Quantifying Permeability and Hydraulic Conductivity of the Surface Clastic Sediments

Abstract

The surface soil properties control the groundwater aquifers system characterizations. Quantifying and measurements of these parameters are a challenging attempt in arid region like the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Al Ain and Al Suleimei Valleys in Al Ain city. Permeability and hydraulic conductivity of clastic sediments play crucial role in surface water seepage. Soil’s permeability depends on number of factors such as the size of soil grains, the properties of pore fluids, the void ratio of the soil, the shapes and arrangement of pores and the degree of saturation. To asses these features, detailed field and laboratory studies such as soil sample collections, sieve analyses and permeability tests (constant head permeameter) were carried out. Hydraulic conductivity of both valleys were approximated from grain size analyses of collected soil samples. The average permeability varies from 0.796 to 2.120 cm/s for Wadi Al Ain and from 0.566 to 2.133 cm/s for Wadi Al Suleimei and the hydraulic conductivity ranges between 0.209 and 6.401 cm/s and 0.348 and 6.401 m/s for wadies Al Ain and Al Suleimei consequently. The results indicate variability of the permeability and hydraulic conductivity in both study areas. On the other hand, both wadies indicate similarities in their lower and upper range of measured and estimated permeability and hydraulic conductivity values. This study reveals changeability of the surface soil characteristics and provides an idea how the surface water moves down to recharge the shallow aquifer. Such an experimental works is unique and certainly supply valuable information for the municipal and decision makers for groundwater resources and their recharge possibility. In addition, this study will minimize or prevent the possible environmental risk and hazards treating for the study area today and/or in the future and offer reliable and practical information to scientists and decision makers.