Geotechnical Engineering I

LECTURE # 9

PERMEABILITY AND SEEPAGE

ENGR. MUHAMMAD AWAIS SHAFIQUE DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION ENGG & MANAGEMENT UNIVERSITY OF ENGG & TECH, LAHORE

Summary of last lecture

What was done?

What is unconfined well?

What is confined well? What is cone of depression?

For which type of well have we derived the equation?

What are the things on which the K value depends?

Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude. Thomas Jefferson

Radius of influence
Based on experience, Sichardt (1930) gave an

equation for estimating the radius of influence for the stabilized flow condition as

where Do = maximum drawdown in meters k = hydraulic conductivity in m/sec

K for Confined Acquifer

K for Confined Acquifer

Figure shows a confined aquifer with the test and

observation wells. The water in the observation wells rises above the top of the aquifer due to artesian pressure. When pumping from such an artesian well two cases might arise. They are:
Case 1: Case 2:

ho > Ho ho < Ho

Case 1: ho > Ho

Derivation in class

Case 1: ho > Ho
Similarly

Case 2: ho < Ho

Borehole Tests
Two types of tests may be carried out in auger holes

for determining k. They are

Constant head method

Variable head method Falling water level method Rising water level method
Packer method

Constant head method

This test may be performed for soils above or below

GWT. It is difficult to perform in soils of very high or very low permeability. May be performed under gravity head only or by introducing an additional pressure head. The test is performed by pumping water into the hole and adjusting the rate of inflow such a way that the water level in the hole remains constant under this condition.

Constant head method

Coefficient of permeability is given by

K = 0.18q/(roh)
Where

q = constant inflow rate

ro = inside radius of open-end casing h = hg or hg + hp = differential head of water

Falling Water Level Method

In this test auger holes are made in the field that

extend below the water table level. Casing is provided down to the bottom of the hole. The casing is filled with water which is then allowed to seep into the soil. The rate of drop of the water level in the casing is observed by measuring the depth of the water surface below the top of the casing at 1, 2 and 5 minutes after the start of the test and at 5 minutes intervals thereafter.

Falling Water Level Method

These observations are made until the rate of drop

becomes negligible or until sufficient readings have been obtained. The coefficient of permeability is computed as

Falling Water Level Method

Rising Water Level Method

This method, most commonly referred to as the

time-lag method, consists of bailing the water out of the casing and observing the rate of rise of the water level in the casing at intervals until the rise in water level becomes negligible. The rate is observed by measuring the elapsed time and the depth of the water surface below the top of the casing.

Rising Water Level Method

The intervals at which the readings are required will

vary somewhat with the permeability of the soil. Same equation is applicable for this case. A rising water level test should always be followed by sounding the bottom of the holes to determine whether the test created a quick condition.

Rising Water Level Method

Packer Method
This method is suitable for testing permeability of

fissured rocks. The packer assembly consists of a system of piping to which two expandable cylindrical rubber sleeves, called as packers, are attached. Packers are used to seal the test section of the hole. They may be expanded mechanically or pneumatically but pneumatical expansion is preferred.

Packer Method

Packer Method

Single Packer Method

Double Packer Method

Packer method

Permeability of layered soils

Flow perpendicular to the bedding planes

Permeability of layered soils

Let h1, h2hn be the thicknesses of the layers.

Let K1, K2Kn be the Darcy coefficients of

permeability of these layers. The velocity v and discharge q is same through all the layers. Let the total head loss be h and individual head losses be h1, h2..hn.

Permeability of layered soils

Let Kz be the average coefficient of permeability.

As velocity is same in all the layers so

Permeability of layered soils

Permeability of layered soils

Flow parallel to bedding planes

Permeability of layered soils

In this case the hydraulic gradient i will be same for

all the layers. As v = K x i and K is different for each layer so v will be different.

Let Kx be the average coefficient of permeability.

Permeability of layered soils

It is hard to find a good friend, still harder to be one. Awais Shafique

Summary
What have we done today?

What are the two cases in artesian well?

Why is constant head method difficult to perform in

soils of very high or very low permeability? Why to introduce a pressure head?