Open-Graded Highway Bases Make Permeameter Setup Important
Publication: Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 124, Issue 2
Abstract
The permeability of a highway base layer is measured in the laboratory using a permeameter. The determination of coefficient of permeability (hydraulic conductivity) K utilizes Darcy's law, which assumes that the Reynolds number is less than some limit. Reynolds number increases as the pore sizes in the sample increase and as the mean velocity of the water flowing through the permeameter increases. Standard test procedures attempt to limit Reynolds number by limiting hydraulic gradients to a small number of values correlated to common situations. However, with open-graded bases, the standard values may produce insufficient control. In this study, 150 permeameter tests were conducted with dense-graded bases, open-graded bases, and open-graded, asphalt-treated bases. Analysis of the results led to an easy-to-apply equation that can be used before testing highway base samples to set test conditions (hydraulic gradient) that will produce laminar flow at a sufficiently low Reynolds number.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 124 • Issue 2 • March 1998
Pages: 144 - 148
Copyright
Copyright © 1998 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Mar 1, 1998
Published in print: Mar 1998
Authors
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