SEDL / STP / STP417-EB / STP47263S

Field Determination of Permeability by the Infiltration Test

Schmid, W. E.
Associate professor of civil engineeringPersonal member ASTM, Princeton University, Princeton, N. J.

Pages: 18    Published: Jan 1967

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Abstract

The measurement of permeability by infiltration tests is discussed and formulas for infiltration wells terminating below and above the ground water table are derived. The validity of the formulae and the assumptions used are checked by model tank experiments and permeameter tests. For infiltration above the ground water table no comparable formula exists, but the values found by the proposed formula are about one order of magnitude smaller than those found by infiltration into the ground water. This may be caused by difference in the effective porosity that occurred due to trapped air. Nevertheless, the value obtained by the new formula may be considered as a lower bound value of the permeability.