Falling Head Permeability Test Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Falling Head Permeability Test - Lab Report Example In the falling head test, the standpipe provides both the head of water and a means of measurement of the quantity of water flowing through the sample. The sample is connected to the standpipe whose diameter is most suited for it. The falling head principle is applied to the undisturbed sample that is in a sampling tube. The Falling Head Permeability test is done on soils whose permeability is less than 10-4 m/s. The coefficient of permeability, k, is the rate of discharge of a liquid and is directly proportional to the hydraulic gradient, i, and the cross-sectional area, a, of the sample (Mabrouk). The coefficient of permeability of the soil sample tested is k1= 5.41Ãâ€"10-5 m/s k2= 6.18Ãâ€"10-5 m/s. the mean Kmean = 5.795Ãâ€"10-5m/s. Based on the classification highlighted in step 9 of the experimental procedures, the soil sample can be defined to be of low permeability. Hence, the sample, which contains intermediate sized particles of and holds moistures, can be interpreted to be a silt clay. From these results, the general experiment of determining the coefficient of permeability of a soil sample can be described. Furthermore, the relationship between the coefficient of permeability and the pore size of the fine-grained soils has been established (Chiasson). This test was conducted for a single primary reason: to calculate the permeability of samples using the falling head permeability test. This test, which was conducted according to the laid down procedure found the coefficient of permeability to be valid.