FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING & BUILT ENVIRONMENT

CLUSTER OF WATER & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

HYDRAULICS LABORATORY
LABORATORY REPORT

Experiment INFILTRATION TEST

Course/ Subject
Code BFC 21201

Section 3

Experiment Date 7/6/2023

Group 1

1. ADAM HAQIEM ZAINUDIN (DF210090)

2. AKMAL ARIF BIN MOHAMAD ANUAR (DF210095)

3. AMIR AKMAL BIN JASME (DF210015)

Group Members
4. ANIS SHAFIQAH BINTI AZMI (DF210032)

5. GITA CAHYANI (JF220013)

Lecturer / Instructor/
DR. SITI HIDAYAH BINTI ABU TALIB
Tutor Name
Submission Date 14/6/2023

CLO 1: Report/ Presentation 35%

Marks
CLO 2: Equipment Handling 7.5%

CLO 3: Team work/ Interview 7.5%

TOTAL

Examiner Comments
Received Stamp
FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING & BUILT ENVIROMENT
HYDRAULICS LABORATORY

LABORATORY PAPER INSTRUCTION

Subject Code BFC 21201

Experiment Title INFILTRATION TEST

Section 3
 STUDENTS’ ETHICAL CODE (SEC)

CLUSTER OF WATER & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING FACULTY

OF CIVIL ENGINEERING & BUILT ENVIRONMENTUNIVERSITI TUN
HUSSEIN ONN MALAYSIA BATU PAHAT, JOHOR

“I declare that this report is my own work and that I have correctly
acknowledged the work of others (if any).”

……………………………………….
(STUDENT SIGNATURE)

NAME : AMIR AKMAL BIN JASME

MATRIC NO : DF210015

DATE : 13 JUNE 2023

*This SEC sheet/student is compulsory compiles in this report

 INFILTRATION

1.0 OBJECTIVE
The purposes of this experiment are:
i. To identify the properties of water infiltration rates into soils in the field.
ii. To analyze the concept of infiltration of water into soil.
iii. To determine the factors which influence the infiltration rates.

1.1 INTRODUCTION

Infiltration is the flow of water from aboveground into the subsurface. Infiltration has
received a lot of attention because of its importance in areas as diverse as irrigation, pollutant
transmission, groundwater recharge, and ecosystem viability. In general, quantitative
understanding of this process is crucial to our ability to link surface and subsurface processes
when describing the hydrologic cycle.
The infiltration rate may be defined as the meters per unit time of water entering the soil,
regardless of the type or amounts of pressures or gradients. Hydraulic conductivity should not
be confused with infiltration rate, which is defined as the amount of water that penetrates the
soil each day due to gravity or a unit hydraulic gradient. Some of the precipitation that falls
on land infiltrates the earth and is stored in aquifers before being carried by subsurface flow
to streams and lakes. Infiltration is influenced by the soil's permeability and moisture content,
the presence of plants, and the volume and intensity of precipitation. The height of the water
table indicates the amount of water in an aquifer. The influence of soil permeability (big
particles have vast gaps between them and let more water in) and precipitation volume (heavy
rain events can lead to higher infiltration) on the quantity of water stored in the aquifer.

1.2 LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the course, students should be able to apply the knowledge and skills they have
learned to:
i. Understand the concept of infiltration of water into soils.
ii. Understand the factors which influence the infiltration rates.
1.3 THEORY

The double ring infiltrometer is a basic device used to evaluate the rate of water
penetration into soil. The quantity of water per surface area and time unit that
penetrates the soil is used to calculate the rate of infiltration. It is made up of an inner
and outer ring that is put into the ground. Each ring is manually supplied with a steady
head of water. The inner ring parameters of the double ring infiltrometer guide water
onto a given surface area. The quantity of water that infiltrates into the soil per surface
area, per unit of time, determines the rate of infiltration. Infiltration can be measured
by either a single or double ring infiltrometer, with preference usually lying with the
double ring because the outer ring helps in reducing the error that may result from
lateral flow in the soil.
The volume of water used during each measured time interval is converted into
an incremental infiltration velocity for both the inner ring and annular space using the
following equations; V_IR = total V_IR / (A_IR x total t) where, V_IR is the inner
ring incremental infiltration velocity (cm/hr), total V_IR is the volume of water used
during time interval to maintain constant head in the inner ring (mL), A_IR is the
internal area of inner ring (cm2) and total t is the time interval (hour). For the annual
space between rings, calculate as follows; V_A = total V_A / (A_A. total t) where,
V_A is the annular space incremental infiltration velocity (cm/hr), total V_A is the
volume of water used during time interval to maintain constant head in the annular
space between the rings (mL), A_A is the area of annular space (cm2) and total t is the
time interval (hour). The infiltration rate calculated with the inner ring should be the
value used for the result if the rates for the inner ring and annular space differ. The
difference in rates is due to divergent flow.
2.0 MATERIALS & EQUIPMENT

Apparatus & Equipment Name

Driving Plate

Hammer

Stop Watch

Ruler

2.1 PROCEDURE

1. Place the inner ring with cutting facing down on the ground. Put the driving plate on top

of the inner ring, make sure it is fit with the pins on the bottom of driving plate. Then,

hammer it down until it driven 5 cm vertically into the soil.interference during

infiltration.

2. Once the inner ring is in place, the outer ring can be centred. Repeat the same step of

hammering the inner ring to driven outer ring into the soil. The test was started with

measure the infiltration rate by using a stopwatch every 30 seconds.

3. Once the apparatus is set up, cleared the area inside the ring to avoid the
 interference during infiltration. Then, mark a depth of 10 cm for the water level in the

inner and outer ring.

4. Pour water into the outer ring until the depth is 10 cm. Observe the water level until it

dropped to 5 cm. Then add the water into both rings at the same time until the depth is 10

cm.

5. Start measuring the infiltration rate every 30 seconds by using stopwatch. Once the depth

of inner ring reached 5 cm, pour the water again until it reached 10 cm.

6. Continue measuring the infiltration rate for every 30 seconds until it reached a

constant measurement for 3 to 4 times.

Figure 1 Infiltration Test, YouTube reference.

3.0 RESULT OF THE BASIC HYDROLOGY TEST

Inner Infiltration Infiltration Inner Infiltration Infiltration

Time Time
Ring Rate capacity Ring Rate Capacity
(s) (s)
(mm) (mm/s) (mm/s) (mm) (mm/s) (mm/s)

0 100 0.000 0.000 1060 48 0.045 13.969

60 94 1.567 1.567 1120 47 0.042 14.011
120 89 0.742 2.309 1180 45 0.038 14.049
180 85 0.472 2.781 1240 45 0.036 14.085
240 78 1.000 3.781 1300 44 0.034 14.119
300 72 0.240 4.021 1360 40 0.029 14.148
360 69 0.192 4.213 1420 40 0.028 14.176
420 67 0.160 4.373 1480 39 0.026 14.202
480 65 2.000 6.373 1540 39 0.025 14.227
540 63 0.117 6.490 1600 37 0.023 14.250
600 60 0.100 6.590 1660 35 0.021 14.271
660 59 0.089 6.679 1720 35 0.020 14.291
720 58 3.000 9.679 1780 34 0.019 14.310
780 54 0.069 9.748 1840 34 0.018 14.328
820 54 0.066 9.814 1900 34 0.018 14.346
880 53 0.060 9.874 1960 34 0.017 14.363
940 51 4.000 13.874 2020 34 0.017 14.380
1000 50 0.050 13.924
Table 1 Data Table for infiltration.

3.1 Plot graph between infiltration rate (mm/s) vs. time (s).

Graph 1 infiltration rate (mm/s) vs. time (s).

3.2 Plot graph between infiltration capacity (mm/s) vs. time (s).

Graph 2 infiltration capacity (mm/s) vs. time (s)

3.3 Open Ended Question

I. State two purposes of the infiltration test.

An infiltration test is conducted to determine the permeability or infiltration rate of the

soil. This information is crucial in various fields, such as civil engineering, hydrology,
and agriculture. In addition, it can assess the suitability of the soil for various
applications, such as designing drainage systems, evaluating groundwater potential, and
determining the irrigation needs of agricultural areas. Also, this test can help evaluate the
effectiveness of existing or proposed drainage systems. By measuring the infiltration rate
at different locations, engineers can identify areas where water may accumulate or cause
problems, such as flooding or soil erosion. It also aids in designing appropriate drainage
systems, including the sizing and placement of pipes, drains, or retention ponds.
Infiltration tests can also be used to assess the performance of permeable pavement or
infiltration basics in managing stormwater runoff.

II. Describe the importance of infiltration tests in soil investigation.

The importance of infiltration tests in soil investigation is these tests can provide
valuable information about the permeability characteristics of the soil. By measuring the
rate of water which infiltrates into the soil, engineers can determine how easily water
flows through the soil matrix. This information is important for various engineering
projects such as the design of foundations, underground structures, and drainage systems.
Also, different types of soils have various values of permeability, and infiltration test
 help classify soils into different categories based on their permeability characteristics.
Secondly, infiltration tests assist in designing efficient drainage systems. By measuring
the infiltration rate at different locations, engineers can identify areas prone to
waterlogging or surface runoff issues. This information helps in designing appropriate
drainage systems, such as subsurface drains, French drains, or retention ponds, to
effectively manage and control water movement. Infiltration tests also aid in evaluating
the performance of permeable pavements, infiltration basins, or bioswales, which are
designed to capture and infiltrate stormwater runoff. Overall, infiltration tests provide
valuable insights into the permeability characteristics of soil, helping engineers,
hydrologists, and environmental specialists make informed decisions related to a wide
range of projects, including construction, water resource management, and
environmental planning.

4.0 DISCUSSION

Infiltration has garnered a lot of attention due to its relevance in areas as diverse as irrigation,
pollutant transfer, groundwater recharge, and ecosystem viability. The amount of water in the
soil is critical to the overall health of the soil system. It serves as a medium for transporting
nutrients needed for plant growth from the soil solution to the plant, as well as a source of
water for plant growth. In addition, most key soil activities such as weathering, cation
exchange, organic matter breakdown, and fertilisation take occur in the soil solution's
environment.
According to the graph and the data the value of the infiltration capacity will rise with
time. Although at the beginning of the test there were fluctuations in the value of the
infiltration capacity, after 600 s the value of the infiltration capacity continued to increase as
time grew. Alternatively, infiltration capacity might be determined to be perpendicular to
time. This is due to amount of water that has absorbed by soil. Next, according to the data
and graph demonstrating infiltration rate vs time, the soil infiltration rate is inversely
proportional to time. With the passage of time, the rate of soil penetration decreased. This is
due to the fact that as time passes, water fills more holes or pores in the soil. The soil is dry at
the start of the experiment since most of the gaps are left empty. The soil will get soaked
after the spaces are entirely filled. The infiltration process takes a long time since there is
already water in the soil.
The experiment shows that the kinds of soil have an effect on soil infiltration rates.
The phrase "dry soil" refers to soil that has no evident signs of moisture content. Dry soil has
a higher rate of infiltration than wet and saturated soils. Because there are numerous empty
areas for water to fill, the gaps or pores in dry soils are porous. As a result, dry soil absorbs
water faster than wet soil. In compared to wet and saturated soil, dry soil had the highest
infiltration rate. Because moist soil already contains some water, penetration occurred
quickly between dry and saturated soil. water. As a result, it has the lowest infiltration rate
when compared to wet and dry soil. It is also known as an impenetrable covering. Therefore,
as mentioned above this testing is really important because it can assess the suitability of the
soil for various applications, such as designing drainage systems and many others. In addition,
this test can help evaluate the effectiveness of existing or proposed drainage systems.
Infiltration tests can also be used to assess the performance of permeable pavement or
infiltration basics in managing stormwater runoff.

5.0 CONCLUSION

Infiltration is the process of water infiltrating or gaining stealthy access to the soil profile.
Infiltration facilitates water absorption by the soil and helps to prevent flash floods.
Soil can also contain water for plant growth and provide a habitat for soil organisms
such as nematodes, earthworms, and others. Because the soil has large porosity areas, it
absorbs water quickly at first, but as the soil becomes compacted, this slows down. The
obtained outcome backs up the claim. The rate of infiltration slows as time passes. The rate
of infiltration and the passage of time are inversely proportional. Infiltration capacity
refers to the total depth of water infiltrated in the soil. Another factor that determines the rate
of infiltration is penetration capacity.

6.0 REFERENCES

i. Water Resources Engineering, 2005 Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.2.
ii. Green, W. Heber; Ampt, G. A. (1911). "Studies on Soil Physics". The Journal of
Agricultural Science.3.
iii. Horton, Robert E. (1933). "The role of infiltration in the hydrologic cycle". Trans.
Am. Geophys. Union. 14th Ann. Mtg: 446–460
iv. Hillel, D., & Hatfield, J. L. (Eds.). (2005). Encyclopedia of Soils in the Environment
(Vol. 3). Amsterdam: Elsevier
 universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia

FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING & BUILT ENVIRONMENT

UNIVERSITI TUN HUSSEIN ONN MALAYSIA

HYDRAULICS LABORATORY

OPEN ENDED LABORATORY INSTRUCTIONS

HYDRAULICS AND MECHANICS OF MATERIAL

LABORATORY
(BFC 21201)

Prepared by:
CLUSTER OF WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING & BUILT ENVIRONMENT
UNIVERSITI TUN HUSSEIN ONN MALAYSIA
 Lab Report Rubric (Assessment Form) Laboratory: Hydraulics Laboratory Section :
Group Members:
Subject Code: BFC 21201
1. ADAM HAQIEM ZAINUDIN
Faculty of Civil Engineering & Built Experiment Title : 2. AKMAL ARIF B. MOHD ANUAR
AMIR AKMAL BIN JASME
Environment, Universiti Tun Hussein INFILTRATION 3. ANIS SHAFIQAH BINTI AZMI
FLOW IN OPEN CHANNEL
Onn Malaysia 4. GITA CAHYANI
5.

Criteria 1 2 3 4 SCR WT TSCR (%)

Purpose is not identified Purpose is somewhat vague
Aim / Purpose
Relevant variables are not
described
Materials There is not a list of the
necessary lab materials
Procedure Procedures are listed but not in
Procedures are not listed
Data
Data is not represented or is not
accurate
Trends / patterns are not
Analysis /
analyzed
Result
Questions are not answered
Analysis is not relevant
Discussion No discussion was included or
shows little effort and reflection incomplete with little reflection
on the lab
NAME OF LECTURER : Dr. Siti Hidayah Binti Abu Talib
Purpose is identified
Relevant variables are Purpose is identified Purpose is clearly identified 0.3
Relevant variables are not
described in somewhat unclear Relevant variables are described Relevant variables are described
described
manner
All necessary lab materials
All necessary lab materials All necessary lab materials included 0.3
Most lab materials included included but not listed in any
included and listed and listed in an organized manner
particular order
Procedures are listed in clear steps
Procedures are listed in clear
Each step is numbered and in a
Procedures are listed in clear steps
complete sentence 1.6
steps but not numbered and/or Each step is numbered and in a
clear steps Diagrams are included to describe the
in complete sentences complete sentence
set-up
Accurate representation of the data
Good representation of the data Accurate representation of the
using tables and/or graphs
using tables and/or graphs data using tables and/or graphs
Data lacks precision Graphs and tables are labeled and 1.8
Less than 15% difference with Data is fairly precise
Greater than 20% difference titled
accepted values Less than 10% difference with
with accepted values Data is precise with less than 5%
Precision is acceptable accepted values
difference with accepted values
Trends / patterns are not Trends / patterns are logically Trends / patterns are logically Trends / patterns are logically
analyzed analyzed for the most part analyzed analyzed
1.8
Answers to questions are Questions are answered in Questions are answered in Questions are answered thoroughly
incomplete complete sentences complete sentences and in complete sentences
Analysis is inconsistent Analysis is general Analysis is thoughtful Analysis is insightful
Accurate statement of the
Accurate statement of the results of
results of the lab indicates
lab indicates whether results support
A statement of the results is A statement of the results of the whether results support the 1.2
hypothesis
lab indicates whether results hypothesis
Possible sources of error and what
on the lab support the hypothesis Possible sources of error
was learned from the lab discussed
identified
SIGNATURE : DATE TOTAL SCORE :

Note : SCR = SCORE, WT = WEIGHTAGE, TSCR = TOTAL SCORE

 OPEN ENDED LABORATORY
HYDRAULICS AND MECHANICS OF MATERIAL LABORATORY
GROUP MEMBERS. MATRIC NO. CLUSTER OF WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
1. ADAM HAQIEM ZAINUDIN DF210090 FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING & BUILT
2. AKMAL ARIF BIN MOHAMAD ANUAR DF210095 ENVIRONMENT
3. AMIR AKMAL BIN JASME DF210015
4. ANIS SHAFIQAH BINTI AZMI DF210032
5. GITA CAHYANI JF220013 SECTION. 3

CLO 2 CLO 3
AVG.
Criteria 5= Very Good 2=Poor 1= Very Poor W AVG. Total W
Total

Student completely Student understands Student do not aware

understands the concept how the equipment is Student awares on the on how the
Student awares on the
of equipment and operated, and partially procedures and equipment is
Practical Ability in procedures and experiment,
Handling Equipment experiment, and shown in Lab Report experiment, however did operated, and do not
however did not reflected in
CLO 2 completely shown in Lab through analysis and not reflected in Lab Report show any
Lab Report through analysis
Report through analysis discussion. through analysis and understanding in the
and discussion.
and discussion. discussion Lab Report through
analysis and
discussion
1. 0.3
2. 0.3
3. 0.3
4. 0.3
5. 0.3
Student can explain the
results of the experiment
in detail and the ways in Student can answer open
Student can explain the results Student can answer
Interview / lab report which they relate between ended questions about the Student cannot answer
of the experiment in detail and some questions about
CLO 3 parameters. The student experiment and begins to questions about the
the ways in which they relate the experiment.
can also evaluate the make connections experiment
between parameters
significance of the between the experiment
experiment to the real and its applications
situation
1. 0.3
2. 0.3
3. 0.3
4. 0.3
5. 0.3