Soil Mechanics I Tutorial Problems

1. A sand sample of 25 cm length was subjected to a constant head permeability in a

permeameter having an area of 30 m2. A discharge of 100 cm3 was obtained in a period of 1
minute under a head of 39 cm. Mass of dry sand in the sample was 1,350 g. The specific
gravity of the sand particles was 2.67. Determine
i. the coefficient of permeability,
ii. the superficial velocity, and
iii. the seepage velocity
Solution

(iii) Determine the void ratio in order to find the porosity:

2. A soil sample has a length of 3.5 m and a cross-sectional area of 2 m2. If water flows through
such a soil sample and the fluid energy lost is 1,650 N-m for every cubic meter flow of water,
estimate Darcy’s velocity and permeability. The time of flow for 1 m3 of water is 26 hours.
Find also the seepage velocity if the void ratio of the sample is 0.58.
Solution

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Soil Mechanics I Tutorial Problems

3. Constant-Head Test: In a laboratory constant head permeability test, a cylindrical sample

100mm in diameter and 150mm high is subjected to a vertical flow of 540cm3 /min. the head
loss over the length of the sample is measured to be 360mm. calculate the coefficient of
permeability in m/s.
Given Required
D = 100mm t = 1min k =? m/sec
3
L = 150mm Q = 540cm
Solution
 The flow is laminar
 Darcy’s law is valid

Based continuity equation, flow through soil sample is equal to out flow to the cylinder
Out flow to the cylinder
Flow through soil sample

( )

4. Constant-Head Test: A sample of sand, 5 cm in diameter and 15 cm long, was prepared at a

porosity of 60% in a constant-head apparatus. The total head was kept constant at 30 cm and
the amount of water collected in 5 seconds was 40 cm3. The test temperature was 200C.
Calculate the hydraulic conductivity and the seepage velocity.

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Soil Mechanics I Tutorial Problems

Solution
 Calculate the sample cross-sectional area, hydraulic gradient, and flow.

 Calculate kz.

 Calculate the seepage velocity.

5. In a laboratory falling head test, the recorded data are, diameter of the tube = 20mm,
diameter of the cell = 100mm, length of the sample = 1000mm. the head measured from the
top level of the sample dropped from 800mm to 60mm within 1hour and the temperature of
the water was 300c. Calculate the coefficient of permeability at 200c.
( ) ( )
Given Required
d = 20mm h1= 800mm
D = 100mm h2 = 600mm k =? At 200c m/sec
L = 1000mm T=
t = 1hour
Solution

( ) ( ) ( )
( )
( ) ( )

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Soil Mechanics I Tutorial Problems

6. Falling-Head Test
The data from a falling-head test on a silty clay are:
Cross-sectional area of soil = 80 cm2 Duration of test = 15 minutes
Length of soil = 10 cm Diameter of tube = 6 mm
Initial head = 90 cm Temperature = 220C
Final head = 84 cm Determine k.

NB: Make sure you are using consistent units.

Solution
 Calculate the parameters required

 Calculate kz.

7. Vertical and Horizontal Flows in Layered Soils

A canal is cut into a soil with a stratigraphy shown in Figure below. Assuming flow takes
place laterally and vertically through the sides of the canal and vertically below the canal,
determine the equivalent hydraulic conductivity in the horizontal and vertical directions. The
vertical and horizontal hydraulic conductivities for each layer are assumed to be the same.
Calculate the ratio of the equivalent horizontal hydraulic conductivity to the equivalent
vertical hydraulic conductivity for flow through the sides of the canal.

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Soil Mechanics I Tutorial Problems

NB: To make the calculations easier, convert all exponential quantities to a single exponent.
Solution
 Find kx(eq) and kz(eq) for flow through the sides of the canal.

 Find the kx(eq)/kz(eq) ratio.

 Find kz(eq) below the bottom of the canal.

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Soil Mechanics I Tutorial Problems

EXERCISES
1. The classic Bernoulli’s equation is used to define the flow of water through soil masses.
Explain Bernoulli’s equation briefly.
2. Explain Darcy’s law of permeability.
3. Briefly explain surface tension and capillary
4. When it is appropriate to use a constant-head permeability test versus a falling-head
permeability test?
5. Natural soil deposits are stratified. If the stratification is continuous, the effective coefficients
of permeability for flow in the horizontal and vertical directions can be readily calculated.
Derive an equation used to determine hydraulic conductivity:
i. when the flow is parallel to the soil layer
ii. for flow normal to the soil layers
iii. the equivalent hydraulic conductivity for flow parallel and normal to soil layers
6. Laboratory permeability tests have some shortcomings and the sample size is so small that
the measured values may not be necessarily true representatives of field conditions, which
may include non-uniformity and fissures. An alternative way to obtain a more representative
and reliable k value is to use field methods, although these may be relatively expensive. One
of the field methods to determine the hydraulic conductivity is pumping test. Explain this
method briefly.
7. A constant head permeability test was conducted on a sand sample of 250 mm length and
2,000 mm2 area. The head loss was 500 mm, and the discharge was found to be 260 ml in
130 seconds. Determine the coefficient of permeability of the sand sample. Find the
superficial and seepage velocities if the dry unit weight and specific gravity of the samples
were 17.98 kN/m3 and 2.62, respectively.
8. A variable head permeability test was conducted and the following data were obtained.
Compute the coefficient of permeability:
L = 15 cm
D (sample diameter) = 7.2 cm
Δh1 (at t = 0) = 40.0 cm
Δh2 (at t = 10 min) = 22.9 cm
d (burette diameter) = 1.2 cm

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