Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Hydraulic anisotropy of homogeneous soils and rocks: influence of the densification process

Anisotropie hydraulique des sols et roches homogènes: influence de la densification

  • Published:
Bulletin of the International Association of Engineering Geology - Bulletin de l'Association Internationale de Géologie de l'Ingénieur Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Many values of the ratio kmax/kmin are available for clays and rocks which can be cut for tests in different directions. In comparison, few reliable results are available for non-cohesive materials. The hydraulic anisotropy ratios of homogeneous clays, rocks and granular soils appear to be very similar. In particular, kmax/kmin seems to be lower than 4, which confirms that this ratio has an upper limit related to the shape of particles, their arrangement, or the directional tortuosity within the pore space. In the bedding plane of sedimentary rocks, the ratio kb.max/kb.min is usually lower than 1.5, thus these rocks are nearly isotropic in their bedding plane. In granular soils, the kh/kv, contrary to common opinion, is not always higher than 1. Experimental values for sands and gravels are in the 0.75 to 4.1 range. The influence of densification on hydraulic anisotropy is found to be similar for a sand and a clay, and probably for any soil having settled in still water and influenced subsequently only by gravity. The hydraulic anisotropy of sandstone is found to be in continuity with that of sand, and it increases with densification.

Résumé

De nombreuses valuers du rapport kmax/kmin sont disponibles pour les argiles et les roches, taillables pour des essais dans différentes directions. Comparativement, il y a peu de résultats fiables pour les matériaux sans cohésion. Les coefficients d'anisotropie hydraulique des argiles, roches et sols grenus homogènes paraissent très semblables. En particulier, kmax/kmin semble inférieur à 4, ce qui confirme que ce rapport a une limite supérieure dictée par la forme des particules, leur arrangement, ou la tortuosité directionnelle dans l'espace des vides. Dans le plan de stratification des roches sédimentaires, le rapport d'anisotropie kb.min/kb.min est généralement inférieur à 1.5, donc ces roches sont à peu près isotropes dans ce plan. Dans les sols grenus, le rapport kh/kv, contrairement à une opinion courante, ne dépasse pas toujours 1. Les valuers expérimentales pour des sables et graviers vont de 0.75 à 4.1. On trouve que la densification influence le rapport d'anisotropie de la même façon pour un sable, une argile, et probablement pour tout sol déposé en eau immobile, et densifié ensuite par la gravité seulement. L'anisotropie hydraulique du grès s'avère être en continuité avec celle du sable, et elle augmente avec la densification.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • AL-TABBAA, A. and WOOD, D.M., 1987: Some measurements of the permeability of kaolin.Géotechnique, 37 (4), pp. 499–503.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE, 1956: Recommended practice for determining permeability of porous media.API RP 27, 27 pp.

  • ARNOLD, M.D., GONZALEZ, H.J. and CRAWFORD, P.B., 1962: Estimation of reservoir anisotropy from production data.Journal of Petroleum Technology, August, pp. 909–912.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ASTM D 2434-68 (Reapproved 1974): Standard test method for permeability of granular soils (constant head).Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol. 04.08, Soil and Rock; Building Stones, 1 078 p.

  • ASTM D 4525-85: Standard test method for permeability of rocks by flowing air.Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol. 04.08, Soil and Rock; Building Stones, 1 078 p.

  • BALLIVY, G., LANDANYI, B. and GILL, D.E., 1976: Effect of water saturation history on the strength of low-porosity rocks. In Soil Specimen Preparation for Laboratory Testing, ASTM STP 599, American Society for Testing and Materials, pp. 4–20.

  • BASAK, P. and ANANDAKRISHNAN, M., 1970: Depth dependent hydraulic conductivity.Soil Science, 109 (6), pp. 351–355.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • BASAK, P., 1972: Soil structure and its effects on hydraulic conductivity.Soil Science, 114 (6), 417–422.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • BAZETT, D.J. and BRODIE, A.F., 1961: A study of matabitchuan varved clay.Ontario Hydro Research News, 13 (4), pp. 1–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • BERNAIX, J., 1967: Etude géotechnique de la roche de Malpasset. Dunod, Paris, 215 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • BOWLES, J.E., 1970: engineering properties of soils and their measurement. Chap. 11, McGraw Hill, New York, 187 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • CASAGRANDE, L. and POULOS, S.J., 1969: On the effectiveness of sand drains.Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 6 (3), 287–326.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • CEDERGREN, H.R., 1974: Drainage of highway and airfield pavements. John Wiley & Sons, New York, 285 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • CHAN, H.T. and KENNEY, T.C., 1973: Laboratory investigation of permeability ratio of New Liskeard varved clay.Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 10 (3), pp. 453–472.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chapuis, R.P., Baass, K. and Davenne, L., 1989a: Granular soils in rigid-wall permeameters: method for determining the degree of saturation.Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 26 (1), in print.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • CHAPUIS, R.P., GILL, D.E. and BAASS, K., 1989b: Influence of the compaction method on the hydraulic anisotropy of a sand. Submitted for publication to theCanadian Geotechnical Journal.

  • DE BOODT, M.F. and KIRKHAM, Don., 1953: Anisotropy and measurement of air permeability of soil clods.Soil Science, 76, pp. 127–133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DESBARATS, A.J., 1987: Numerical simulation of effective permeability in sand-shale formations.Water Resources Research, 23 (2), pp. 273–286.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DUPUY, M. and LEFEBVRE Du PREY, E., 1968: L'anisotropie d'écoulement en milieu poreux présentant des intercalations horizontales discontinues.Comptes rendus du 3 Colloque de l'Association de recherche sur les techniques de forage et de production (ARTFP), Pau, Editions Technip.

  • EVANS, H.E., 1962: A note on the average coefficient of permeability for a stratified soil mass.Géotechnique, 12, pp. 145–146.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • FANCHER, G.H., LEWIS, J.A. and BARNES, K.B., 1933: Physical tests and properties of oil and gas sands.Proceedings of the Ist International Congress of Petroleum, London, Vol. 1, pp. 322–333.

    Google Scholar 

  • FERRANDON, J., 1948: Les lois d'écoulement de filtration.Le Génie Civil, 125 (2), pp. 24–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • FETTKE, C.R., 1938: The Bradford oil field, Pennsylvania and New York.Pennsylvania Geological Surveys, 4th Series, Bulletin M-21.

  • FONTUGNE, D., 1969: Permeability measurement in anisotropic media. M.S. Thesis, Department of Chemical Engineering and Metallurgy, Syracuse University.

  • GARGA, V.K., 1988: Effect of sample size on consolidation of a fissured clay.Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 25 (1), pp. 76–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • GRAY, D.H., FATT I. and BERGAMINI, G., 1963: The effect of stress on permeability of sandstone cores.Society of Petroleum engineers Journal, 3 (2), pp. 95–100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • GREENKORN, R.A., JOHNSON, C.R. and SHALLENBERGER, L.K., 1964: Directional permeability of heterogeneous anisotropic porous media.Society of Petroleum Engineers Jounal, 4 (2), pp. 124–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • GRIFFITHS, J.C., 1950: Directional permeability and dimensional orientation in Bradford sand.Producers Monthy., 14 (8), pp. 26–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • HALEY and ALDRICH, 1969: Report No. 1—Engineering properties of foundation soils at Long Creek—Fore river areas and Back Cove. Report to Maine State Highway Commission.

  • HANTUSH, M.S., 1996a: Analysis of data from pumping tests in anisotropic aquifers.Journal of Geophysical Research, 71, pp. 421–426.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • HANTUSH, M.S., 1966b: Wells in homogeneous anisotropic aquifers.Water Resources Research, 2, pp. 273–279.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • HANTUSH, M.S. and THOMAS, R.G., 1966: A method for analyzing a drawdown test in anisotropic aquifers.Water Resources Research, 2, pp. 281–285.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • HSIEH, P.A. and NEUMAN, S.P., 1985: Field determination of the three-dimensional hydraulic conductivity tensor of anisotropic media—Part 1 Theory.Water Resources Research, 21 (11), pp. 1655–1665.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • HUGHES, R.V., 1951: Directional permeability trends.Proceedings of the 3rd International Congress of Petroleum.

  • HVORSLEV, J., 1951: Time lag and soil permeability in ground-water observations. Bulletin No. 36, U.S. Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, Miss., 50 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • IRMAY, S., 1951: Darcy law for non-isotropic soils. Comptes rendus de l'Assemblée Générale de Bruxelles.Association International d'Hydrologie Scientifique (UGGI) 2, p. 178.

    Google Scholar 

  • JAKOBSON, B., 1955: Isotropy of clays.Géotechniques, 5 (1), pp. 23–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • JOHNSON, W.E. and HUGHES, R.V., 1948: Directional permeability measurements and their significance.Producers Monthly, 13 (1), pp. 17–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • JOHNSON, W.E. and BRESTON J.N., 1951: Directional permeability measurements on oil sandstones from various states.Producers Monthly, 15 (4), pp. 10–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • KENNEY, T.C., 1963: Permeability ratio of repeatedly layered soils.Géotechnique, 13 (4), pp. 325–333.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • KENNEY, T.C. and CHAN, H.T., 1973: Field investigation of permeability ratio of New Liskeard varved clay.Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 10 (3), pp. 473–488.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • LARSSON, R., 1981: Drained behavior of Swedish clays.Swedish Geotechnical Institute, Report No. 12, 157 p.

  • LATINI, R.G., 1967: Measurement of directional permeabilities. M.S. Thesis, Department of Chemical Engineering and Metallurgy, Syracuse University.

  • LIAKOPOULOS, A.C., 1965a: Darcy's coefficient of permeability as symetric tensor of second rank.Bulletin of the International Association of Scientific Hydrology, 10 (3), pp. 41–48.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • LIAKOPOULOS, A.C., 1965b: Variation of the permeability tensor ellipsoid in homogeneous anisotropic soils.Water Resources Research, 1, pp. 135–141.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • LUMB, P. and HOLT, J.K., 1968: The undrained shear strength of a soft marine clay from Hong Kong.Géotechnique, 18 (1), pp. 25–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MASLAND, M., 1957: Soil anisotropy and land drainage. In Drainage of agricultural lands, J.N. Luthin Editor, American Society of Agronomy, Madison, Wisconsin, pp. 216–285.

    Google Scholar 

  • MASLAND, M. and KIRKHAM, D., 1955: Theory and measurement of anisotropic air permeability in soil.Proceedings of the Soil Science Society of America, 19 (4), pp. 395–400.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacGARY, L.M. and LAMBERT, T.W., 1962: Reconnaissance of ground-water resources of the Jackson Purchase region, Kentucky.U.S. Geological Survey Hydrologic Atlas 13.

  • MANSUR, C.I. and DIETRICH, R.S., 1965: Pumping tests to determine permeability ratio.ASCE Journal of the Soil Mechanics and Foundation Division, 91 (SM4), pp. 151–183.

    Google Scholar 

  • MARCUS, H., 1962: The permeability of a sample of an anisotropic porous medium.Journal of Geophysical Research, 67 (13), pp. 5215–5225.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MARCUS, H. and EVENSON, D.E., 1961: Directional permeability in anisotropic porous media.,Water Resources Center Contribution No. 31, University of California, Berkeley, 105 pages.

    Google Scholar 

  • MATHERON, G., 1966: Structure et composition des perméabilités.Revue de l'Institut Français des Pétroles, 21 (4), pp. 564–580.

    Google Scholar 

  • MATHERON, G., 1967: Composition des perméabilités en milieu poreux hétérogène: méthode de Schwydler et règles de pondération.Revue de l'Institut Français des Pétroles, 22 (3), pp. 443–466.

    Google Scholar 

  • MATHERON, G., 1968: Composition des perméabilités en milieu poreux hétérogène: critique de la règle de pondération géométrique.Revue de l'Institut Français des Pétroles, 23 (2), pp. 201–218.

    Google Scholar 

  • MITCHELL, J.K., 1956: The fabric of natural clays and its relation to engineering properties.Proceedings Highway Research Board, 35, pp. 693–713.

    Google Scholar 

  • MOORE, P.J., 1979: Determination of permeability anisotropy in a two-way permeameter.Geotechnical Testing Journal, 2 (3), pp. 167–169.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MORGENSTERN, N.R. and TCHALENKO, J.S., 1967: The optical determination of preferred orientation in clays and its application to the study of microstructure in consolidated kaolin.Proceedings of the Royal Society, London, A300, (I) pp. 218–234, (II) pp. 235–250.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MORRIS, D.A. and JOHNSON, A.I., 1967: Summary of hydrologic and physical properties of rock and soil materials, as analyzed by the Hydrologic Laboratory of the U.S. Geological Survey 1948–60.Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 1839-D, 42 p.

  • MUALEM, Y., 1984: anisotropy of unsaturated soils.Soil Science Society of America Journal, 48 (3), pp. 505–509.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MUSKAT, M., 1937: The flow of homogeneous fluids through porous media. McGraw-Hill, New York, 763 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • NIELSEN, D.R., VAN GENUCHTEN, M.Th. and BIGGAR, J.W., 1986: Water flow and solute transport processes in the unsaturated zone.Water Resources Research, 22 (9), pp. 89S-108S.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • OLSEN, H.W., 1962: Hydraulic flow through saturated clays.Proceedings of the 9th National Conference on Clay and Clay Minerals. pp. 131–161.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • OLSON and DANIEL, 1981: Measurement of the hydraulic conductivity of fine-grained soils. In Permeability and Groundwater Contaminant Transport, STP 746, pp. 18–64.

  • PARÉ, J.J., ARES, R., CABOT, L. and GARZON, M., 1982: Large scale permeability and filter tests at LG3.Proceedings of the XIVth Congress on Large Dams Rio de Janeiro Q. 55, R.7, pp. 103–122.

    Google Scholar 

  • PARSONS, R.W., 1964: Directional permeability of heterogeneous anisotropic porous media: Discussion.Society of Petroleum Engineers Journal, 4 (4), pp. 363–364.

    Google Scholar 

  • PIERSOL, R.J., WORKMAN, L.E. and WATSON, M.C., 1940: Porosity, total liquid satructuration, and permeability of Illinois oil sands.Illinois Geological Surveys Report of Investigations No. 67.

  • REEVE, R.C. and KIRKHAM, D., 1951: Soil anisotropy and some field methods for measuring permeability.Transactions, American Geophysical Union, 32 (4), pp. 582–590.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • RICE, P.A., FONTUGNE, D.J. LATINI, R.G. and BARDHUN, A.J., 1970: Anisotropic permeability in porous media.Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 62 (6), pp. 23–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • RIMA, D.R., MEISLER, H. and LONGWILL, S., 1962: Geology and hydrology of the Stockton Formation in southeastern Pennsylvania,Pennsylvania Topographic and Geological Survey Ground-Water Report W-14.

  • RÜHL, W. and SCHMID, C., 1957: Uber das verhaltnis der vertikalen zur horizontalen absoluten Permeabilitat von Sandsteinen.Geologisches Jahrbuch, 74, pp. 447–461.

    Google Scholar 

  • SCHEIDEGGER, A.E., 1957: The physics of flow through porous media. University of Toronto Press, Toronto, 236 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • SCHEIDEGGER, A.E., 1974: The physics of flow through porous media, 3rd edition. University of Toronto Press, Toronto, 353 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • SCHNEEBELI, G., 1966: Hydraulique souterraine. Eyrolles, 362 p.

  • SHIELDS, D.H. and ROWE, P.W., 1965: Radial drainage oedometer for laminated clays.ASCE Journal of the Soil Mechanics and Foundation Division, 91 (SMI), pp. 15–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • SNOW, D.T., 1968: Rock fracture spacings, openings, and porosities.ASCE Journal of the Soil Mechanics and Foundations Division 94 (SMI), pp. 73–91.

    Google Scholar 

  • STEWART, J.W., 1964: Infiltration and permeability of weathered crystalline rocks, Georgia Nuclear Laboratory, Dawson County, Georgia, U.S.Geological Survey Bulletin 1133-D.

  • STONE, R. and SNOEBERGER, D.F., 1977: Cleat orientation and areal hydraulic anisotropy of Wyoming coal aquifer.Ground Water, 15 (6), pp. 434–438.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • STONER, J.D., 1981: Horizontal anisotropy determining by pumping in two Powder River basin coal aquifers, Montana.Ground Water 19 (1), pp. 39–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • STUART, W.T., BROWN, E.A. and RHODEHAMEL, E.C., 1954: Groundwater investigations of the Marquette Iron-Mining District.Michigan Geological Survey Technical Report No. 3.

  • SUBBARAJU, B.H., NATARAJAN, T.K. and BHANDARI, R.K., 1973: Field performance of drain wells designed expressly for strength gain in soft marine clays.Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Enginering, Moscow, Vol. 2.2, pp. 217–220.

    Google Scholar 

  • SULLIVAN, R.R., 1941: Further study of the flow of air through porous media.Journal of Applied Physics, 12, pp. 503–508.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • TAVENAS, F., JEAN, P., LEBLOND, P. and LEROUEIL, S., 1983: The permeability of natural soft clays. Part 11: Permeability characteristics.Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 20, pp. 645–660.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • TERZAGHI, K., 1943: Theoretical soil mechanics, John Wiley, New York, 510 p.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • TSIEN, S.I., 1955: Stabilization of marsh deposit.Highway Research Board Bulletin, 115, pp. 31–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • VREEDENBURGH C.G.F., 1936: On the steady flow of water percolating through soil with homogeneous anisotropic permeability.Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Cambridge, Mass. Vol. 1, pp. 222–225.

    Google Scholar 

  • WEEKS, E.P., 1969: Determining the ratio of horizontal to vertical permeability by aquifer-test analysis.Water Resources Research. 5 (1), pp. 196–214.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • WILKINSON, W.B. and SHIPLEY, E.L., 1969: Vertical and horizontal laboratory permeability measurements in clay soils.Proceedings of the 1st International Symposium on the Fundamentals of Transport Phenomena in Porous Media, Technion City, Haifa, Israel pp. 285–298.

  • WIT, K.E., 1966: Apparatus for measuring hydraulic conductivity of undisturbed soil samples.ASTM STP 417, pp. 72–83.

    Google Scholar 

  • WITT, K.J. and BRAUNS, J., 1981: Durchlassigkeitsanisotropie von Haufwerken infolge Kornplattigkeit und Kornorienterung.Series of the Institute of Soil and Rock Mechanics, University of Karlsruhe, Federal Republic of Germany, No 87, pp. 81–113.

    Google Scholar 

  • WITT, K.J. and BRAUNS, J., 1983: Permeability anisotropy due to particle shape.Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 109 (9), pp. 1181–1187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • WU, T.H., CHANG, N.Y. and ALI, E.M., 1978: Consolidation and strength properties of a clay.Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 104 (GT7), pp. 889–905.

    Google Scholar 

  • WYLLIE, M.R.J. and ROSE, W.D., 1950: Application of the Kozeny equation to consolidated porous media.Nature, 165, p. 972.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • YANG, S.T., 1948: On the permeability of homogeneous anisotropic soils.Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Enginering, Rotterdam, Vol. 2. pp. 317–320.

    Google Scholar 

  • YOKOTA, J., 1963: Experimental studies on the design of grouting curtain and drainage for the Kurobe No. 4 Dam.Rock Mechanics Engineering Geology, 1, pp. 104–110.

    Google Scholar 

  • YOUNG, A., LOW, P.F. and McLATCHIE, A.S., 1964: Permeability studies of argillaceous rocks.Journal of Geophysical Research, 69, pp. 4237–4245.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ZIMMIE, T.F., DOYNOW, J.S. and WARDELL, J.T., 1981: Permeability testing of soils for hazardous waste disposal sites.Proceedings of the Xth International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Stockholm, Vol. 2, pp. 403–406.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Départment de Génie minéral, Ecole Polytechnique de Montréal, P. O. Box 6079 Sta. “A”, H3C 3A7, Montréal, Québec, Canada

    Robert P. Chapuis & Denis E. Gill

Authors
  1. Robert P. Chapuis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Denis E. Gill
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chapuis, R.P., Gill, D.E. Hydraulic anisotropy of homogeneous soils and rocks: influence of the densification process. Bulletin of the International Association of Engineering Geology 39, 75–86 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02592538

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02592538

Key words

Search

Navigation