Oil permeameter and method of measuring hydraulic conductivity
First Claim
1. A method of measuring hydraulic conductivity of soil comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a core device having a cylindrical wall, a member sealing one end of said wall, said wall defining an opening opposite said member;
(b) inserting said wall of said core device in a direction of said opening a measured depth into the soil being tested;
(c) providing a measuring column and connecting said core device with said measuring column such that said column extends above said core device;
(d) providing a timing means for measuring intervals of time and data storage means for storing a plurality of values of said intervals of time;
(e) filling said core device and said column connected thereto with liquid from a source of liquid until a head of liquid is developed in said column that is above said core device and is capable of forcing liquid in said core device into the soil being tested;
(f) disconnecting from the source of liquid said core device and measuring column in which said head of liquid has been developed and thereby causing said head of liquid in said column to drop as said head forces liquid in said core into the soil being tested;
(g) measuring with said timing means the intervals of time between successive substantially equal changes in head in the falling head of liquid as liquid penetrates the soil being tested and storing said intervals of time in said data storage means; and
(h) determining the hydraulic conductivity of the soil being tested as a function of said intervals of time in said data storage means, and said measured depth independently of absolute values of said head of liquid.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A soil permeameter and method of measuring soil conductivity utilizes a core device that is open at one end that is inserted a measure depth into the soil to be tested. A vertically elongated measuring column is connected to the core device and both are supplied with water sufficiently to develop a pressure head in the column. A timer and a data storage device responsive to the timer are provided to measure and store the time intervals for the level of liquid in the column to fall equal increments. The value of soil conductivity is calculated as a function of the depth of core insertion and the stored time intervals. Both horizontal and vertical components of soil conductivity can be determined separately.
17 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of measuring hydraulic conductivity of soil comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a core device having a cylindrical wall, a member sealing one end of said wall, said wall defining an opening opposite said member; (b) inserting said wall of said core device in a direction of said opening a measured depth into the soil being tested; (c) providing a measuring column and connecting said core device with said measuring column such that said column extends above said core device; (d) providing a timing means for measuring intervals of time and data storage means for storing a plurality of values of said intervals of time; (e) filling said core device and said column connected thereto with liquid from a source of liquid until a head of liquid is developed in said column that is above said core device and is capable of forcing liquid in said core device into the soil being tested; (f) disconnecting from the source of liquid said core device and measuring column in which said head of liquid has been developed and thereby causing said head of liquid in said column to drop as said head forces liquid in said core into the soil being tested; (g) measuring with said timing means the intervals of time between successive substantially equal changes in head in the falling head of liquid as liquid penetrates the soil being tested and storing said intervals of time in said data storage means; and (h) determining the hydraulic conductivity of the soil being tested as a function of said intervals of time in said data storage means, and said measured depth independently of absolute values of said head of liquid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for measuring hydraulic conductivity of soil comprising:
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a core device having a cylindrical wall and a member sealing one end of said wall, said wall defining an opening opposite said member adapted to be inserted into soil being tested; input means for allowing a user to specify a penetration depth that said core device is penetrated into the soil being tested; an elongated measuring column having wall means adapted to hold a liquid when said measuring column is oriented with its elongated dimension substantially vertical and extending above said core; connecting means for connecting said core device with said measuring column such that liquid in said measuring column forces liquid in said core device through said opening into soil being tested; means for selectively connecting said core device and measuring column with a source of liquid in order to fill said core device with liquid and establish a head of liquid in said measuring column and for selectively disconnecting said source of liquid from said core device and measuring column such that said head of liquid in said measuring column will drop as liquid permeates the soil being tested; measuring means for determining intervals of time between successive substantially equal changes in the head of liquid as liquid permeates the soil being tested, said measuring means includes timing means for measuring intervals of time, second input means for establishing beginnings and ends for said intervals in response to said head of liquid dropping substantially equal amounts and data storage means for storing values of said intervals of time; and calculating means responsive to said measuring means and said input means for calculating the hydraulic conductivity of the soil being tested as a function of said intervals of time in said data storage means and said penetration depth and independent of absolute values of said head of liquid. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification