Moisture retention of a swelling soil under capillary and overburden pressures
1997
Tariq, A.U.R. | Durnford, D.S.
The moisture content in a rigid soil varies with capillary pressure. On the other hand the moisture retention properties of a swelling soil are functions of capillary pressure and overburden pressure. An unloaded moisture retention curve for a swelling soil can be determined following the same laboratory procedures used for the rigid soils. Determination of the moisture contents due to combined effects of capillary pressure and overburden pressure, however, require a sophisticated experimental setup. The present study presents a method to obtain the moisture content constitutive surface for a swelling soil as function of capillary and overburden pressures by using more easily measured unloaded moisture retention curve and consolidation curve. The method considers that the moisture ratio contours at the constitutive surface can be represented by an ellipse equation. The proposed method was compared with laboratory results and found to be acceptable, particularly in view of the relative ease of the method.
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