Soil Permeability Testing
This page is not intended to be a substitute for professional geotechnical advice and should not be relied on as geotechnical by individuals or other professionals to make site-specific decisions. Always seek advice from professional geotechnical engineers.
What is Soil Permeability?
It is the rate of flow of water through the soil layers. This is important information that is used for geotechnical site investigation. Geotechnical and civil engineers as well as hydrogeologists and environmental scientists use this information for various projects. It is important to understand the hydrologic characteristics of the soil good flood management pracitces, embankments and dams designs.
Importance of Soil Permeability Testing
BHM Geotechnical offers several geotechnical services in Sydney including soil permeability testing. Here is why this is important:
This is essential for various applications like when building a on-site detention tank or bioretention system. It is crucial to understand permeability of the soil to ensure an appropriate design. The amount of seepage depends a great deal on the granular soil skeleton.
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It is essential for engineers and agriculturists to study the fluid flow through the soil mass when working with soil.
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The level of soil permeability affects the supply of air, moisture and nutrition from the roots.
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Excavation sites often have to deal with the issue of seepage water. The measure of soil permeability can help provide vital information for a construction site.
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It is vital to ensure the stability of earthen structures like retaining walls, dams, etc.
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It is critical for the good management to mitigate the effects of natural disasters like floods as well as effluent infiltration.
How We Measure Soil Permeability?
Several factors affect soil permeability like hydraulic gradient, soil type, texture, particle size, moisture, porosity and more. A
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Constant Head Test: This involves collecting samples of the soil for laboratory tests. This method involves forcing water with a piston through a column of water-saturated soil. This is necessary to determine the rate of flow of the water. This method is useful for sand, gravel and also several types of clay soils.
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Falling Heat Test: This test is usually meant for fine-grained soil and involves allowing the head to decrease as water is introduced to the sample. This will diminish the pressure gradually.
Benefits of Contacting BHM Geotechnical for your Project
The relation between soil and water affects its permeability in many ways. Some of the common issues faced with soil during agriculture, construction, etc. include:
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Soil moisture
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Soil texture
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Soil structure
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Soil porosity
BHM Geotechnical was specially established to deal with the industry demands in this field and the best geotechnical consultants in Sydney. This is an engineering, geotechnical and environmental firm to provide cost-effective assessments and technical analysis. We have a talented workforce using the optimal techniques to provide accurate reports. BHM Geotechnical believes in pushing the limits and facing the challenges that come our way with continuous improvements and developing new and more efficient techniques.