Permeability Testing

If you’re thinking, “Okay, but how do you check if the soil lets water through?” let us show you step by step. Here’s the scenario during a permeability field test at Falcon Lab. We like to keep things clear and easy to understand. Find out what the water will do where you are.

1. Choosing the Right Spot

Before we start, our engineers look at your site plans and soil conditions to decide where to test. We usually pick spots near foundations, boreholes, or areas where water flow really matters.

Think of it as checking the most “at-risk” zones first.

2. Preparing the Ground

Once we’ve found a good place, we dig a hole, or borehole, in the ground. It is like providing the earth a “window” so we can see how the water moves. It could be relatively shallow (for roads or modest buildings) or very deep (for passageways, dams, or tall skyscrapers). It depends upon the job.

3. Setting Up the Equipment

Different tests need different setups:

• For a small auger hole, we need some simple measuring tools and water.
• For a pumping test, we set up pumps and water-level sensors.
• For a packer test in rock, we use inflatable packers that seal off a section of the borehole.

Don’t worry — we bring all the gear.

4. Adding (or Removing) Water

Now comes the fun part: we watch how the soil deals with water.

• In sandy soils, water rushes through quickly, so we keep a constant water level and measure how much flows out. In clayey soils, water seeps slowly, so we use a falling head method — letting the water level drop naturally and recording how long it takes. In aquifer or large projects, we might pump water out of a well and watch how the groundwater reacts nearby. It’s a bit like running a science experiment right there on the construction site.

5. Watching Closely

It takes time for this part. Sometimes we measure for minutes, occasionally for hours, and on big jobs even for days. Changes in the water level, no matter how small, can tell humans a lot about the way the dirt will behave in real life.

6. Crunching the Numbers

Once the readings are done, our engineers run the calculations (yes, there’s a bit of math behind it). The result is what we call the hydraulic conductivity — basically the official “speed limit” for how fast water can move through that soil.

7. Turning Data into Action

Finally, we put everything into a report that’s clear and practical. Instead of overwhelming you with just raw data, we explain what it means for your project.

For example:

• Does the foundation need special waterproofing?
• Will you need dewatering systems before excavation?
• Is the soil good enough for drainage as it is?

It is where our clients really appreciate Falcon Lab — we don’t just hand over numbers, we give solutions.