Coefficient of Permeability given Maximum and Minimum Permeability for Earth Dam Calculator

Coefficient of Permeability Formula:

\[ k = \sqrt{K_o \times \mu_r} \]

Coefficient of Permeability (k): m/s

Permeability Range (±5%):

1. What is Coefficient of Permeability?

Definition: The Coefficient of Permeability (k) describes how easily a liquid will move through soil or porous medium.

Purpose: It's crucial for designing earth dams, assessing groundwater flow, and analyzing seepage in geotechnical engineering.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

\[ k = \sqrt{K_o \times \mu_r} \]

Where:

\( k \) — Coefficient of Permeability (m/s)
\( K_o \) — Intrinsic Permeability (m²)
\( \mu_r \) — Relative Permeability (H/m)

Explanation: The coefficient is derived from the square root of the product of intrinsic permeability and relative permeability.

3. Importance in Earth Dam Design

Details: Proper permeability calculation ensures dam stability, controls seepage, and prevents piping failures in earth dams.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter intrinsic permeability (K_o) in m², relative permeability (μ_r) in H/m, and tolerance percentage (default ±5%). All values must be > 0.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is intrinsic permeability?
A: It's a measure of how easily a porous medium can transmit fluid, depending only on the medium's structure.

Q2: How does relative permeability differ?
A: Relative permeability compares a fluid's permeability at partial saturation to its permeability at full saturation.

Q3: Why include tolerance?
A: Tolerance (±5% default) accounts for material variability and measurement uncertainties in real-world conditions.

Q4: Typical values for earth dams?
A: For clay cores: 10^-9 to 10^-7 m/s; for shell materials: 10^-5 to 10^-3 m/s.

Q5: How to measure these parameters?
A: Laboratory tests like constant-head or falling-head permeability tests for k, specialized equipment for K_o and μ_r.