Geology and Soil Mechanics

Prof. P. Ghosh
Department of Civil Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
Lecture - 18
Permeability – C
Keywords: Soil permeability, Numerical on Lab and Field permeability test

Welcome back to the course Geology and Soil Mechanics. So, as we decided in the last lecture
that we will be solving few problems on permeability in soil. So, the first problem is the problem
number 9.
(Refer Slide Time: 00:28)

It says that a falling head permeability test was carried out on a 15 cm long sample of silty clay.
The diameter of the sample and the standpipe were 9.8 cm and 0.75 cm respectively. The water
level in the standpipe was observed to fall from 60 cm to 45 cm in 12 minutes. Determine the
following.
First one, the coefficient of permeability of the soil; height of water level in the standpipe after
another 20 minutes; and time required for the water level to drop to 10 cm. So, this problem is
basically based on the theory which we have covered in falling head permeability laboratory test.
So, let us solve this problem. So, we will go to the problem directly.
(Refer Slide Time: 01:20)
So, this is your problem 9. Now for a falling head permeability test, we have derived this theory
whatever we have covered in the previous lecture that is k that is the coefficient of permeability
or the hydraulic conductivity that is expressed as a into L; what is a? a is the area, cross sectional
area of the standpipe; L is the sample length divided by A into t where capital A is the cross
sectional area of the soil sample, soil specimen and t is the time into loge (h1 / h2), where h1 is the
initial head and h2 is the final head and that basically this expression is known to us and we have
derived this expression and we have seen how we have got his expression. So, there is no issue,
we will not further discuss about this equation. So, here in this problem your a that is the cross-
sectional area of the standpipe can be obtained as π/4 into 0.752, where 0.75 cm is nothing but the
diameter of the standpipe as given in the problem.
So, that comes as so we will keep that thing as it is so because I do not need to calculate this
thing, you will see that why, well. So, A that is the cross-sectional area of the soil specimen that
comes as 9.82, where 9.8 cm is nothing but the diameter of the soil specimen okay.
(Refer Slide Time: 03:46)
Now what is the L, length of the soil specimen that is given in the problem that is 15 cm and t
that is given in 12 min right because it takes 12 minutes from 60 cm head to 45 cm head so that
comes as 720 seconds okay in terms of second; h1 is the initial head okay from where you are
starting or initiating the experiment, so that is given as 60 cm and what is the final head you have
observed after 12 minutes, that is 45 cm. So, these are the parameters are given in the problem.
So, now we will calculate k as π/4 into 0.752 that gives us a into 15 that is L divided by A, π/4
into 9.82 into 720 loge(60/45). So, we did not calculate the area because we will take the
advantage over here so they will get cancelled so ultimately, I will get 3.51 x10 -5 cm/sec. So, this
is your coefficient of permeability or the hydraulic conductivity right. So, as you have seen so
basically, I mean this expression was known to you.
Now basically whatever parameters are given in the problem based on that you have calculated
all the things and your permeability is coming 3.51 x10-5 cm/sec and that will be remaining same
for the rest of the test because permeability will not be changing as long as you are considering
the same soil sample with same void ratio, same constituents, and same say your structural
behaviour and all those things will be remaining same. So, this permeability will be used for rest
of the problem.
(Refer Slide Time: 06:14)
Now in the second part, so it is asked that the height of water level in the standpipe after another
20 minutes that means you have waited till 12 minutes so head was falling from 60 cm to 45 cm
and then we are considering another 20 minutes and then we want to find out that how much will
be the head in the standpipe.
So, let h be the head at the end of another 20 minutes okay. So, therefore in the previous
expression, now you have got the coefficient of permeability so that is not unknown to me. So,
3.51 x10-5 is equal to π/4 x0.752 into 15 cm, divided by π/4 into 9.82 into 20 minutes into 60,
I am expressing that thing in terms of second, so 20 into 60 multiplied by loge(45/h). Now from
this is 45 is your initial head. Now because you have allowed the water to fall from 60 to 45 cm
and then you are starting the experiment for another 20 minutes. So, that means your initial head
will be your 45, so 45 will be coming as h1 and h is your final head after 20 minutes okay for
another 20 minutes. So, from this if you solve you will be getting h equal to 27.86 cm okay. So,
this is the final head after another 20 minutes of the test.
(Refer Slide Time: 08:47)
Now we will go to the third part. The third part says it is asking that the time required for the
water level to drop to 10 cm. That means suppose you are starting from 45cm that is your initial
height say in the standpipe. Now you are allowing the water level to fall in the standpipe to fall
from 45 cm to some head say that is given as 10 cm. Now how much time is required for that?
Now let us solve that problem. So, let t be the time required for the head to drop from 45 cm that
is say initial height I mean it will not be changing say if you start from 60 cm or if you start from
45 cm so I mean accordingly your time will be adjusted because your coefficient of permeability
is remaining unchanged. So, we will consider the drop from 45 cm to 10 cm okay. So, we can
write t equal to (aL /Ak) into ln (h1 / h2).
So, this is your expression okay. So, here you know a, you know L that is 15 cm. You know A
that is π/4 into 9.82and you know k that is 3.51 x10-5 into ln 45 that is your h1 divided by 10 that
is your h2. So, you are allowing the water to fall from 45 to 10 cm. So, that is coming 3764.65
second which is nothing but 1 hour 2 minutes 45 seconds right.
So, I hope that you have understood the problem so it this problem to understand the behaviour
of soil under permeability topic. So, this much of time that is 1 hour 2 minutes 45 seconds is
required for the water to fall from 45 cm to 10 cm in the standpipe okay. Now we will go to the
next problem. Let us see what the next problem says.
(Refer Slide Time: 12:09)
So, that is problem 10. The next problem says that a pumping out test was carried out in the field
in order to determine the average coefficient of permeability of 18 m thick sand layer okay. The
ground water table was located at a depth of 2.2 m below the ground level. A steady state was
reached when the discharge from the well was 21.5 lit/sec.
At this stage, the drawdown in the test well was 2.54 m while the drawdowns in 2 observations
wells situated at 8m and 20m from the test well were found to be 1.76m and 1.27m respectively.
So, determine the following. First one is coefficient of permeability of the sand layer and the
second one is effective size of the sand. Effective size means D10. You know from the earlier
discussion that effective size is nothing but your D10. Now let us solve this problem okay.
(Refer Slide Time: 13:17)
So, the problem 10, the first part basically we are going to calculate the coefficient of
permeability. Now we have from our theory whatever we have covered right. So, k was given,
could you remember that so q into ln (r1 / r2) divided by π (h12 - h22). So, that was the expression
we derived for the permeability test in the field by pumping from wells.
So, if you remember the previous lecture you will see that r1 was the radial distance of the
observation well 1 okay from the test well.Similarly, r2 was the radial distance of the observation
well 2 from the test well. Whereas observation well 1 was farthest observation well and
observation well 2 was the nearest observation well as with respect to the test well. Now whereas
h1 and h2 are the heads, water head available at observation well 1 and observation well 2
respectively. So, now we need to find out the different parameters or the magnitude of the
different parameters to obtain this coefficient of permeability.
So, first we need to find out q that is the rate of discharge okay rate of flow. So, that is given in
the problem, if you recall the problem that is given as 21.5 lit/sec which comes around 21.5 x 10 3
divided by 106 m3/s okay. Now how much is r1? That is the radial distance of the observation
well 1 from the test well. That is the farthest well. So, that is given as 20m whereas r2 is given as
8m okay.
Now the height of water table above the base of the well is equal to how much? Now what was
the depth of the well? The depth of the well was the thickness of the sand layer that is 18m. Now
what is the depth of water table below the ground level? That is 2.2m. That means a water table
is situated at 2.2 m below the ground level, that is in the observation well or the test well
whatever you consider before pumping out right.
So, the water table above the base of the well will be the total depth of the well that is 18m minus
the depth of the water table below the ground level. So, that will give you the water table
available at the wells okay. So, that is given as (18 - 2.2) m. That comes as 15.8 m okay fine. So,
that is the water table available at different wells before the pumping okay. Now you started
pumping and you considered the steady state is reached okay.
(Refer Slide Time: 17:25)
So, the drawdown after pumping out the water, drawdown in the observation wells that is given
as S1 is 1.27 if you refer the problem you will get these values and S2 is given as 1.76 m right.
Therefore, the height of water in the observation wells is given as h1. Now in this equation we
are going to find out this h1 and h2. So, h1 is equal to H that is the total water level or the water
height okay available in the observation well 1 before pumping is started. So, H is the height
available. Now you have started the pumping so you have got the drawdown and that is S1.
So, after when the steady state is reached so this is the water level in the observation well 1. So,
that comes as (15.58- 1.27) that comes as 14.53 m. Similarly, we can find out h2 that is (H -S2)
which is equal to (15.8 - 1.76) is equal to 14.04 m okay. Now we will put all these things in the
previous expression of coefficient of permeability.
(Refer Slide Time: 19:40)
So, k can be obtained as 21.5 x103 ln (20/ 8) divided by 106, so this is your total rate of flow, into
pi into 14.532 - 14.042. So, that is h1 and h2 as obtained earlier. So, this gives me 4.479 x10-4 m/s
which is nothing but 4.479 x10-2 cm/s.
So, from your field experiment through the wells you have got the permeability available in the
field as 4.479 x10-2 cm/s. I hope that you have understood how we can proceed this kind of
problem. Now going to the second part, that is, you need to find out the effective size right.
(Refer Slide Time: 21:12)

So, in the second part of the problem the effective size can be determined from some empirical
relation whatever we have covered that is Hazen’s formula okay. So, Hazen’s formula was given
as k into C some constant into (D10)2 where k is in cm/s and D10 will be available in millimeter.
So, your D10 is nothing but root over (k / C). So, let us assume if you recall C was varying from 1
to 1.5 so we are considering C as 1 okay for example and k is 4.479 x10-2 cm/s. Then your D10
will come around 0.212 mm. So, this is your effective size of the soil sample or the soil in the
field. So, you have got this information basically. Now you can collect some soil sample from
the deposit and you can find out the grain size distribution and from there you can verify that
what is the D10 value and how much it is coming okay fine.
So, thank you very much. So, I will stop here today. In the next class, we will be taking one more
example and then we will be starting some new chapter that is seepage in soil. Thank you.