NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

CE 2112 SOIL MECHANICS (2012/2013)

Practice Problems – Groundwater, Permeability and Seepage II

1. Consider the soil sample (γsat = 20 kN/m3) and flow conditions shown on Figure 1
below (similar to the example in the lecture slides).

(a) Evaluate the critical hydraulic gradient.

(b) Evaluate the head h required to cause quick conditions
(c) Compute the seepage force per unit volume at quick conditions
(d) Show, using seepage forces, that quick conditions develop under the
head of part (b).

c b a

Elev. B
hw
2m
riser tube

soil L
5m Elev. C
2m
Elev. A

filter screen

Figure 1

2. Consider a similar soil sample and setup as shown on Figure 1, except that the water
level in the left-hand riser tube is maintained constant at elevation C, or 2 m above
elevation A.

Compute (a) the hydraulic gradient, (b) effective stress at elevation A and (c)
seepage force per unit volume of the soil.

3. A clay layer of 4 m thick with γsat = 20 kN/m3 is overlain by a 4 m sand with γsat = 19
kN/m3 and γdry = 16.5 kN/m3, the top of this layer being the ground surface. The
water table is located 2 m below the ground surface. The clay layer is underlain by a
sand stratum that is in artesian conditions with the water level in a standpipe being 4
m above the ground surface.
 Calculate the effective vertical stresses at the top and base of the clay layer. If the
dry sand is excavated, at what depth will the effective stress at the bottom of the clay
layer become zero?

4. A clay layer 10 m thick has a density of 17.5 kN/m3 and is underlain by sand. The
top of the clay is the ground surface. An excavation in the clay layer failed when the
depth of the excavation reached 6.5 m from the ground surface.

Calculate the depth of water in a standpipe sunk to the sand layer.

5. 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
20°C. Calculate the coefficient of permeability and the seepage velocity.

6. A constant head permeability cell has an internal diameter of 75 mm and three

tapped outlets A, B and C at a 100 mm vertical pitch (or spacing). During three sets
of tests on a specimen of sand, the following data were recorded. The flow was
upward and each test was conducted with a different head. Determine the
permeability k in m/s (average of six values).

Head (mm) above datum

Test no. Q (ml/10 minutes)
A B C
1 281.5 139.0 100.0 60.0
2 422.5 208.5 150.5 91.5
3 591.0 292.0 210.0 127.0

7. The data from a falling-head test on a silty clay are:

Cross-sectional area of soil = 80 cm2

Length of soil = 10 cm
Initial head = 90 cm
Final head = 84 cm
Duration of test = 15 minutes
Diameter of tube = 6 mm
Temperature = 22°C

Determine the permeability k at the reference baseline temperature of 20°C.

Note that k20°C = kT°C RT , where RT = 2.42 – 0.475 ln (T)

8. A falling head test was conducted in a cell of 100 mm diameter and 127 mm high.
The recorded data were: h1 = 560 mm, h2 = 465 mm, t = 1081 s, and the diameter of
the vertical standpipe was 7 mm. Determine (a) k in m/s, (b) the time required for a
similar head and drop if a standpipe 4 mm in diameter was used.