MONTALBAN EARTH DAM

PERMEABILITY TEST
PERMEABILITY INTRODUCTION
TEST
OUTLINE
25m high
 INTRODUCTION San Jose del Monte City Earth Dam
Bulacan
 PERMEABILITY

 SIGNIFICANCE

 PERMEABILITY TEST

 CONSTANT HEAD TEST

Proposed Location
 FALLING HEAD TEST of
Quezon City Earth Dam
 SEEPAGE THROUGH
DAMS Rizal
Antipolo
 SEEPAGE CONTROL IN Metro Manila
EARTH DAMS Manila Bay

 REFERENCES Pasig
PERMEABILITY PERMEABILITY
TEST
Permeability is the measure of the soil’s ability to permit
OUTLINE
water to flow through its pores or voids.
 INTRODUCTION

 PERMEABILITY It is used to estimate the quantity of underground

 SIGNIFICANCE seepage, and analyze stability of earth structures
 PERMEABILITY TEST
subjected to seepage forces.
 CONSTANT HEAD TEST

 FALLING HEAD TEST

 SEEPAGE THROUGH
DAMS

 SEEPAGE CONTROL IN
EARTH DAMS

 REFERENCES
PERMEABILITY PERMEABILITY
TEST
Hydraulic Conductivity, k, is a measure of soil
OUTLINE permeability, usually expressed in cm/sec.
 INTRODUCTION

 PERMEABILITY
It depends on several factors such as fluid viscosity, pore
 SIGNIFICANCE
size distribution, temperature, grain size distribution and
 PERMEABILITY TEST
degree of saturation of the soil.
 CONSTANT HEAD TEST

 FALLING HEAD TEST

 SEEPAGE THROUGH
DAMS

 SEEPAGE CONTROL IN
EARTH DAMS

 REFERENCES
PERMEABILITY PERMEABILITY
TEST
Factors affecting permeability of soil are the following:
OUTLINE  Underground seepage study is important because once
 INTRODUCTION
a foundation is laid, you don't want the soil mass holding
PERMEABILITY

your foundation to leak water.
 SIGNIFICANCE

 PERMEABILITY TEST  It aids in the determination of geostatic stresses and the

 CONSTANT HEAD TEST effect of water pressure on earth structures.
FALLING HEAD TEST

 It gives a beforehand idea about settlement of a
SEEPAGE THROUGH
foundation and volumetric changes in soil layers when

DAMS

 SEEPAGE CONTROL IN subjected to fluids or water.

EARTH DAMS

 REFERENCES  Before constructing a structure, it is always helpful to

know the amount of water that can be discharged
through a soil mass, and calculating permeability is the
best way to know the discharge quantity.
PERMEABILITY SIGNIFICANCE OF PERMEABILITY
TEST
The design of earth dams is
OUTLINE
very much based upon the
INTRODUCTION
permeability of the soils


 PERMEABILITY

 SIGNIFICANCE
used.
 PERMEABILITY TEST
Filters made of soils are
 CONSTANT HEAD TEST
designed based upon their
 FALLING HEAD TEST

 SEEPAGE THROUGH
permeability.
DAMS

 SEEPAGE CONTROL IN
The stability of slopes and
EARTH DAMS retaining structures can be
 REFERENCES
greatly affected by the
permeability of the soils
involved.
PERMEABILITY PERMEABILITY TEST
TEST
OUTLINE
The coefficient of permeability is determined
 INTRODUCTION using two laboratory tests:
 Constant-Head Test
 PERMEABILITY

 SIGNIFICANCE

 PERMEABILITY TEST  Falling-Head Test

 CONSTANT HEAD TEST

 FALLING HEAD TEST

 SEEPAGE THROUGH
DAMS

 SEEPAGE CONTROL IN
EARTH DAMS

 REFERENCES
PERMEABILITY CONSTANT HEAD TEST
TEST
OUTLINE
Constant Head Test is used primarily for coarse-
 INTRODUCTION grained soils.



PERMEABILITY

SIGNIFICANCE
 This test is based on the assumption of laminar
 PERMEABILITY TEST flow where k is independent of i.
CONSTANT HEAD
It is based on ASTM D 2434: Standard Test

TEST 
 FALLING HEAD TEST
Method for Permeability of Granular Soils
SEEPAGE THROUGH
(Constant Head).

DAMS

 SEEPAGE CONTROL IN
EARTH DAMS

 REFERENCES
PERMEABILITY CONSTANT HEAD TEST
TEST
OUTLINE
 INTRODUCTION

 PERMEABILITY

 SIGNIFICANCE

 PERMEABILITY TEST

 CONSTANT HEAD
TEST
 FALLING HEAD TEST

 SEEPAGE THROUGH
DAMS

 SEEPAGE CONTROL IN
EARTH DAMS

 REFERENCES

Constant head permeameter

PERMEABILITY CONSTANT HEAD TEST
TEST
(Test Procedure)
OUTLINE
 INTRODUCTION
 The constant head permeability test involves flow of
 PERMEABILITY water through a column of cylindrical soil sample
 SIGNIFICANCE under the constant pressure difference.
PERMEABILITY TEST
The test is carried out in the permeability cell, or


 CONSTANT HEAD
TEST permeameter, which can vary in size depending on
 FALLING HEAD TEST the grain size of the tested material.
 SEEPAGE THROUGH
DAMS  Before starting the flow measurements, however, the
 SEEPAGE CONTROL IN
EARTH DAMS
soil sample is saturated. During the test, the amount of
 REFERENCES water flowing through the soil column is measured for
given time intervals.
PERMEABILITY CONSTANT HEAD TEST
TEST
(Test Procedure)
OUTLINE
 INTRODUCTION

 PERMEABILITY

 SIGNIFICANCE

 PERMEABILITY TEST

 CONSTANT HEAD
TEST
 FALLING HEAD TEST

 SEEPAGE THROUGH
DAMS

 SEEPAGE CONTROL IN
EARTH DAMS

 REFERENCES
PERMEABILITY FALLING HEAD TEST
TEST
 The falling head test is used to determine the
OUTLINE
permeability of fine grained soils with intermediate
INTRODUCTION
and low permeability such as silts and clays.


 PERMEABILITY

 SIGNIFICANCE  The test can be carried out in a Falling Head

 PERMEABILITY TEST
permeability cell or in an oedometer cell.
 CONSTANT HEAD TEST

 FALLING HEAD TEST  The test starts by allowing water to flow through the
 SEEPAGE THROUGH sample until the water in the standpipe reaches a
DAMS

 SEEPAGE CONTROL IN
given lower limit. The time required for the water in the
EARTH DAMS standpipe to drop from the upper to the lower level is
 REFERENCES
recorded.
PERMEABILITY FALLING HEAD TEST
TEST
OUTLINE
 INTRODUCTION

 PERMEABILITY

 SIGNIFICANCE

 PERMEABILITY TEST

 CONSTANT HEAD TEST

 FALLING HEAD TEST

 SEEPAGE THROUGH
DAMS

 SEEPAGE CONTROL IN
EARTH DAMS

 REFERENCES

Falling head permeameter

PERMEABILITY FALLING HEAD TEST
TEST
(Test Procedure)
OUTLINE
 INTRODUCTION Same procedure in constant head test except:
 PERMEABILITY
 Record initial head difference, h1 at t = 0.
 SIGNIFICANCE

 PERMEABILITY TEST  Allow water to flow through the soil specimen.

CONSTANT HEAD TEST
 Record the final head difference, h2 at time t = t2.


 FALLING HEAD TEST

 SEEPAGE THROUGH  Collect water at the outlet, Q (ml) at time ≈ 60 sec.
DAMS

 SEEPAGE CONTROL IN
EARTH DAMS

 REFERENCES
PERMEABILITY SEEPAGE THROUGH DAMS
TEST
OUTLINE
 INTRODUCTION

 PERMEABILITY

 SIGNIFICANCE

 PERMEABILITY TEST

 CONSTANT HEAD TEST

 FALLING HEAD TEST All dams have some seepage as the impounded water
 SEEPAGE THROUGH
DAMS
seeks paths of least resistance through the dam and its
 SEEPAGE CONTROL IN
foundation.
EARTH DAMS
Seepage becomes a concern if it is carrying material with
REFERENCES
it, and should be controlled to prevent erosion of the


embankment, or foundation, or damage to concrete

structures.
PERMEABILITY
TEST
SEEPAGE CONTROL IN EARTH DAMS
OUTLINE
Seepage Control through Embankment:
 INTRODUCTION

 PERMEABILITY Drainage filters called ‘Drains’ are generally




SIGNIFICANCE

PERMEABILITY TEST
provided in the form of
 CONSTANT HEAD TEST a. Rock toe
 FALLING HEAD TEST

 SEEPAGE THROUGH b. Horizontal blanket

DAMS

 SEEPAGE CONTROL c. Chimney drain, etc.

IN EARTH DAMS
 REFERENCES
PERMEABILITY
TEST
SEEPAGE CONTROL IN EARTH DAMS
OUTLINE
The provision of such filters reduces the pore
INTRODUCTION
pressure in the down stream portion of the dam


 PERMEABILITY

 SIGNIFICANCE and this increases the stability of the dam,




PERMEABILITY TEST

CONSTANT HEAD TEST

permitting steep slopes and this affecting
 FALLING HEAD TEST economy in construction. It also checks piping by
 SEEPAGE THROUGH
DAMS
migration of the particles.
 SEEPAGE CONTROL
IN EARTH DAMS
These drains, consist of graded coarse material in
 REFERENCES which the seepage is collected and moved to a
point where it can be safely discharged.
PERMEABILITY
TEST
SEEPAGE CONTROL IN EARTH DAMS
OUTLINE
 INTRODUCTION

 PERMEABILITY

 SIGNIFICANCE

 PERMEABILITY TEST

 CONSTANT HEAD TEST

 FALLING HEAD TEST

 SEEPAGE THROUGH
DAMS

 SEEPAGE CONTROL
IN EARTH DAMS
 REFERENCES
PERMEABILITY REFERENCES:
TEST
 ASTM Designation D2434-68: Standard Test Method for Permeability
of Granular Soils (Constant Head)
OUTLINE
 ASTM Designation D2335-96: Standard Test Method for One-
 INTRODUCTION
Dimensional Consolidation Properties of Soils
 PERMEABILITY
 http://www.geotechdata.info/geotest/constant-head-permeability-
 SIGNIFICANCE test.html
PERMEABILITY TEST

 http://www.geotechdata.info/geotest/falling-head-permeability-
 CONSTANT HEAD TEST test.html
 FALLING HEAD TEST
 http://cemmlab.webhost.uic.edu/Experiment%2010-Permeability.pdf
SEEPAGE THROUGH
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://

DAMS 
ecs.fullerton.edu/~btiwari/geotech_Lab/mainpage_files/other/Perm
SEEPAGE CONTROL IN

EARTH DAMS
eability.pdf
 REFERENCES  http://www.fao.org/docrep/012/i1531e/i1531e.pdf
 http://people.eng.unimelb.edu.au/stsy/geomechanics_text/Ch6_Se
epDam.pdf
 https://www.slideshare.net/gauravhtandon1/earthen-dams
THE END
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