Permeameter (fully functional)

Basic Procedure

• Water reservoir will be filled prior to starting the pump.
• After a 1-2 minute waiting period, the remaining visible air bubbles will be removed from the tubing connections 
• An additional running time of 1-2 minutes will ensue before taking readings.
• Using a 600 mL beaker, the runoff from the head low water will be collected for 20 seconds.
• The sample will then be transferred to a 25 mL graduated cylinder and the volume will be recorded. 
• This process will be repeated 10 times per trial.
• After a designated waiting period of (??) hours, another ten readings will be taken in the same manner. This will help determine if sand settlement causes fluctuation.
• The process will be repeated in its entirety for each sediment variation using identical parameters.

Methods and Materials Outline

[Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity]

Methods and Materials
            - variables
                  -- sediment type, amount, location (what layer)
            - manipulation
            - timetable


Sediment

• Natural 
•   Collection points
•  River, Creek, Lake
• Lab samples
• Sand
• Grain size
• Clay
• Makeup/components (if known)
• Amount 
• Varying
• Proportions
• Fixed
• Position 
• Varying
• Layered
• Mixed
• Fixed

Testing - Permeameter

• construction
• process
• pictures
• materials
• purpose for choices
• relative cost analysis
• function
• materials breakdown
• overall 

Analysis Methods

• Darcy's Law
• equation
• purpose

Hydraulic Conductivity: Permeameter

This is a design from the MIT course, thought it was interesting that they don't have a constant water source.



Currently I am working on the Introduction/Background for the lab report/presentation.
The powerpoint is also underway.

 --will post as sections are organized and cohesive

Groundwater Books

Freeze, R. A. & Cherry, J. A. (1979). Groundwater. Prentice-Hall: New Jersey.     (978-0133653120) 
(still on the hunt, only found for purchase thus far)

http://pubs.usgs.gov/wsp/2220/report.pdf
(this was a free download published by the Dept of the Interior and US Geologic Survey) 

http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/civil-and-environmental-engineering/1-72-groundwater-hydrology-fall-2005/index.htm
 (- this is the same information/materials as the MIT online course on Groundwater Hydrolog in Fall 2005 available from their Open CourseWare program)
 - could be promising, I plan to go through the materials and narrow down which aspects are most pertinent to this study

Here is an outline of the syllabus.

Outline

1. Background
   • Hydrologic Cycle
   • Water Budgets
2. Groundwater
   • Darcy's Law and Hydraulic Potential
   • The Steady-state Groundwater Flow Equation
   • Streamlines and Flow Nets
   • Regional Flow and Geologic Controls on Flow
   • Transient Flow, Aquifer Storage and Compressibility
   • Unconfined Flow
   • Groundwater Interaction with Streams and Lakes
   • Numerical Methods
   • Flow in Fractured Rock
3. Well Hydraulics
   • Thiem and Theis Equations
   • Pump Tests and Slug Tests
4. Contaminant Transport
   • Advection and Dispersion
   • Sorption and Diffusive Mass Transfer
   • Aquifer Remediation
5. Vadose Zone Hydrology
   • Unsaturated Flow, Retention Curves and Richard's Equation
   • Infiltration and Evapotranspiration
6. Couples Flow and Transport
   • Density Driven Flow, Freshwater/Saltwater Interaction
   • Heat Transport and Groundwater Flow
7. The Role of Groundwater in Large-scale Water and Chemical Budgets

Started the construction process, still investigating filter options but proposed ideas include: coffee filter, florist foam, sponge/sponge-like foam.  A rough sketch is shown below:

The PVC connectors already procured may work, but will be gathering additional ones that are closer to the appropriate size as some were too large. 

Clay is a potential obstacle, however, we can make our own following some instructions found online. I will do more research and post links later, as time may be a factor with the process.