Welcom
e To
Shri Laxmanrao
Mankar
College
OF Polytechnic,
Amgaon
Introductio
n
Student Name :- Nayankumar.P.Gautam
Branch :- Civil Engineering
Sem :- CE-4I
GEO – TECHNICAL
ENGINEERING
Topic :- Determine of coefficient of
permeability by constant head
Falling head permeability test is
2720-part 17, 1986
DETERMINATION OF COEIFFICIENT OF PERMEABILITY
BY
CONSTANT HEAD
1. Ti is based on measuring the volume of water flowing through
a soil sample of known cross sectional area A and length L in
time t under a constant head h of water.
2. The arrangement is shown in fig.
3. The soil sample is enclosed in a perspex cylindrical tube. A
number of manometer points are provided of the side of the
cylinder. These can be in pairs.
4. One such pair is shown in fig.
Procedure
1. Water is allow to flow through the soil at a constant head ‘h’ as
indicated by the level difference in manometer tubes.
2. The quantity of water or volume of V collected in time t is
measured, form which discharge q is calculated. The coefficient of
permeability is then calculated as,
K=q/i A =VL/Aht
Where, q = V/t = discharge in m3 /s
V = volume of water collected in m3 in time t sec.
A = cross sectional area of specimen in m2 .
h = level difference between the manometer tubes in
m.
L = distance between manometer point in m.
3. Vacuum is used at the start of line to ensure that all entrapped air
form soil sample is removed keeping valves A and B closed.
4. Then the valve C is closed. Valve A is used to control the flow so
that a constant head flow is achieved as indicated by constant
level difference ‘h’ between the manometer tubes.
5. This test can be used for highly pervious soil where falling head
test cannot be used due to very rapid fall in head, which cannot
be measured.
6. This test cannot be used soil with very little permeability or
highly impervious soils like clay as rate of evaporation may be
higher.
7. This will give wrong results as much of the volume of collected
water will evaporate.
FALLING HEAD PERMEABILITY
TEST
Procedure
1. This test is used to determine the permeability of fine-grained
soil with very low permeability.
2. Due to permeability, the collected water will evaporate and will
lead to wrong results in constant head test. Hence, this is used.
3. The arrangement is shown in fig.
4. A cylinder containing the soil sample is placed on a base, i.e. a
perforated disc, fitted with a fine gauze. The cylinder has a
rubber stopper at top in which a graduated stand pipe is fitted.
5. The test is conducted by filling the standpipe with de-aired
water. It is allowed to flow through the soil sample.
6. During the test, the water level in the stand pipe continuously
drops and the height of the level in stand pipe is measured at
several time intervals and is then recorded. Any one pair of
measurements can be used to calculate the coefficient of per
permeability from the following formula :
K = aL / A(t1-t2)*loge h1 / h2
or
K = 2.303 aL / A(t2–t1)log10 h1 / h2
Where, a = area of c/s of stand pipe.
A = area of soil sample.
L = length of soil specimen.
and h1,h2 = height of water measured in the stand pipe at
time t1 and t2 .
If t2-t1 = t then,
K = 2.303 aL / A(t2–t1)log10 h1 / h2
Several pairs of readings are used in this way and average of 4 –5
Value gives the average coefficient of permeability.
Thank you
