#1 A soil sample 250mm long and 4000mm 2 in cross section under a constant head of 400mm yields a

discharge of 250 X 103 mm3 in 90 secs. Compute the permeability coefficient and also the seepage
velocity, given that the void ratio of the soil sample is 0.60.

Solution: The coefficient of permeability

= 0.434 mm/s

Discharge velocity

Seepage velocity

#2 A constant head permeability test was performed on a medium dense sand of diameter 60 mm and
height 150 mm. The water was allowed to flow under a head of 600 mm. The permeability of sand was 4
X 10-1 mm/s. Determine; (i) the discharge (mm3/s), (ii) the discharge velocity, and (iii) the seepage
velocity, assuming the void ratio as 0.64.

Solution: (i) Discharge Q = k i A = 4523.89 mm3/s

(ii) Discharge velocity

(iii) Seepage velocity

#3 A permeameter of diameter 75 mm contains a column of fine sand 500 mm long. When water flows
through under constant head at the rate of 200 X 10 3 mm3 in 60 seconds, the head loss between two points
250 mm apart is 375 mm. Determine the coefficient of permeability. If a variable head test is made on the
same soil sample, using a stand pipe of diameter 30 mm, estimate the time required for the water level in
the stand pipe to fall from 1600 to 1560 mm above the outflow level.

Solution: The area of the permeameter is

The coefficient of permeability is given by

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The area of the stand pipe

Now, k = 0.503 mm/s; A = 4417.86 mm2; a = 706.86 mm2; and given that d = 30 mm; h2 = 1560 mm; h1 =
1600 mm. Therefore,

or

Thus, the time required for the water level to fall from 1600 mm to 1560 mm is t = 2.01 s.

#4 A bed of sand consists of three horizontal layers of equal thickness. The magnitude of the coefficient of
permeability for both the upper and lower layers is 4 X 10 -4 mm/s and for the middle layer, it is 6 X 10 -2
mm/s. What is the ratio of the average permeability of the bed in the horizontal direction to that in the
vertical direction?

Solution: Given that z1 = z2 = z3 = z; k1 = 4 X 10-4 mm/s; k2 = 6 X 10-2 mm/s and k3 = 4 X 10-4 mm/s. The

average permeability in the horizontal direction

The average permeability in the vertical direction

Therefore, the ratio of kx to kz is given by

#5 The horizontal and vertical permeabilities for each layer are given as in table. Find the equivalent
coefficients of permeability in the x and z directions.

Thickness (m) kx cm/sec kz cm/sec

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 2.0 4X10-3 2X10-4

2.0 4X10-4 4X10-5

2.0 2X10-4 2X10-5

Solution:

or 1.533 X 10-2 mm/s

= 0.375X 10-4 cm/s or 3.75 X 10-5 mm/s

#6 The porosity of a certain sample of sand was 50% in the loose state and 34% in the dense state. The
specific gravity of the particle is 2.70. Estimate the critical hydraulic gradients in loose and dense state.

Solution: Loose state - Void ratio

The critical hydraulic gradient ic is given by

Dense state –

Void ratio

The critical hydraulic gradient ic is given by

#7 An excavation is to be performed in a stratum of clay 9m thick, underlain by a bed of sand. In a trial

bore hole, the ground water is observed to rise up to an elevation of 3m below ground surface. Find the
depth to which the excavation can be safely carried out without the bottom becoming unstable under uplift
pressure of ground water. The specific gravity of clay particles is 2.70 and void ratio is 0.70.

if the excavation is to be safely carried to a depth of 7m, how much should the water table be lowered in
the vicinity of the trench?

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Solution:

0 = (z X 19.62) – (6 X 9.81)

z = 3.0 m

9 – z = 9.0 – 3.0 = 6.0 m

The depth to which the excavation can be made without the bottom becoming unstable under uplift
pressure of ground water = 6.0 m.

0 = (9 – 7) 19.62 – (h X 9.81)

h=4m

The water table has to be lowered by (6 – 4)m = 2m in the vicinity of the trench, so that excavation can be
safely carried to a depth of 7 m.

#8 Compute the quantity of water seeping under a weir per day for which the flow net has been
satisfactorily constructed. The coefficient of permeability is 2 X 10 -2 mm/s, nf = 5 and nd = 18. The
difference in water level between upstream and downstream is 3 m. The length of the weir is 60 m.

Solution: Given that k = 2 X 10-2 mm/s; H = 3m; nf = 5; nd = 18.

Seepage

Length of weir = 60 m

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Quantity of water under the weir = 1.44 X 60 = 86.4 m3/day

#9 Water is percolating through an embankment of silty earth, founded on an impermeable soil. The
embankment is 35 m long and 12 m high. Water stands up to a height of 4 m on one side of the
impermeable soil. Determine the total amount of water which will pass through the entire embankment in
lit/day if the coefficient of permeability of silty earth is 0.0018 cm/sec.

Solution: Total area of flow = length of embankment X depth of water = 35 X 4 = 140 sq.m.

Length of flow = height of embankment = 12 m

Therefore, Hydraulic gradient = i =

Time = 1 day; k = 0.0018 cm/sec or k =

Q = A k i t = 140 X 1.555 X (1/3) X 1

= 72.56 cu.m /day or 72560 l/day

#10 A sandy stratum 4m thick and having a slope of 1:15 lies between two clay strata which are almost
impermeable. Two piezometer tubes were inserted at two points A and B, 21 m apart and water head was
noted as shown in Figure. If quantity of water per meter width of the sand stratum was observed to be 5
litres per hour, calculate the coefficient of permeability of the sand stratum.

Solution: The change in elevation between points A and B =

Length of the stratum along the seepage path between A nad B =

Q = k i A; or

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#11 Water is flowing through two types of soil. Silt and sand, under a constant head as shown in Figure.
(a) Determine the hydraulic and piezometric head at point A

(b) If 40% of the excess hydrostatic pressure is lost in flowing through sand, what is the hydraulic and
piezometric head at point B?

(c) If the coefficient of permeability of sand be 0.025 cm/sec, what quantity of water is flowing through
unit plan area of the silt?

(d) What is the coefficient of permeability of silt?

Solution: (a): The hydraulic head is the head causing flow between points A and C, the top of the silt. It is
therefore, 40 cm. The piezometric head is the height of water which would rise above a point if a stand
pipe is erected at that point.

Piezometric head at a point A = 80 cm

(b) The excess hydraostatic pressure is the pressure causing flow between two points. Here it is 20 x γ w or
20 cm of water.

40% of this is lost in flowing to point B from point A.

The hydraulic head at B is, therefore 40 – 8 = 32 cm

The piezometric head at B is equal to 40 cm plus head which will be lost by water in flowing from B to
surface of the silt, i.e., 32 cm.

Piezometric head at B = 40 + 32 = 72 cm

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(c) q = k1 A i

Hence, A = 1 cm2, k1 = 0.025 cm/sec, i = Head lost / Distance moved = (0.40 X 20) / (20) = 0.4

q = 0.025 X 1 X 0.40 = 0.01 cc/sec

(d) The same flow will take through silt also.

Here i = 0.6 X (20/20) = 0.6

Therefore, 0.01 = k2 X 1 X 0.6

k2 = 0.01 /0.6 = 0.0166 cm/sec

#12 The permeability of a soil at a test temperature of 35 degree Centigrade is 1.8X10 -4 cm/sec. What will
be the permeability at 27 degree centigrade? The viscosity of water at 35 degree centigrade and 27 degree
centigrade are 7.21X10-3 poise and 8.55X10-3 poise respectively. Neglect the effect of change in density of
water.

#13 The effective size D10 of a filter sand is 0.075 mm. Estimate the approximate value of coefficient of
permeability.

Solution: k = C1(D10)2

= 100 (0.0075)2

= 5.63X10-3 cm/sec

#14 Estimate the coefficient of permeability of a sandy soil at a void ratio of 0.75. The same soil has a
permeability of 2 X 10-2 cm/sec at a void ratio 0.64.

Solution: i.e., OR

If relation ; then k = 3.02X10-2 cm/sec

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#15 During a constant head permeameter test, a flow of 160 cc is measured in 5 minutes under a constant
head of 15 cm. The specimen is 6 cm long and has a sectional area of 50 cm 2. The porosity of specimen is
42%. Determine the permeability, the flow velocity and seepage velocity. Also estimate permeability at
porosity = 35%.

Solution:

n1 = 0.42, e1 = 0.724

n2 = 0.35, e2 = 0.538

If we use relation, , then k = 1.96X10-3 cm/sec.

#16 A glass tube fitted with a screen at bottom, contains saturated sand upto a height of 8 cm above the
screen. The tube is filled with water up to height of 40 cm above the bottom and the water is allowed to
flow through the sand specimen. Find the permeability if water level drops by 20 cm in 160 sec.

Solution: ; a =A, h1 = 40 cm, h2 = 20 cm. k = 3.46X10-2 cm/sec

#17 A falling head permeameter test is performed on a specimen of clean uniform silty sand 100 mm in
diameter and 150 mm long. The diameter of stand pipe is 5 mm. The water level in the stand pipe is 1500
mm above the over flow which drops by 500 mm in 120 sec. Find the permeability. How much additional
time will the water level in stand pipe take to drop by another 500 mm?

Solution: (a) A = 7854 mm2, a = 19.63 mm2, L = 150 mm, h1 = 1500 mm, h2 = 1000 mm

= 1.265X10-3 mm/sec

(b) h1 = 1000 mm, h2 = 500 mm, k = 1.265X10-3 mm/sec

Therefore, t = 205 sec.

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#18 The depth of water in a well is 3 m. Below the bottom of the well lies a layer of sand of 5 m thick
overlaying a clay deposit. The specific gravity of the solids of sand and clay are respectively 2.64 and
2.70. Their water content is 25 and 20% respectively. Compute the total, inter-granular and pore water
pressure at the points A and B.

Solution: , and S e = w G. For fully saturated soil, S = 1. Therefore e = w G.

For sand

For clay

Pressure at A (i) Total pressure = 3 X γ’sand +6 X γw = 3 X 0.99 + 6 X 1 = 8.97 t/m2

(ii) Effective pressure = 3 X 0.99 = 2.97 t/m2

(iii) Pore water pressure = 6 X 1 =6 t/m2

Pressure at B (i) Total pressure = 5 X 0.99 + 2 X 1.1 + 10 X 1 = 17.15 t/m2

(ii) Inter-granular pressure = 5 X 0.99 + 2 X 1.1 = 7.15 t/m2

(iii) Pore water pressure = 10 X 1 = 10 t.m2.

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#19 A 1.25 m layer of the soil (G = 2.65 and porosity = 35%) is subject to an upward seepage head of
1.85 m. What depth of coarse sand would be required above the soil to provide a factor of safety of 2.0
against piping assuming that the coarse sand has the same porosity and specific gravity as the soil and that
there is negligible head loss in the sand?

Solution: G = 2.65; n = 35% = 0.35; e = n/(1-n) = 0.35/0.65 = 7/13

Critical hydraulic gradient, ic =

With a factor of safety of 2.0 against piping, Gradient, i = ic = 1.0725 / 2= 0.53625

But i = h / L or L = h / i = 1.85 / 0.53625 m = 3.45 m

Available flow path = thickness of soil = 1.25 m

Therefore, depth of coarse sand required = 2.20 m.

#20 A glass container with pervious bottom containing fine sand in loose state (void ratio = 0.8) is
subjected to hydrostatic pressure from underneath until quick condition occurs in the sand. If the specific
gravity of sand particles = 2.65, area of cross-section of sand sample = 10 cm 2 and height of sample = 10
cm, compute the head of water required to cause quicksand condition and also the seepage force acting
from below.

Solution: e = 0.8; G = 2.65

L = 10 cm, h = L. ic = 10 X 0.92 = 9.2 cm

Seepage force per unit volume = i. γw = 0.92 X 9.81 kN/m3 = 9.02 kN/m3

Total seepage force = 9.02 X (10X10)/(100X100X100)kN

= 0.0009 kN = 0.9 N

#21 An earth dam is built on an impervious foundation with a horizontal filter at the base near toe. The
permeability of the soil in the horizontal and vertical directions are 3 X 10 -2 mm/s and 1 X 10-2 mm/s
respectively. The full reservoir level is 30 m above the filter. A flow net constructed for the transformed

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section of the dam, consists of 4 flow channels and 16 head drops. Estimate the seepage loss per meter
length of the dam.

Solution: kh = 3 X 10-2mm/s (3 X 10-5 m/s) kv = 1 X 10-2 mm/s (10-5 m/s) H = 30m

Equivalent permeability

Seepage loss per meter length of the dam =

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