Variation in coefficient of permeability of soil with the variation of temperature at prominent locations in India throughout a year

Abstract

Permeability is a significant property of soil. The coefficient of permeability influences the seepage of water through soil. This coefficient of permeability further depends on the viscosity of water, average particle size, and void ratio of the soil present at the location. Variation of these factors results in the variation of the coefficient of permeability which results in the seepage of water through the earthen structures like earthen dams. In hydraulic structures, seepage of water is one of the major cause for piping failure. This study aims to numerically establish the trend of variation of the coefficient of permeability with the variation of viscosity of water which is caused due to changes in temperature at various prominent locations in India. The locations selected are Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Jaipur, and Srinagar. These locations are selected to cover each type of geographical condition, climatic condition (mild and extreme), temperature range, and soil type. The ratio between maximum value of coefficient of permeablity to the minimum value of the same was calculated for each location. It was observed that among the chosen locations, Jaipur showed the maximum variation of permeability while Chennai had the minimum variation. The comparison established may provide an additional source of data for the efficient design of hydraulic structures to be constructed near the selected locations.