PERMEABILITY METER:

Permeability and strength are two of the most essential properties of sand
and their values should therefore be as high as possible. Although the
permeability and strength of sand depends primarily on the size and shape of the
sand grains and the clay content, the required values could not be realized unless
the correct quantity of water were rammed to a particular degree of hardness.

If the sand hardness number does not exceed 85, it is observed that the product
of the hardness number and the permeability remains constant. Therefore the
permeability of any sand may be found by comparing the sample with a standard
sand specimen whose hardness number and permeability number are known.

For absolute determination, permeability is tested with an apparatus

known as the permeability meter. This has an arrangement for allowing a
controlled amount of air to pass through a sand sample. The time taken for all the
air to pass through the sample is measured.
 Permeability is expressed in terms of the permeability number, which is
defined as the volume of air in cc that will pass per minute through a sand sample
of 1 sq. cm in cross section and I cm high, at pressure of 1 g/cm2. Thus,
𝑣𝑣ℎ
Permeability number = 𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝

Where;

v = Volume of air in cc

h = height of the sample in cm

p = pressure of air in g/ cm2

a = cross sectional area of the sample in cm2

t = Time in minutes