CONTENTS

Introduction Permeability in Soils Darcy Law Constant Head Test Falling Head Test Earth Pressure on Retaining Structure At-Rest, Active, and Passive Pressures Rankines Theory Assumptions Rankines Passive Pressure Theory of Rankines Passive Pressure Conclusion

Introduction Soil is used as a construction material in various civil engineering projects, and it supports structural foundations. Thus, civil engineers must study the properties of soil, such as its origin, grain- size distribution, ability to drain water, compressibility, shear strength, and load-bearing capacity. "Soil Mechanics I s the application of laws of mechanics and hydraulics to engineering problems dealing with sediments and other unconsolidated accumulations of solid particles produced by the mechanical and chemical disintegration of rocks regardless of whether or not they contain an admixture of organic constituent."Terzaghi(1948). Geotechnical Engineering:-Geotechnical Engineering is the branch of Civil Engineering concerned with the engineering is heavier of earth materials. It in clouds investigating existing subsurface conditions and materials determining their physical/mechanical and chemical properties; assessing risks posed by site conditions; designing earthworks and structure foundations; and monitoring site conditions .It includes: Soil Mechanics (Soil Properties and Behavior). Rock Mechanics (Rock Stability and Tunneling). Foundation Engineering (Shallow &Deep Foundations). Soil Dynamics (Dynamic Properties of Soils, Earthquake Engineering). Earthworks Engineering (Embankments, Slops Stability, Dams). Earth Retaining Structures. Pavement Engineering (Flexible &Rigid Pavements). Ground Improvement (Soil Reinforcement, Geosynthetics). Coastland Ocean Engineering.

Permeability in Soils

Permeability is the measure of the soils ability to permit water to flow through its pores or voids It is one of the most important soil properties of interest to geotechnical engineers Darcys Law The coefficient of permeability, or hydraulic conductivity, k, is a product of Darcys Law .In 1856, Darcy established an empirical relationship for the flow of water through porous media known as Darcys Law, Which states: v = v = -ki or q = -kiA q= flow rate (cm3/s) k= coefficient of permeability (cm/s) A= cross-sectional Area (cm2) i= hydraulic gradient

The physical description of groundwater flow in soil is the Darcys law. The fundamental premises for Darcys law to work are: 1, the flow is laminar, no turbulent flows; 2, fully saturated; 3, the flow is in steady state, no temporal variation. Hydraulic conductivity k and absolute permeability K

The absolute permeability is in the unite of LL (length square); and the expression for the relation is
K

Constant Head Test

The constant head test is used primarily for coarse-grained soils; This test is based on the assumption of laminar flow where k is independent of i(low values of i); ASTM D 2434; This test applies a constant head of water to each end of a soil in a permeameter.

Procedure (Constant head)

1. Setup screens on the permeameter 2. Measurements for permeameter, (D), (L), H1

3. Take 1000 g passing No.4 soil (M1) 4. Take a sample for M.C. 5. Assemble the permeametermake sure seals are air-tight 6. Fill the mold in several layers and compact it as prescribed. 7. Put top porous stone and measure H2 8. Weigh remainder of soil (M2) 9. Complete assembling the permeameter. (Keep outlet valve closed) 10. Connect Manometer tubes, but keep the valves closed. 11. Apply vacuum to remove air for 15 minutes (through inlet tube at top) 12. Run the Test (follow instructions in the lab manual) .. 13. Take readings Manometer heads h1 & h2 Collect water at the outlet, Q ml at time t 60 sec.

Calculation (Constant head)

Determine the unit weight ;Calculate the void ratio of the compacted specimen; Calculate k as: Calculate
from Q Akit A k QL Aht hI F t G HL J K

get k

k200 C kT 0C

C C

20

Falling Head Test

The falling head test is used both for coarse-grained soils as well as finegrained soils; Same procedure in constant head test except: Record initial head difference, h1at t = 0 Allow water to flow through the soil specimen

Record the final head difference, h2at time Collect water at the outlet, Q (in ml) at time t 60 sec t = t2

Calculation (Falling head) Calculate k as Where: A= inside cross sectional area of the water tank a= inside cross sectional area of the standing pipe h1= distance to bottom of the beaker before the test h2= distance to bottom of the beaker after the test Calculate
K aL h1 ln At h2
T 0C

k 200 C k

T C 20 C
0 0

Earth Pressure on Retaining Structure At-rest, active, and passive pressure for retaining structures Earth pressure at-rest Rankines theory: Active and Passive Retaining wall with limited height

Rankines Theory Assumptions

The lateral earth pressure coefficients are valid for; Vertical earth retaining wall Smooth wall in which the interface between the wall and soil is frictionless The supported soil is homogeneous and isotropic The soil is loose and originally in an at-rest state Lateral earth pressures must be applied to effective stress Critical slip planes are oriented at 45o /2

Rankines Passive Pressures

The coefficient of Rankines passive earth pressure,Kp

Conclusion :

Soil is used as a construction material in various civil engineering projects, and it supports structural foundations. Thus, civil engineers must study the properties of soil, such as its origin, grain- size distribution, ability to drain water, compressibility, shear strength, and load-bearing capacity.