head of water is recorded.
 FALLING-HEAD TEST

◆ k in the vertical direction:

aL h1
◇ k = kz = ln ( )
A(t2−t1) h2
where A is the cross-sectional area of soil sample, a
is the cross-sectional area of the tube, L is the length of the
soil sample, and h is the head of water at any time t.

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 SAMPLE PROBLEMS

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 SAMPLE PROBLEM 2

◆ For a constant head laboratory permeability test on a fine sand,

the following values are given:
◇ Length of specimen = 300 mm
◇ Diameter of specimen = 150 mm
◇ Head difference = 500 mm
◇ Water collected in 5 min. = 350 cm3
The void ratio of the soil specimen is 0.46.

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 SAMPLE PROBLEM 2

◆ Determine:
◇ Hydraulic conductivity, k, of the soil (cm/sec)
◇ Discharge velocity (cm/sec)
◇ Seepage velocity (cm/sec)

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 SAMPLE PROBLEM 2

◆ Answers:
◇ k = 3.96 x 10-3 cm/sec
◇ v = 6.6 x 10-3 cm/sec
◇ vs = 20.95 x 10-3 cm/sec

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 SAMPLE PROBLEM 3

◆ For a falling head permeability test, the following values are

given: length of specimen = 38 cm, area of specimen = 19.4 cm2,
and k = 2.92 x 10-3 cm/sec. What should be the area of standpipe
for the head to drop from 64 cm to 30 cm in 8 min?
Answer: a = 0.944 cm2

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 END OF
DISCUSSION!
Any questions?

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