Hydraulic conductivity of porous media consisting of natural fibres for drainage applications

Abstract

In the present study, the hydraulic conductivities of coir, jute, and kenaf fibre assemblies are thoroughly investigated, along with polypropylene fibres. The fibres are first parallelized through repeated combing and then converted into a sliver using suitable carding machines. The parallelized fibres are inserted into a sample holder (PVC tube). The hydraulic conductivity of the fibrous bundles is evaluated by following ASTM D4716, at porosity (φ) 0.8, 0.90, and 0.95; and the hydraulic gradient (i) 0.5, 1, and 2.5. The hydraulic property of fibres in bundle form largely depends on the porosity of the fibrous structure. For similar porosity, a medium consisting of larger diameter fibres facilitates easy liquid flow.