the determination of capacity of soils, for the purpose of stability analysis of soils, for the determination of pressures on underlying strata for the calculation of settlement and the design of underground structures.
The knowledge of this property is much useful in solving problems involving yield of water bearing strata, seepage through earthen dams, stability of earthen dams, and embankments of canal bank affected by seepage, settlement etc.
During test there should be no volume change in the soil, there should be no compressible air present in the voids of soil i.e. soil should be completely saturated. The flow should be laminar and in a steady state condition.