DETERMINING THE PERMEABILITY OF SOIL AT UNVERSITI

MALAYSIA PAIHANG, GAMI3ANG CAMPUS USING GUELPH

PERMEAMETER KIT

ALAN TING 1K FONG

This thesis is submitted in fuilfilment of the requirements for the award of the

degree of Bachelor of Civil Engineering

Faculty of Civil Engineering & Earth Resources

Universiti Malaysia Pahang

NOVEMBER 2010

ABSTRACT

The measure of the soil's ability to permit water to flow through its pores or

voids is termed as permeability. Different types of soil give different value of

permeability because their abilities to permit water to flow through their pores are

different. Several factors that affect the permeability of the soil are type of soil,

vegetation management, surface moisture, soil compaction, rainfall intensity and

temperature. This study was carried out to determine the permeability of the soil and

identify the soil classification for ten locations in the compound of Universiti

Malaysia Pahang, Gambang Campus. Guelph Permeameter test was used to

determine the permeability of soil of each location. The lowest permeability of soil is

at Guard house and construction site 2 with the rate of 0 cm/sec while the highest is

at sport complex with the rate of 2.19x10 4 cm/sec. The results indicated the slow

permeability at the ten locations were due to less voids in the soil structures.

iv

ABSTRAK

Saiz kemampuan tanah untuk membenarkan air mengalir melalui pori-pori

atau rongga disebut sebagai ketelapan. Berbagai jenis tanah memberikan nilai

kebolehtelapan yang berbeza kerana kemampuan mereka untuk membolehkan air

mengalir melalui pori-pori yang berbeza. Beberapa faktor yang mempengaruhi

kebolehtelapan tanah adalah jenis tanah, pengurusan tumbuhan, kelembapan

permukaan, pemadatan tanah, kekuatan curah hujan dan suhu. Kajian mi dilakukan

untuk menentukan ketelapan tanah dan mengenalpasti kiasifikasi tanah untuk

sepuluh lokasi di Kampus Gambang Universiti Malaysia Pahang. "Guelph

Permeameter" digunakan untuk menentukan ketelapan tanah di lokasi yang dipilih.

Ketelapan terendah tanah adalah di Rumah Jaga dan Laman Pembinaan 2 dengan

tahap 0 cm / saat dan ketelapan tertinggi adalah di Kompleks Sukan dengan tahap

2.19x10' cm / saat. Kajian mendapati ketelapan rendah di sepuluh lokasi yang

dipilih. mi adalah disebabkan oleh kurang rongga dalam struktur tanah tersebut.

IY1

vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER

TITLE PAGE

DECLARATION ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT iii

ABSTRACT iv

ABSTRAK v

TABLE OF CONTENT vi

LIST OF TABLES x

LIST OF FIGURES xi

LIST OF SYMBOLS xiii

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background 1

1.2 Problem Statement 3

1.3 Research Objectives 5

1.4 Scope of Study 5

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Soil Properties

2.3 Porosity

2.4 Hydraulic Conductivity

2.5 Darcy Law

2.6 Method to Measure Permeability of Soil

2.6.1 Guelph Permeameter

2.6.2 Single Ring Infiltrometer

2.6.3 Double Ring Infiltrometer

2.7 Factors Influencing , Permeameter of Soil

2.7.1 Soil Characteristics

2.7.2 Plants and Animals

2.7.3 Runoff and Flooding

2.7.4 Runoff and Urban Development

3 METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction 20

3.2 Site Investigation 22

3.3 Site and Soil Evaluation 24

3.4 Apparatus 24

3.4.1 Permeameter Assembly 24

3.4.2 Step to Assemble Guelph Permeameter Kit 25

3.4.3 Placement of Permeameter 26

3.5 Data Collection 27

3.5.1 Measurement Permeability of Soil 28

3.6 Data Analysis 30

3.7 Discussion 30

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4 ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Introduction 31

4.2 Permeability of Soil 32

4.2.1 Type of Soil 32

4.2.2 Calculation for Permeability of Soil 33

4.2.3 Classification of Soil 35

4.3 Steady State Rate of Flow Curve 36

4.3.1 Steady State Rate of Flow Curve 37

(Height of Water at 5cm)

4.3.1.1 Guard House 37

4.3.1.2 Sport Complex 37

4.3.1.3 Civil Lab 38

4.3.1.4 Access Road to Kolej 38

Kediaman 2

4.3.1.5 Construction Site 1 39

4.3.1.6 Football Field 39

4.3.1.7 Beside Kolej Kediaman 2 40

4.3.1.8 Constuction Site 2 40,

4.3.1.9 Kolej Kediaman 2 41

4.3.1.10 Behind Kolej Kediaman 2 41

4.3.2 Steady State Rate of Flow Curve 42

(Height of Water at 10cm)

4.3.2.1 Guard House 42

4.3.2.2 Sport Complex 42

4.3.2.3 Civil Lab 43

4.3.2.4 Access Road to Kolej 43

Kediaman 2

4.3.2.5 Construction Site 1 44

4.3.2.6 Football Field 44

4.3.2.7 Beside Kolej Kediaman 2 45

4.3.2.8 Constuction Site 2 45

4.3.2.9 Kolej Kediaman 2 46

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4.3.2. 10 Behind Kolej Kediaman 2 46

4.4. Permeability and change in water level in 47

different of height of Water

4.5 Discussions 48

4.5.1 Guard House 48

4.5.2 Sport Complex 48

4.5.3 Civil Lab 49

4.5.4 Access Road to Kolej 49

Kediaman 2

4.5.5 Construction Site 1 50

4.5.6 Football Field 50

4.5.7 Beside Kolej Kediaman 2 51

4.5.8 ConstuctioxjSitë2 51

4.5.9 Kolej Kediarnan 2 51

4.5.10 Behind Kolej Kediaman 2 52

4.5 Conclusion V 52

5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1 Summary 53

5.1.1 Permeability of Soil 53

5.1.2 Classification of Soil 54

5.2 Conclusion 55

5.3 Recommendations 56

REFERENCE 56

APPENDICES 59

APPENDIX A 59

APPENDIX B 70

x

LIST OF TABLE

TABLE NO. TITLE PAGE

2.1 Soil Permeability 7

3.1 Location for the permeability of soil study 22

3.2 Step to assemble Guelph Permeameter kit 25

3.3 Guelph Permeameter Field Data Sheet 29

4.1 Soil permeability 32

4.2 Guelph Permeameter Data 33

4.3 Classification of soil 35

5.1 Soil permeability 53

5.2 Classification of Soil 54

xi

LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE NO. TITLE PAGE

1.1 Plan for UMP Campus, gambang 4

2.1 Guelph Permeameter kit 13

2.2 Single Ring Infiltrometer 14

2.3 (a) Double Ring Infiltrometer 16

30-cm diameter (inner) and 60-cm diameter (outer)

(b) Double Ring Infiltrometer 16

15-cm diameter (inner) and 30-cm diameter (outer)

(c) Constant Inner Head in the Infiltration Rings 16

3.1 Flow Chart of Research Methodology 21

3.2 Plan of University Malaysia Pahang 23

3.3 Placement of Permeameter 26

3.4 Guelph Permeameter field data sheet 28

4.1 Steady state rate of flow curve for Guard House - 37

4.2 Steady state rate of flow curve for Sport Complex 37

4.3 Steady state rate of flow curve for Civil Lab 38

4.4 Steady state rate of flow curve for Access Road to 38

Kolej Kediaman 2

4.5 Steady state rate of flow curve for Construction site 1 39

4.6 Steady state rate of flow curve for Football Field 39

4.7 Steady state rate of flow curve for Beside Kolej Kediaman 2 40

4.8 Steady state rate of flow curve for Construction Site 2 40

4.9 Steady state rate of flow curve for Kolej Kediaman 2 41

4.10 Steady state rate of flow curve for Behind Kolej Kediaman 2 41

4.11 Steady state rate of flow curve for Guard House 42

4.12 Steady state rate of flow curve for Sport Complex 42

4.13 Steady state rate of flow curve for Civil Lab 43

xli

4.14 Steady state rate of flow curve for Acess Road to 43

Kolej Kediaman 2

4.15 Steady state rate of flow curve for Construction site 1 44

4.16 Steady state rate of flow curve for Football Field 44

4.17 Steady state rate of flow curve for Beside Kolej Kediaman 2 45

4.18 Steady state rate of flow curve for Construction Site 2 45

4.19 Steady state rate of flow curve for Kolej Kediaman 2 46

4.20 Steady state rate of flow curve for Behind Kolej Kediaman 2 46

LIST OF SYMBOL

Q - The quantity of water per unit of time

Ksat - Saturated hydraulic conductivity

A - The cross-sectional area of the column

L - The length of the column

AP - Hydrostatic pressure

Q - Rate of water flow (volume per time)

K - Hydraulic conductivity

A - Column cross sectional area

dhldl - Hydraulic gradient

Kfs - The field-saturated hydraulic conductivity, (m s 1)

H - The ponded depth, (m)

a - The radius of the well, (m)

C - The matric potential as well as the H/a ratio

xlii

t'm - Matric flux potential

R - Rate of water level change

xiv

% - Percent

cm/min - Centimeter per minute

cm - Centimeter

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

The study of permeability of soil is important for flood or flash flood. Soil

permeability is the property of the soil pore system that allows fluid to flow. It is

generally the pore sizes and their connectivity which determines whether soil has

high or low permeability. Water will flow easily through soil with large pores with

good connectivity between them and it is high permeability. Small pores with the

poor connectivity between them which would have lower permeability, because

water would flow through the soil more slowly. It is possible to have zero

permeability which is no flow with high porosity soil if the pores are isolated (not

connected). It is also to have zero permeability if the pores are very small, such as in

clay (Roy David Nurmi, 2009).

The measurement of the soil's ability to permit water to flow through its

pores or voids are termed as permeability. In other words, permeability is a

measurement of a material's ability to transmit liquids. Material which contain

continuous void is easily permeable. Different types of soil will have different value

of permeability because their ability to permit water to flow through its pores is

different. A low and high permeability means the water flows through the soil is

slow, and fast respectively.

2

Many factors controlling the proportion of precipitation that is converted to

runoff in a given landscape, and the time it takes for runoff to enter a stream. Human..

changes to these landscape features can greatly influence runoff. Where soil is absent

and little-fractured bedrock is exposed, water cannot soak in and will run off rapidly.

If soil is present, but is very fine-grained and clay-rich, the pore spaces that water

must pass through are extremely small; hence, water will infiltrate very slowly

compared to sandy soils that readily soak up water. Some finer-grained soils have

vertical cracks that form when the soil shrinks as it dries. These cracks allow water to

enter more readily, but may close up after the soil is wetted (Dingman, S. Lawrence,

1994).

Besides that, compaction of soils reduces the size of pore spaces and the

infiltration rate. This will affect the runoff. Water commonly runs off areas that were

compacted through repeated passage of people, large animals, or heavy machinery.

Raindrops falling on bare soil also can compact the soil surface in plowed fields,

leading to increased runoff and erosion of farmland (Dingman, S. Lawrence, 1994).

Weathering also will affect the permeability of soil. During the wet weather,

moisture content of the soil is higher compare to that of hot weather. Rain water

cannot infiltrate through the soil. It causes surface runoff during rainfall. For dry

weather, porosity and moisture content of the soil will decreased. High volume of

rain water can transmit to the ground.

Several others factors that affect the permeability of soil, for example,

vegetation management, initial soil condition, surface moisture, soil compaction,

rainfall intensity and temperature. The rate at which water is transmit through surface

level of the ground is normally depends on the condition of the surface. This is

because some fine materials may block or seal the surface so it affect infiltration rate

even though underlying soils are high permeable. Infiltration rate is affected also by

the volume of storage available below the ground. In this case, flash flood or flood

might take place.

1.2 Problem statements

During heavy rain period, flash flood occurred at the roadside and this is not

only affect cars and motorcyclists but also students' movement along the roadside in

Universiti Malaysia Pahang. These are the problems which allow flash flood to

occur:

1. Around 50% of areas in UMP are occupied with building. (Figure 1.0)

2. Drains are always over flow during heavy rain.

3. Around 20% of area around the Gambang Campus are paved area.

4

flTr ki )LI I ,f II !t1Iii I II ' 17...

Figure 1.0 Plan for UMP Gambang, Campus

1.3 Research objectives

The objectives of this project are:

1. To determine permeability of the soil by using Guelph Permeameter

kit

2. To identify the soil classification in UMP.

1.4 Scope of Study

The studies scopes are as follows:

1. Identify ten locations around UMP Gambang Campus.

2. Use Guelph Permeameter kit to determine permeability of soil in UMP Gambang Campus.

3. Use hand auger to dig and collect the soil samples at the specified location.

4. Determine the type of soil in UMP Gambang Campus.

CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction

This chapter covered about the characteristic of the soils, formula for analysis

the permeability of soil and method to measure it. Factor affecting the soil

permeability was included.

2.2 Soil Properties

Soil can be divided into three major categories which are organic soil,

cohesive and cohesionless. Cohesionless soils which the soil particle do not stick

together. Cohesion means the act or state of cohering, uniting, or sticking together.

While the cohesive soil contains clay minerals and posses plasticity and the particles

of soil stick to each other cause by water- particle interaction and attractive force

between particles. Organic soils are typically spongy, crumbly and compressible. The

most important property of soil related to rainfall induced slope failure is

permeability (Cheng and Jack, 2005).

7

Soil permeability is the property of the soil pore system that allows fluid to

flow. It is generally the pore sizes and their connectivity that determine whether a

soil has high or low permeability. Water will flow easily through soil with large

pores with good connectivity between them. Small pores with the same degree of

connectivity would have lower permeability because water would flow through the

soil more slowly. It is possible to have zero permeability (no flow) in a high porosity

soil if the pores are isolated (not connected). It is also to have zero permeability if the

pores are very small, such as in clay (Cheng and Jack, 2005).

Actual water movement is thought of as small, interconnected, irregular

conduits. Because the water moves through the voids, it follows that the soils with

large voids such as sands are generally more permeable than those with smaller voids

such as clays. Additionally, because soils with large voids generally have large void

ratios, it may be generalized that permeability tends to increase as the void ratio

increase. Because water movement can have profound effects on soil properties and

characteristics, it is an important consideration in certain engineering application.

Tables 2.1 show the lists of some soil permeabilities (Cheng and Jack, 2005).

Table 2.1 Soil Permeability (Cheng and Jack, 2005)

Soil Permeability Coefficient, k Relative (cm/sec) Permeability

Coarse gravel High >101

Sand, clean Medium 101 iø

Sand, dirty 10 -1 _ io

Low

Silt Very Low io- io

Clay<1 Impervious

8

There are several factors which influence the permeability of soil such as soil

texture, organic content in soil, the density of soil and vegetation. Soil texture refers

to the proportions of the sand, silt, clay in soil. Course textured sandy and gravelly

have the largest pores and the most rapid permeability. Fine textured clayey soils

have tiny pores and very slow permeability rates. Medium textured barns, silt barns

and clay barns have intermediate rate of permeability (Cheng and Jack, 2005).

Soil organic matter contributes to soil productivity in several ways, but there

is no direct quantitative relationship between soil productivity and total soil organic

matter. In fact, it has been the decline in organic matter that has contributed to the

productivity of the crop-fallow system. Organic soils often have varying degrees of

organic compounds in different states of decomposition. Organic matters help create

and stabilize aggregates of the grains of sands, clay and silt. This- aggregates or units

of soils structure, have relatively large spaces between them, permitting more rapid

water movement. Dense, compacted or cemented soil layers have very slow rates of

permeability. Roots, burrowing insects and animals create large voids or macropores

which can transmit water very rapidly under saturated conditions. Macropores also

are common in very coarse textured soils and in soils that crack extensively upon

drying (Cheng and Jack, 2005)

2.3 Porosity

Soil porosity refers to that part of a soil volume that is not occupied by soil

particles or organic matter. Pore spaces are filled with either air, other gases, or

water. Large pores (macropores) allow the ready movement of air and the drainage

of water. They are also large enough to accommodate plant roots and the wide range

of tiny animals that inhabit the soil. Large pore spaces permit fast infiltration and

percolation of water through a soil or soil horizon. Small pores (micropores) exhibit

attractive forces strong enough to hold water in the pore. They are the water retention

system of the soil which provides water storage for plant roots. During precipitation,

macropores conduct water into the soil where it fills the micropores. At field capacity

all pores small enough to retain water against the pull of gravity are filled (Brady and

Weil, 1999; Munshower, 1994).

Clay soils have numerous micropores and hold large quantities of water, but

since they have few macropores they produce very slow infiltration rates. The pores

in the clays may be so small and hold water so tenaciously that the water is not

available to plants. Sandy soils with numerous macropores but few micropores have

higher infiltration and percolation rates but a lower water-holding capacity than other

soil textures. A lower water-holding capacity can mean less available water for plant

roots. For revegetation purposes, plants perform best in intermediate soil textures

(barns) where soils contain mixtures of micro and macropores (Munshower, 1994).

2.4 Hydraulic Conductivity

Water can move through soil as saturated flow, unsaturated flow, or vapor

flow. Saturated flow takes place when the soil pores are completely filled (or

saturated) with water. Unsaturated flow occurs when the larger pores in the soil are

filled with air, leaving only the smaller pores to hold and transmit water. Vapor flow

occurs as vapor pressure differences develop in relatively dry soils. Vapor migrates

from an area of high vapor pressure to an area of low vapor pressure. Hydraulic

conductivity is a soil property that describes the ease with which the soil pores

permit water (not vapor) movement. It depends on the type of soil, porosity, and the

configuration of the soil pores. In saturated soils, the hydraulic conductivity is

represented as Ksat and in unsaturated soils, the hydraulic conductivity is represented

as K (Ecorestoration.2004).

The quantity of water per unit of time, Q, that flows through a column of

saturated soil can be expressed by Darcy's Law, as follows:

10

- KsatMP

L

Where:

Q = the quantity of water per unit of time

Ksat = saturated hydraulic conductivity

A = the cross-sectional area of the column

L = the length of the column

AP = hydrostatic pressure

Flow through an unsaturated soil is more complicated than flow through

continuously saturated pore spaces. Macropores are filled with air, leaving • only fmer

pores to accommodate water movement. The movement of water in unsaturated soils

is dictated by differences in matric potential, not gravity. The matric potential

gradient is the difference in the matric potential of the moist soil areas (high matric

potential) and nearby drier areas (low matric potential) into which the water is

moving (Brady and Weil, 1999).

Hydraulic conductivity is an important soil property when determining the

potential for widespread groundwater contamination by a contaminating source.

Soils with high hydraulic conductivities and large pore spaces are likely candidates

for far reaching contamination. The hydraulic conductivity in a saturated soil can be

measured by injecting a non-reactive tracer (i.e. bromide) in a monitoring well and

measure the time it takes for the tracer to reach a down gradient monitoring well.

Remediation of contaminated groundwater can be a likely step in the reclamation

process (Ecorestoration.2004).

11

2.5 Darcy Law

In fluid dynamics, Darcy's law is a phenomologically derived constitutive

equation that describes the flow of a fluid through a porous medium. The law was

formulated by Henry Darcy based on the results of experiments on the flow of water

through beds of sand. Darcy's law is a simple proportional relationship between the

instantaneous discharge rate through a porous medium, the viscosity of the fluid and

the pressure drop over a given distance. In modern format, using a particular sign

convention, Darcy's law is usually written as:

dh Q==—KA

dl Where:

Q = rate of water flow (volume per time)

K = hydraulic conductivity

A = column cross sectional area

dhldl = hydraulic gradient, that is, the change in head over the length of interest.

The law is often transformed by dividing through by the cross-sectional area

and is then restated as:

q==-K A cli

where q now has the dimensions of a velocity, and is referred to as the Darcy, or

superficial, velocity (James R and Paul A,1992).

2.6 Method to Measure Permeability of Soil

2.6.1 Guelph Permeameter

The permeability can be measured efficiently in situ by using Guelph

Permeameter. The Guelph Permeameter is an easy to use instrument for quickly and

accurately measuring in-situ permeability of soil. The equipment is portable and

friendly use so it can be transported, installed and operated easily by one person.

Measurements can be made in half to two hours, depending on soil type, and require

only around 2.5 liters of water. Measurements can be made in the range of 15 to 75

cm below the soil surface. Accurate evaluation of soil hydraulic conductivity and

matrix flux potential can be made in all types of soils.

The Guelph permeameter, a constant-head well permeameter, regulates the

ponded head level, while measuring the flux of water into the soil from a cylindrical

Auger hole (Reynolds and Elrick, 1983). Reynolds and Elrick (1985) described the

steady flow of water out of a well into the soil in terms of three fluxes. The water

flows out of the well by a radial pressure gradient-induced flux and through the base

of the well, driven by both vertical pressure and the gravity gradient. The total flux is

described by Richard's equation for steady flow out of a cylindrical well:

Q = 2irH [! +(a)

C + Where

Kfs = the field-saturated hydraulic conductivity, (m s 1)

H = the ponded depth, (m)

A = the radius of the well, (m)

C = the matric potential as well as the H/a ratio

0. = matric flux potential