Comparison of Measured and PTF Predictions of SWCCs for Loess Soils in China

There are significant advantages in using indirect pedo-transfer functions, (PTFs) for the estimation of unsaturated soil properties. The pedo-transfer functions can be used for the estimation of the soil–water characteristic curve (SWCC) which in turn is used for the estimation of other unsaturated soil properties. The accuracy of the indirect pedo-transfer function method for the estimation of the SWCC depends on the PTF and the equation used to best-fit the particle-size distribution (PSD) data. The objectives of this study are to: (1) evaluate the performance of the Fredlund et al. (Can Geotech J 37:817–827, 2000) equation for best-fitting the particle-size distribution, (PSD) data, and, (2) compare the predictions made by two of the commonly used PTFs; namely, Arya and Paris (Soil Sci Soc Am J 45:1023–1030, 1981) and Fredlund et al. (Can Geotech J 39:1103–1117, 2002), for estimating the SWCC from the PSD. The authors used 258 measured PSDs and SWCC datasets from the Loess Plateau, China, for this study. The dataset consisted of 187 silt–loam soils, 41 loam soils, 11 silt–clay–loam soils, 10 sand–loam soils, 6 silt–clay soils, and 3 loam–sand soils. The SWCC and PSD datasets were measured using a Pressure Plate apparatus and the pipette method, respectively. The comparison between the estimated and measured particle-size distribution curves showed that the Fredlund et al. (Can Geotech J 37:817–827, 2000) equation closely prepresented the PSD for all soils in the Loess Plateau, with a lower root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.869%. The comparison between the estimated and measured water contents at the same suction showed that the Fredlund et al. (Can Geotech J 39:1103–1117, 2002) PTF performed somewhat better than the Arya and Paris (Soil Sci Soc Am J 45:1023–1030, 1981) function. The Fredlund et al. method had RMSE value of 0.039 cm³ cm⁻³ as opposed to 0.046 cm³ cm⁻³ for the Arya and Paris (Soil Sci Soc Am J 45:1023–1030, 1981) method. The Fredlund et al. (Can Geotech J 39:1103–1117, 2002) PTF produced the closest predictions for sand–loam, loam–sand, and loam soils, with a lower RMSE for gravimetric water content ranging from 0.006 to 0.036 cm³ cm⁻³. There were consistent over-estimations observed for silt–loam, silt–clay–loam, and slit–clay soils with RMSE values for gravimetric water content ranging from 0.037 to 0.043 cm³ cm⁻³. The measured and estimated air-entry values were closest when using the Fredlund et al. (Can Geotech J 39:1103–1117, 2002) PTF. The measured and estimated maximum slopes on the SWCC were closest when using the Arya and Paris (Soil Sci Soc Am J 45:1023–1030, 1981) PTF.     

Comparison of testing techniques and models for establishing the SWCC of riverbank soils

The soil water characteristic curve (SWCC), also known as soil water retention curve (SWRC), describes the relationship between water content and soil suction in unsaturated soils. Water content and suction affect the permeability, shear strength, volume change and deformability of unsaturated soils. This paper presents results of the laboratory determination of the SWCC for soil samples obtained from the riverbank of the Lower Roanoke River in North Carolina. Six different testing methods were used to establish the SWCC including the filter paper, dewpoint potentiameter, vapor equilibrium, pressure plate, Tempe cell and osmotic methods. It is concluded that each suction measurement technique provides different measurable ranges of suction values, and the combined results from the different tests provide continuous SWCCs. Three widely available models were also shown to adequately fit the experimental SWCC data, particularly for matric suction values under 1500 kPa. These results will be valuable to practitioners in deciding which methods to use to establish the SWCC, and which empirical relationship to use for modeling the SWCC of riverbank soils.     

土-水特征曲线的试验研究及曲线拟合

土-水特征曲线是非饱和土力学研究中的一条重要曲线,其拟合参数对于分析非饱和土的各种性质具有重要意义。基于渗析法及滤纸法试验,测定了合肥市某工地非饱和膨胀土的土-水特征。以van Genuchten模型为基础,采用科学计算语言Matlab中的Lsqcurvefit函数对试验结果进行了曲线拟合,分析了土-水特征曲线拟合参数的多解性及其影响因素。拟合结果表明：渗析法试验得到的吸力范围偏低,拟合参数多解性较为明显;综合2种试验结果,可以得到较大吸力范围内的土-水特征曲线,且参数多解性较小;参与土-水特征曲线拟合的试验数据点的吸力范围应足够大,试验数据点应能够代表整条曲线的形状,试验点不必太过于密集,否则土-水特征曲线拟合参数的多解性较为明显;另一方面,只要试验数据点能代表整条曲线的形状,试验数据点的个数不必太多。这一研究结果对提高土-水特征曲线拟合参数的精度、提高试验效率有重要指导意义。     

Influence of Unsaturated Soil Properties Uncertainty on Moisture Flow Modeling

The quality of a numerical modeling solution of moisture flow through unsaturated soil, in part, depends on properly described unsaturated soil properties. The variability of the Soil Water Characteristic Curve, SWCC, is attributed to hysteresis and reproducibility of measurement. Because the unsaturated conductivity function is rarely directly measured, the variability of the unsaturated soil hydraulic conductivity function is attributed to the uncertainty associated with the estimation of this parameter with currently available fitting functions, and hence a range of reasonable variation was considered. One-dimensional modeling of expansive soil under dry initial conditions (suction of 1,500 kPa) was performed; both potential evaporation and infiltration boundary conditions were considered. It was found that small variations in the unsaturated soil hydraulic conductivity function result in significantly different modeling outputs, as expected, while substential variation in SWCC alone (assuming the same unsaturated soil hydraulic conductivity for all SWCCs) produced almost identical soil response in terms of soil suction when the slope of the SWCC is similiar. Thus, proper characterization of the slope of the SWCC is important to proper suction profile determination.     

Predicting bimodal soil–water characteristic curves and permeability functions using physically based parameters

Experimental evidence shows that a gap-graded soil or a widely-graded granular material may have a bimodal soil–water characteristic curve (SWCC) and a bimodal permeability function. A bimodal SWCC or a bimodal permeability function originates from a dual-porosity structure. To date, the prediction of bimodal SWCCs for gap-graded soils is still a difficult task. In this paper, a bimodal SWCC model is proposed to describe the drying process of granular soils considering a dual-porosity structure. The new SWCC model shows powerful capability in fitting the SWCCs for soils varying from gravel to silt. Regression analysis is conducted to establish empirical relations between the model parameters and the indexes of soil grain-size distribution (GSD). Based on these relations, the new model predicts well both the bimodal SWCCs for gap-graded soils and the unimodal SWCCs for well-graded soils and uniform soils. A bimodal permeability function is also proposed and linked to the new SWCC model. In the absence of experimental SWCCs and permeability functions, the new model can be used to obtain preliminary SWCCs and permeability functions for granular soils. It should be mentioned that the prediction of the SWCC from the GSD is still empirical and does not address the cyclic wetting/drying process. Measurement of the SWCC should be performed wherever an accurate SWCC is required.     

基于可靠度方法的全基质吸力段土-水特征模型研究

土-水特征曲线是非饱和土入渗和流-固耦合分析的基础,目前该模型的研究成果由于试验方法和设备的局限,仅能够得到局部基质吸力段(低吸力或高吸力)的土-水特征曲线;而如何根据局部试验数据集推断与试验结果相吻合的全基质吸力段范围的土-水特征曲线是一个难题。对东南沿海广泛分布的原状残积土进行了不同基质吸力段的土-水特征试验。根据残积土低吸力段和高吸力段的试验数据,运用可靠度分析方法,从土壤孔隙微元破裂失稳的角度,建立了土壤全基质吸力段的土-水特征模型。根据UNSODA2.0数据库提取砂土、粉土、黏土等3种类型土样本(52个)的试验数据,讨论了模型参数意义和不同土类的模型适用性,进行了不同土-水特征模型的比较分析。对比验证研究表明,形状参数σ和中值比例参数μ使提出的模型具有很强的适应性,并且具有依据局部试验数据(低或高基质吸力段)快速获得全基质吸力段土壤土-水特征曲线的能力。与其它模型相比,模型计算过程适应性强,模型决定系数R2>0.98。研究结果对快速获取不同类型土壤的全基质吸力段土-水特征曲线具有参考价值。     

Development and Application of a New Tensile Stress Model for Expansive Soils

Cracks initiate and propagate when tensile stress, caused by an increase in suction, becomes greater than tensile strength in expansive soils. It is important to understand the variation of tensile stress with suction for properly tackling the problems associated with cracks. In this paper, a new practical model is presented for predicting tensile stress from suction, and is verified using finite element analysis. The parametric study shows that drying time and diffusion coefficient control the distribution of tensile stress with depth and the depth to zero tensile stress, while elastic modulus, the difference between final surface suction and initial suction, and suction compression index control the magnitude of tensile stress. The new model can be used to predict the suction where the crack initiates using the soil water characteristic curve (SWCC), to estimate the depth of crack for a specific region, and to estimate the required drying time for a specific crack depth. The new model widens the general application of the SWCC approach in unsaturated soils and can be a useful tool to analyze the interaction between foundation or pavement subgrade and local climatic conditions.     

不同类型黏土的强度特性及其预测

强度特性是非饱和土力学中基础性的研究内容。目前对广吸力范围内非饱和黏土强度的预测研究相对较少。本文首先基于文献中粉质黏土、Madrid黏土和南阳弱膨胀土的非饱和强度特性进行了对比与分析。将不同类型非饱和黏土的强度特性大致分为3种类型:（1）在某一吸力范围试样出现强度峰值,并随着吸力值的进一步增大而降低;（2）达到某一吸力值后其强度几乎维持不变,不受吸力值的影响;（3）其强度随着吸力值的增大而增大。此外,基于现有考虑吸附水膜和毛细水作用的方法拟合广吸力范围内不同类型土的土水特征曲线,并将土水特征曲线分离成吸附土水特征曲线和毛细土水特征曲线。在非饱和土的抗剪强度公式中,认为吸力引起的非饱和强度增强部分主要由毛细水作用决定的,故将非饱和抗剪强度公式中吸力引起非饱和增强项的有效应力系数（即饱和度或有效饱和度）用毛细水对应的饱和度替代。最后,利用修正后的非饱和抗剪强度公式对3种较广吸力范围内非饱和土的强度进行了预测。预测结果表明过渡区段内的强度预测效果较好,但高吸力段非饱和强度的预测还有待进一步研究。     

The Flat Dilatometer Test in an Unsaturated Tropical Soil Site

The site characterization of unsaturated soils is well stablished based on laboratory tests, which are expensive and time-consuming. In-situ testing methods, such as the flat dilatometer test (DMT), are an alternative to the traditional approach of drilling, sampling, and laboratory testing. The literature on DMT interpretation is well established on saturated and well-behaved soils. Only few studies deal with DMT interpretation in unusual soils, and little is known about the influence of soil suction on this test. This paper presents and discusses the influence of soil suction on four DMT campaigns carried out in an unsaturated tropical soil site, also incorporating the soil suction influence on the DMT interpretation. Soil suction was estimated by the soil–water characteristic curve (SWCC) and water content profiles. The water content profiles range from 11.3 to 19.7% which corresponds to a suction range estimated by SWCCs mostly between 6 and 200 kPa. Soil suction significantly influenced DMT data up to 5 m depth at the studied site (the unsaturated active zone) increasing the intermediate DMT parameters. The average horizontal stress index (K_D) was equal to about 1.7 and the average dilatometer modulus (E_D) was about 4.7 MPa in the active zone and practically doubled their values due to in situ soil suction. The estimated peak friction angle (?) was 20–30% higher due to soil suction influence on DMT assuming the soil behaves as a sand like material. Soil suction must be considered to assess the behavior of the investigated soil by the DMT. The suction influence should be incorporated in the effective stress and this approach considerably improved the site characterization of the studied site.

     

Soil–Water Characteristic Curves Obtained for a Colluvial and Lateritic Soil Profile Considering the Macro and Micro Porosity

This study aims to determine and to model the relationship of matric suction versus water content, known as soil?Cwater characteristic curve (SWCC), for a tropical soil profile at the southeastern Brazil. This soil profile consists of a colluvial, lateritic silty clay, with thickness of about 6.5?m. The filter paper and pressure plate techniques were used to determine the SWCC. Specimens were trimmed from the undisturbed soil samples collected along soil profile depth and submitted to drying paths. Impregnated thin-layer plates and a petrographic microscope were used to examine the structure and mineralogical composition of the soil samples. Mercury intrusion porosimetry tests were performed on some soil samples to obtain the frequency histogram of the pores. SWCC with bimodal pore-size distribution were obtained by the filter paper technique and SWCC with unimodal pore-size distribution were obtained by the pressure plate technique. The SWCC showed values of air-entry ranging from 1 to 3?kPa, depending on the technique used, resembling soils with macroporosity, as the lateritic soils. Combining both techniques, the SWCC could be fitted by a model that takes into consideration soils with macro and microporosity.     

非饱和膨胀土的土-水特征曲线研究

在干旱和半干旱地区 ,土体中含水量的变化常会引发各种工程问题。研究表明 ,非饱和土的工程性质不仅取决于土的组成、结构和应力状态 ,还与土中的吸力密切相关。非饱和土的土 -水特征曲线表达了土体中含水量与吸力的关系 ,是非饱和土研究的重要内容之一。     

A comparative study of suction stress between sand and silt under unsaturated conditions

The purpose of this study is to estimate and compare suction stress between sand and silt sampled from the coast of Korea. The water content and matric suction of sand (Joomunjin) and silt (Saemangeum) were first examined using an automated soil–water characteristic curve (SWCC) apparatus based on the axis translation technique. SWCCs were then estimated from the test results using the van Genuchten (1980) model. At equal matric suction, the corresponding water content of silt was higher than that of sand. Moreover, the saturated water content and air-entry value (AEV) of silt were larger than those of sand. Using the fitting SWCC parameters, suction stress characteristic curves (SSCCs) were estimated according to the method proposed by Lu and Likos (2006). The SSCC behavior for sand and silt was different and significantly depended on the material properties, particularly pore size and pore size distribution. For sand, the suction stress exhibited rapid variation with changes in matric suction, but for silt, the suction stress approached a constant value as the matric suction increased. In addition, when the matric suction was smaller than the AEV of soil, the suction stress was equal to the magnitude of the matric suction. In contrast, when the matric suction exceeded the AEV of soil, suction stress had a nonlinear shape with respect to the matric suction.     

辽西风积土路基土水特征曲线试验研究

基于土水特征曲线对工程性质的重要性,利用SDSWCC压力板仪和GDS饱和-非饱和应力路径三轴试验系统,详细研究了不同干密度、干湿循环次数和净平均应力对辽西风积土土水特征曲线的影响,并采用常用的3种模型,使用数学方法对所测数据进行拟合。试验结果表明,低基质吸力阶段,干密度、干湿循环和应力作用对风积土土水特征曲线影响显著:干密度更大时,土体内部孔隙率降低,饱和含水率降低,进气值升高,持水性能更好;干湿循环作用下,随着循环次数的增加,饱和含水率增高,失水速率变大,进气值降低,持水性能减弱,但3次干湿循环后趋于稳定;应力作用下土体发生收缩变形,密度变大,其产生的影响规律与干密度相似。高基质吸力阶段,三者的影响均很小。曲线拟合分析表明,Van Genuchten模型的拟合精度最高,能够更好地描述和预测辽西风积土的土水特征曲线。研究结果揭示了辽西风积土力学、工程性质与其它地域土体的一致规律,以及风积土自身独有的特性,为广泛开展的风积土路基、桥基等工程提供了判定风积土性质的参考和依据。     

Cyclic Swell–Shrink Behaviour of a Compacted Expansive Soil

Laboratory cyclic swell–shrink tests were carried out on compacted expansive soil specimens to study in detail the effect of changes in shrinkage pattern on the swell–shrink behaviour of compacted expansive soils. Compacted soil specimens were allowed to swell and either shrank fully or partially shrank to several predetermined heights in each cycle. The tests were carried out at a surcharge pressure of 50 kPa. The test results revealed that shrinkage of compacted saturated soil specimens to predetermined height in each shrinkage cycle provides similar conditions as that of the controlled suction tests with an increasing number of swell–shrink cycles. The water content of soil specimens and hence soil suction was found to remain nearly constant for each pattern of shrinkage. For soil specimens equilibrated to a given swell–shrink pattern, suction at the end of shrinkage cycles was changed from a higher suction to a lower suction, and also from a lower to a higher suction. The experimental results showed that there may be an immediate equilibrium state attained by the soil in terms of swell–shrink potential if suction at the shrinkage cycles was less than the past suction; otherwise, the equilibrium state was accompanied by fatigue of swelling. The volumetric deformation of the soil specimen subjected greater shrinkage was found to be much larger than the corresponding vertical deformation. The compressibility index of microstructure, κ_m, was determined for several shrinkage patterns. It is shown that κ_m is heavily influenced by suction at the end of shrinkage cycles.     

全吸力范围南阳膨胀土的土-水特征曲线

膨胀土的失水收缩、吸水膨胀过程分别对应着土-水特征曲线的脱湿和吸湿阶段。土-水特征曲线对于研究非饱和土的水力与力学特性有着重要作用。用压力板法（吸力范围0～1.5 MPa）、滤纸法（吸力范围0～40 MPa）和蒸汽平衡法（吸力范围3～368 MPa）,分别对南阳膨胀土进行了土-水特性试验,得到全吸力范围内的土-水特征曲线。试验结果表明：初始孔隙比大致相同土样的土-水特征曲线,在低吸力范围内脱湿曲线与吸湿曲线具有明显的滞回现象。当吸力大于300 MPa时,土-水特征曲线的滞回效应基本消失,即脱湿曲线与吸湿曲线基本重合。滤纸法所测出的土-水特性落在主脱湿和主吸湿曲线的滞回圈内。当吸力等于367.54 MPa时,含水率仅为0.325%,几乎近于0。孔隙比随着吸力的变化规律中,不仅受到吸力大小的影响,还受到吸力历史和吸力路径影响;孔隙比与吸力关系中,相同吸力时吸湿路径的孔隙比要比脱湿路径的大;在吸力低范围,吸湿路径与脱湿路径的孔隙比相近。孔隙比与饱和度关系因吸力路径的不同也存在着明显的滞回效应,接近饱和时趋近一致。变吸力情况条件下,饱和度随着孔隙比的增加而增加,蒸汽平衡法得出的孔隙比与饱和度的关系具有明显的线性关系,而压力板法做出来的低吸力范围内的线性关系不明显。     

Moisture Movement Through Cracked Clay Soil Profiles

A continuum mechanics approach is used for the formulation of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity functions and the water storage functions for fractured or cracked clay soils in this parametric study. Suggested procedures are based on available research literature related to the behavior of cracked unsaturated porous media. The soil–water characteristic curve, hydraulic conductivity and water storage functions take on the character of bi-modal unsaturated soil property functions. The bimodal character arises out of the independent behavior of the cracks and the intact clay soil. Matric suction changes beneath a slab-on-grade foundation placed on a cracked clay soil profile are modeled for varied surface flux conditions using the proposed unsaturated hydraulic conductivity and water storage functions. The impact of various levels of surface cracking on soil suction distributions is discussed. Suction distribution patterns are dependent on the initial soil surface suction. In particular, the results are dependent upon whether the initial matric suction is less than or greater than the air entry of the cracked clay. There is an extremely wide range of possible conditions that could be modeled but the parametric study results presented in this paper are limited to a series of selected crack widths and densities for an exfiltration case and an infiltration case.     

击实黄土孔隙结构对土水特征的影响分析

土水特征曲线是非饱和土的基本土物理-力学关系,即将含水率这一物理参数转化为土粒间力的作用,土水特征曲线受土的结构控制。为了探讨击实黄土孔隙结构对土水特征曲线的影响,本文在3种不同的初始含水率（小于最优含水率8%、最优含水率17%和大于最优含水率19%）下制备不同结构的击实黄土试样,分别用压汞试验测其孔隙分布曲线,用滤纸法测其土水特征曲线,并用扫面电镜获得其微观结构图像。对以上测试结果的分析表明,3种击实土样的孔隙分布曲线在相应的大孔径范围内相差较大,在小孔径范围内趋于一致;土水特征曲线在低吸力区差异较大,小于最优含水率的击实黄土土水特征曲线最陡;在高吸力区,3种击实土样的土水特征曲线趋于一致,这与孔隙分布特征一致。对比孔隙密度分布曲线与土水特征区曲线发现,土的土水特征受孔隙分布的控制,孔隙密度越大,土水特征曲线的斜率越陡。SEM图像也显示出3种击实土样的结构特点,小于最优含水率的土样有较多架空孔隙,优势孔径最大;高于最优含水率的土样,大孔隙减少,小孔隙增多,优势孔径最小。而最优含水率的击实黄土的孔隙分布较均匀,优势孔径覆盖范围大。     

考虑温度效应的延安新区压实黄土全吸力范围持水和渗透特性研究

干旱和半干旱黄土地区的压实土路基、垃圾填埋场黄土盖层等的持水特性和渗透特性均受温度影响。为了探究温度对全吸力范围内压实黄土水力特性的影响规律和内在机制,基于滤纸法和自行研发的小土柱试验装置对不同温度下延安新区压实黄土的土-水特征曲线(SWCC)以及渗透性曲线(HCC)进行测定。结果表明:在黄土SWCC的高吸力段体积含水率随温度升高而减小,低吸力段受温度影响不明显;黄土渗透曲线则是在低吸力段受温度影响显著,温度越高渗透性越强,当土体吸力增大或体积含水率减小至一定值后,温度对土体渗透性的影响可忽略不计。基于此结果,将改进的van Genuchten(VG)模型作为可考虑温度影响的SWCC预测函数,通过拟合实测数据得出温度相关参数并进行验证;对于渗透性曲线,以90 kPa基质吸力为分段点,在低吸力段和高吸力段分别采用统计模型和幂函数进行分段预测,能够得到与实测数据吻合较好的预测结果。     

基于粒径分布曲线的非饱和砂土土水特征曲线概率预测模型

土水特征曲线定义了非饱和土的基质吸力和含水量之间的关系,与非饱和土的渗流和强度等特征有密切关系.本文通过对100组砂土的粒径分布曲线和土水特征曲线进行分析,结合常用的VG模型提出了基于粒径分布曲线的非饱和砂土土水特征曲线概率预测方法,并基于另外30组数据对提出的模型进行了验证.研究表明,基于粒径分布曲线无法唯一确定土体...     

吸力对弱膨胀土强度贡献的试验研究与预测分析

对部分应用土-水特征曲线来预测非饱和土抗剪强度的公式进行了归纳分析。应用压力板仪与非饱和三轴仪,测试了荆门原状弱膨胀土的土-水特征曲线和控制吸力的非饱和三轴抗剪强度参数,并将试验结果与各抗剪强度公式的预测值进行对比,分析了各强度公式的局限性。试验结果表明,非饱和原状膨胀土的净法向应力摩擦角随着吸力的不同而变化,根据双应力变量理论确定的吸力对强度的贡献与围压有关,不同围压下吸力对强度的贡献不同,表观凝聚力 与吸力间符合乘幂函数关系。