NAMIBIA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND

TECHNOLOGY
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING: CIVIL ENGINEERING
COURSE: GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

CODE: GET710S

LAB REPORT: CONSTANT & FALLING HEAD PERMEABILITY TEST

EXPERIMENT
SUBMISSION DATE: 04/05/2016

STUDENT NAME: NATANGWE HITIWA

212018280

LECTURER: MR. DAVID P. KATALE

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................... 1
OBJECTIVES................................................................................................................ 1
EQUIPMENT................................................................................................................. 1
PROCEDURES............................................................................................................. 1
CONSTANT HEAD PERMEAMETER............................................................................1
FALLING HEAD PERMEAMETER................................................................................2
RESULTS..................................................................................................................... 2
CONSTANT HEAD PERMEAMETER............................................................................2
FALLING HEAD PERMEAMETER................................................................................3
DISCUSSIONS.............................................................................................................. 3
CONCLUSION.............................................................................................................. 3

INTRODUCTION
Permeability or hydraulic conductivity is the measure of the simplicity with which
water flows through= the soil. Although the permeability test is one of the, major
tests in the geotechnical scope, it still remains one of the hardest to carry out and
perform perfectly. The soils property of water movement is of outmost importance
in the calculation, design and construction of earth structures such as dams and
structures on the ground surface. In the laboratory, permeability is measured from
two different tests depending on the type soil being tested upon. The constant head
permeability test is mostly used on permeable or course grained soils such as sands
while the falling head test is usually carried out on soils in which do not permit
water to flow through easily. These are basically clayey soil and silty sands and all
other fine grained soils.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the hydraulic conductivity or permeability of course grained

soils by constant head method.
Determine the hydraulic conductivity of fine grained soils by falling head test.

EQUIPMENT

Stop watch
Overflow tank
Linear Calipers
Proctor mod and
Rubber tubing
Constant head permeameter
Calibrated cylinder

PROCEDURES
CONSTANT HEAD PERMEAMETER
1. The masses of porous plates and the soil sample were measured and
recorded.
2. The bottom porous stone was slipped in to the plastic cylinder and the
bottom stopper fixed to the specimen tube.
3. The soil sample was poured into the specimen tube in small layers and
compacted by shacking and vibrating.
4. The top porous plate was rested firmly on the specimen when the specimen
height was reached a third of the specimen tube.
5. The spring was placed on top of the porous plate to hold the plate down on
the specimen.
6. A rubber stopper was fixed on the top of the specimen tube.

7. The length of the compacted specimen in the tube was measured and
recorded.
8. The assemble was moved near the sink and water ran into the specimen
through the inlet.
9. The water supply to the funnel was adjusted so that the water in the funnel
remains constant.
10.The water was left running for about 15 minutes to fully saturate the
specimen while making sure that any bubble in the water is removed by
opening the air valve.
11.After the head difference is constant, a cylinder was put below the outlet
point to collect water and recorded.
12.The time taken to record a certain volume of water was recorded.
13.Steps 11 and 12 were repeated three times while keeping the collection time
the same and determining Q.

FALLING HEAD PERMEAMETER

1. The proctor mold mass, diameter, length and area were determined and
recorded
2. The mold was fastened to the base and the sample poured in three layers
and compacted in 25 blows per layer.
3. The soil sample plus mold were weighed and the mass recorded.
4. The specimen was then placed into the falling head apparatus and fastened.
5. The tube diameter of the apparatus was measure ad.
6. The whole set up was placed in a basin and a water was filled in until the
whole specimen was submerged and fully saturated.
7. Water was filled in to the vertical tube and the time taken for the level to
change recorded.
8. Step seven was repeated two times to make three test runs.

RESULTS
CONSTANT HEAD PERMEAMETER
Height between water levels h = 640 mm =0.064 m, D = 63.5 mm,
Length of specimen L0 = 99.55 mm= 0.09955 m, Measured temperature = 20 C
Time from start
Time interval (t)
(min)
s
0
0
1
60
1.5
90
2
120
2.5
150
Average Rate of flow (q) mL/s

Measured flow
(Q) mL
00
95
135
185
225

Average Rate of flow (q) = 1.53 mL/s = 1.53 x10 -6 m3

Rate of flow (q)

mL/s
0
1.58
1.50
1.54
1.5
1.53

 D2
Area
4
63.52

4
3166.92 mm 2 3.167 10 3 m 2

q Ls
A h
1.53 x106 m3 / s 0.09955m

3.167 10 3 m2 0.064m
7.515 104 m / s

FALLING HEAD PERMEAMETER

Specimen Diameter D = 150mm, Specimen Area = 17671mm 2, L0 =Ls = 120 mm,
Tube Diameter = 40 mm.
Test No.
1
2
3

Initial head ho
mm
1000
1150
850

aL ho
ln , where
At h1

Final head h1
mm
800
1000
600

Test time
(sec)
141
88
273

Height ratio
(ho/h1)
1.25
1.15
1.42

402
1256.64 mm 2
4

Therefore,
Run
1
2
3
Average

Permeability (m/s)
K = 1.351 x10-5
K = 1.355 x10-5
K = 1.096 x10-5
K = 1.267 x10-5

DISCUSSIONS
In the case of the constant head permeability test, the value of 7.515 x10 -4 m/s falls
within the range for fine sands of 10 -3 to 10-5. This shows that the sample specimen
tested with the constant permeability test was in not the suitable sample for the
instrument. This is due to the fact that the constant head permeability test is mostly
suited for course grained sands and gravels and does not give accurate readings for
fine grained sands and silt.
The value of 1.267 x10-5 obtained from the falling head permeability test falls in the
range for silty sands and silts of a permeability 10 -5 to a value of 10-8 m/s. As the

test is perfectly suited for this type of soils, the results obtained are accurate and
minor errors were detected in the test.

CONCLUSION
The determination of permeability in the soil remains one of the challenging aspects
in Geotechnical engineering to date. Due to the use of constant permeability on a
fine grained specimen, the results obtained from the test might not be very
accurate as the test used is not suitable for this type of soil. The falling head
permeability test results gave a value in the range of silts and silty sands, which can
be accurately measured using this method.