NPTEL- Advanced Geotechnical Engineering

Module 2
PERMEABILITY AND SEEPAGE (Lectures 5 to 10)

Topics
1.1 PERMEABILITY
1.1.1 Darcys law 1.1.2 Validity of Darcys Law 1.1.3 Factors Affecting the Coefficient of Permeability
Void ratio Degree of `saturation Composition of soil particles Soil structure Viscosity of permeant Density and concentration of permeant

1.1.4 Effective Coefficient of Permeability for Stratified Soils 1.1.5 Determination of Coefficient in the Laboratory
Constant-head test Falling-head test Indirect determination form consolidation test. Indirect determination by horizontal capillary test.

1.1.6 Determination of Coefficient of Permeability in the Field

Pumping from wells Packer test

1.1.7 Theoretical Solution for Coefficient of Permeability 1.1.8 Variation of Permeability with Void Ratio in Sand

1.2 SEEPAGE
1.2.1 1.2.2 1.2.3 1.2.4 Equation of Continuity Flow Nets Hydraulic Uplift Force under a Structure Flow Nets in Anisotropic Material
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1.2.5 Construction of Flow Nets for Hydraulic Structures on Nonhomogeneous Subsoils 1.2.6 Directional Variation of Permeability in Anisotropic Medium 1.2.7 Numerical Analysis of Seepage 1.2.8 Seepage Force per Unit Volume of Soil Mass 1.2.9 Safety of Hydraulic Structures against Piping 1.2.10 Calculation of Seepage through an Earth Dam Resting on an Impervious Base
Dupuits solution Schaffernaks solution Casagrandes solution Pavlovskys solution

1.2.11 Plotting of Phreatic Line for Seepage through Earth Dams 1.2.12 Entrance, Discharge, and Transfer Conditions of Line of Seepage through Earth Dams 1.2.13 Flow net Construction for Earth Dams 1.2.14 Filter Design

PROBLEMS

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NPTEL- Advanced Geotechnical Engineering

Module 2 Lecture 5 Permeability and Seepage -1 Topics 1.1 PERMEABILITY

1.1.1 Darcys law 1.1.2 Validity of Darcys Law 1.1.3 Factors Affecting the Coefficient of Permeability
Void ratio Degree of `saturation Composition of soil particles Soil structure Viscosity of permeant

Density and concentration of permeant

PERMEABILITY
The soil mass consists of solid particles of various sizes interconnected void spaces. The continuous void spaces in a soil permit water to flow from a point of high energy to a point of low energy . Permeability is defined as the property of a soil which allows the seepage of fluids through its interconnected void spaces.

1.1.1

Darcys Law
Considering Figure 2.1, the cross-sectional area of the soil is equal to A and the rate of seepage is q.

Figure 2.1 Development of Darcys law

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NPTEL- Advanced Geotechnical Engineering

According to Bernoullis theorem, the total head for flow at any section in the soil can be given by Total head = elevation head + pressure head + velocity head (1.1)

The velocity head for flow through soil is very small and can be neglected. So, the total heads at section A and B can be given by Total head at Total heat at Where and are the elevation heads, and between sections A and B is (1.2) The hydraulic gradient can be written as (1.3) Where L is the distance between sections A and B. Darcy (1856) published a simple relation between the discharge velocity and the hydraulic gradient: (1.4) Where Discharge velocity Hydraulic gradient Coefficient of permeability Hence, the rate of seepage q can be given by (1.5) Note that A is the cross section of the soil perpendicular to the direction of flow. The coefficient of permeability k has the units of velocity, such as cm/ s or mm/s, and is a measure of the resistance of the soil to flow of water. When the properties of water affecting the flow are included, we can express k by the relation (1.6) Where and are the pressure heads.

The loss of head

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NPTEL- Advanced Geotechnical Engineering

It must be pointed out that the velocity v given by Equation (1.4) is the discharge velocity calculated on the basis of the gross cross-sectional area. Since water can flow only through the interconnected pore spaces, the actual velocity of seepage through soil, can be given by (1.7) Where n is the porosity of the soil. Some typical values of the coefficient of permeability are given in table 1.1. The coefficient of permeability of soils is generally expressed at a temperature of temperature T, the coefficient of permeability can be obtained from equation. (1.6) as C. At any other

Where

Since the value of

is approximately 1, hence (1.8)

Table 1.2 gives the values of

for a temperature T varying from 10 to

Table 1.1 typical values of coefficient of permeability for various soils Material Coefficient of permeability, mm/s Coarse Fine gravel, coarse and medium sand Fine sand, clayey silt Dense silt, clayey silt Silty clay, clay Table 1.2 values of Temperature 10 11 12 13 14

1.298 1.263 1.228 1.195 1.165

Temperature 21 22 23 24 25

0.975 0.952 0.930 0.908 0.887

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NPTEL- Advanced Geotechnical Engineering

15 16 17 18 19 20

1.135 1.106 1.078 1.051 1.025 1.000

26 27 28 29 30

0.867 0.847 0.829 0.811 0.793

1.1.2

Validity of Darcys Law

Darcys law given in equation (1.4), , is true for laminar flow of water through the void spaces. Several studies have been made to investigate the range over which Darcys law is valid, and an excellent summary of these works was given by Muskat (1973). A criterion for investigating the range can be furnished by Reynolds number. For flow through soils, Reynolds number can be given by the relation (1.9) Where

For laminar flow conditions in soils, experimental results show that (1.10)

With coarse sand, assuming D = 0.45 mm and making use of equation (1.70), we have assuming . . Hence

Also,

From the above calculations, we can conclude that, for flow of water through all types of sol (sand, silt, and clay), the flow is laminar and Darcys law is valid. With coarse sands, gravels, and t urbulent flow of water can be expected, and the hydraulic gradient can be given by the relation (1.11) Where a and b are experimental constants (Forchheimer 1902). Leps (1973) summarized a number of works concerned with the determination of the velocity of flow through clean gravel and rocks. All investigators appear to agree that the average velocity of flow through the void spaces can be given by the relation (1.12)
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Where

1.1.3

Factor Affecting the Coefficient of Permeability

The coefficient of permeability depends on several factors, most of which are listed below: Shape and size of the soil particles.

Void ratio : Permeability increases with increase of void ratio. Degree of `saturation : Permeability increases with increase of degree of saturation. The

variation of the value of k with degree of saturation for Madison sand is shown in Figure 2.2. Figure 2.3 show the effect of the degree of saturation on the value of k for a silty clay specimens were prepared by kneading compaction to a dry unit weight of . The molding moisture contents were varied.

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NPTEL- Advanced Geotechnical Engineering

Figure 2.2 Influence of degree of saturation on permeability of Madison sand

Composition of soil particles: For sands and silts this is not important; however, for soils with clay minerals this is one of the most important factors. Permeability in this case depends on the thickness of water held to the soil particles, which is a function of the cation exchange capacity, valence of the cations, etc. other factors remaining the same, the coefficient of permeability decreases with increasing thickness of the diffuse double layer.

Figure 2.3 Influence of degree of saturation on permeability of compacted silty clay. (Note: samples aged 21 days at constant water content and unit weight after compaction prior to test.)(Redrawn after J. K. Mitchell, D R. Hooper, and R. G. Campanella, Permeability of Compacted Clay. J. Soil Mech. Found. Div. ASCE, vol. 91, no. SM4 1965)

Soil structure : Fire-grained soils with a flocculated structure have a higher coefficient of

permeability than those with a dispersed structure. This fact is demonstrated in Figure 2.4 for the case of a silty clay. The test specimens were prepared to a constant dry unit weight by kneading compaction. The molding moisture content was varied. Note that with the increase of moisture content the soil becomes more and more dispersed. With increasing degree of dispersion, the permeability decreases.
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Figure 2.4 Dependence of permeability on the structure of a silty clay. (Redrawn after J. K. Mitchell, D. R. Hooper, and R. G. Campanella, Permeability of Compacted Clay, . J. Soil Mech. Found. Div. ASCE, vol. 91, no. SM4 1965)

Viscosity of permeant Density and concentration of permeant

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