Equipment

1. Permeability Device
2. Stop Watch
3. Graduated Cylinder
Test Prcedures
A. Preparation of sample
1. The permeability cell is placed on large tray, the cell head is
removed, and the cylinder is filled with the water , taking care to
eliminate entrapped air bubbles.
2. The dry weight of the soil is recorded to be tested and put it into the
water for soaking. The material os stirred to removed entrapped
water. Then spoon the soil into the permeability cell, filled the water,
taking care to avoid air bubbles raising between the soil particles.
The cylinder is filled with soil to a maximum of 5cm from the top.
3. The sample keeping the funnel is prepared at a constant distance
from the pouring surface and move the tube around in a spiral
motion from the periphery toward the centre, to avoid segregation of
fine particles. When this operation has been completed, before
starting the test saturate the sample aaccording to the procedure
described below.
B. Saturating Sample
1. After samle preparation, the upper filter is placed in the same way
as for the lower one and secure the top of the cell.
2. The vacuum pupm is started and when the upper filter is completely
sbmerged, the pressure is reduced gradually to the hghest vacuum
attainable and maintain until no further bubbles can be observed.
The the vacuum pump is turned off.
3. The lower valve and vent-valve is open again. When the water
comes out from vent-valves, the valve is closed and open the upper
valve to complete sample saturation.
C. Running the Test
1. Check that no air bubbles are in the line from hydraulic tank to
upper valve.
2. The lower valve is opened to start water flux through the sample.
The water level in the hydraulic head tank is checked to keep

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constant and water level is coming up inside the piezometric glass

tubes.
When hydraulic level inside the piezometric tubes is stabilized and
equilibrium conditions have been obtained, test recording can start.
The graduated cylinder is placed under the output valve and at the
same time, the stopwatch is started.
Making the reference to the proper test form for preset intervals of
time record the following :
- Water level H 1 (average value of readings at no 1 piezometric
tube)
- Water level H 2 (average value of readings at no 2 piezometric
tube)
- Water level H 3 (average value of readings at no 3 piezometric
tube)
- Amount of water Q in the graduated cylinder.
L1 , L2 , L3 distance is indicated between the lateral outputs of
the permeability cell from the base plate of the cell.
When a sufficient number of reading have been obtained for a
complete series of time intervals, the lower valve is closed and stop
the test.
Before dismanting the cell, the height of the sample is measured in
different points to have an average value.
From the soil of the sample, a certain amount for moisture content
measurement is taken.