Fabrication of Permeameter for Determination of Hydraulic Conductivity of Earth Materials
Oni Olubukola A1, Usikalu Mojisola R2
1Oni Olubukola A, Undergoing Postgraduate studies at Covenant University, Ota.
2Usikalu Mojisola R, Researcher, Department of Physics, Covenant University, Ota.
Manuscript received on January 15, 2020. | Revised Manuscript received on January 26, 2020. | Manuscript published on February 10, 2020. | PP: 1204-1210 | Volume-9 Issue-4, February 2020. | Retrieval Number: D1483029420/2020©BEIESP | DOI: 10.35940/ijitee.D1483.029420
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© The Authors. Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Abstract: Laboratory investigation is one of the major ways of assessing soil hydraulic conductivity. Determination of hydraulic conductivity aids in engineering design of well pumping, prediction concerning spread of polluting fluids, embankment of canal bank affected by seepage, flooding solutions and stability of earth dams. However, different studies have shown that there are alternative models to Darcy’s law which governs the widely use of laboratory measurement of hydraulic conductivity. The deficiencies accustomed to the conventional permeameter such as the time wastage and cost-intensivehas led to different res×earch modification. A low-cost permeameter was fabricated using a plastic column, hose pipe, to serve as water inlet and outlet connected to two manometer tubes to measure the pressure head difference. The hydraulic conductivities measured using the low cost were 4.31×10-1 cm/s, 8.14×10-2 cm/s, 6.12×10-5 cm/s, 5.86×10-7 cm/s for 0.3 mm coarse sand, 0.85-1 mm fine sand, sandy clay and silty clay respectively. In comparison of the fabricated permeameter with conventional permeameter and other fabricated laboratory permeameters, it was observed that the hydraulic conductivity obtained is consistent with the typical permeability range for each soil type.
Keywords: Hydraulic Conductivity, Conventional Permeameter, Laboratory Test, Fabricated Permeameter.
Scope of the Article: Hydraulic Engineering