Use of hydraulic radius to estimate the permeability of coarse-grained materials using a new geodatabase

Abstract

This paper reviews commonly used parameters and prediction models for assessing the permeability of granular soils. Following a review of published models for prediction of soil permeability, a dimensional homogenous transformation model for a-priori estimation of soil permeability was calibrated using a large database (CG/KSAT/7/1278) comprising permeability data for a wide range of granular soils sourced from over 50 publications. The new transformation model requires knowledge of the void ratio and gradation of the material to make estimates of the soil permeability. The prediction accuracy of the calibrated model was then assessed alongside that of other empirical and semi-empirical models also calibrated using CG/KSAT/7/1278. The potential influences of void ratio, key gradation parameters and permeability test type on the prediction accuracy of the proposed model are also examined. The paper shows that while the fitted constants in the proposed transformation model are affected to varying extents by the aforementioned parameters, it does offer reasonable predictions of permeability with only knowledge of the void ratio and material gradation required.