AUTOMATION AND DIGITIZATION OF FALLING HEAD TESTS FOR PRECISE HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY MEASUREMENT

Accurate and precise determination of hydraulic conductivity (k) is pivotal for geotechnical and environmental engineering applications. Traditional falling head tests rely on manual data collection, introducing human error and limiting measurement repeatability. This research presents the development and validation of a low-cost, automated, and digitally integrated falling head setup for hydraulic conductivity measurement. The system employs hydraulic pressure transducer sensors for head monitoring, coupled with microcontroller-based data acquisition, thereby enhancing temporal resolution and minimizing operator bias. The automated setup was validated against manual measurement by visually recording the head drop with time, and empirical correlation with soil index parameters. The automated system demonstrated high repeatability, with statistical analysis confirming insignificant variation at p > 0.05 among multiple trials for most soil types. Comparative analysis revealed strong agreement between automated and manual measurements, as well as empirical validation with Hazen’s method. This study highlights the potential of automation and digitization to improve the precision, accuracy, and reliability of hydraulic conductivity testing, for smarter geotechnical investigations.