Example Question

2. (a) Water is flowing through a layered soil in a permeameter (Figure Q2a). The soil
column is 70cm long, and above the soil surface is a 10cm head of water. The
base of the soil column has a head of water 30cm higher than the head at the top.
The soil column is composed of two materials, the lower sand is 20cm thick and
has a permeability of 6 × 10−4 𝑚⁄𝑠 and the upper sand is 50cm thick and has a
permeability of 3 × 10−3 𝑚⁄𝑠. Based on this information calculate:

i. The water flux per unit area.

ii. The total head at the intersection of the two sands.
Example Question Solutions
Question 2 a) i)

𝐻𝐵 −𝐻1−2 𝐻1−2 −𝐻𝑇

In soil 1: 𝑞 = 𝐾1 In soil 2: 𝑞 = 𝐾2
𝐿1 𝐿2

Rearranged to
𝐿 𝐿
𝐻1−2 = 𝐻𝐵 − 𝑞 𝐾1 & 𝐻1−2 = 𝑞 𝐾2 + 𝐻𝑇
1 2

𝐻𝐵 − 𝐻𝑇 1.10 − 0.80
𝑞= = = 3.33 × 10−4 𝑚/𝑠
𝐿1 𝐿2 0.20 0.50
𝐾1 + 𝐾2 3 × 10−3 + 6 × 10−4

Question 2 a) ii)
𝐿1 0.2
𝐻1−2 = 𝐻𝐵 − 𝑞 = 1.10 − 3.33 × 10−4 = 1.078𝑚
𝐾1 3 × 10−3