Evaluation of Hydraulic Conductivity Functions of Saturated Soft Soils

Acknowledgments

Notation

A

cross-sectional area for flow, evaporative cross-sectional area;

A, B

fitting parameters in Mesri and Olson (1971) model;

A(w)

evaporative cross-sectional area of the sample as a function of its gravimetric moisture content;

A_o

initial evaporative cross-sectional area of the sample;

A_os

initial cross-sectional area of the representative sample (shrinkage test);

A_ts

cross-sectional area of the representative sample at a given time (shrinkage test);

C, n

fitting parameters Samarasinghe et al. (1982) model;

d₁₀

particle diameter corresponding to 10% finer;

d₅₀

particle diameter corresponding to 50% finer;

d₉₀

particle diameter corresponding to 90% finer;

e

void ratio;

f, A_ts/A_os versus w_ts/w_os

nondimensional correlation between the gravimetric moisture content and the cross-sectional area of the representative sample (shrinkage test);

g, H_ts/H_os versus w_ts/w_os

nondimensional correlation between gravimetric moisture content and vertical stain of the representative sample (shrinkage test);

H_os

initial height of the representative sample (shrinkage test);

i

hydraulic gradient;

K(w)

hydraulic conductivity as a function of gravimetric moisture content

K(θ)

hydraulic conductivity as a function of volumetric moisture content;

K(ψ)

hydraulic conductivity as a function of soil water potential;

K(ε)

component of hydraulic conductivity resulting from consideration of the relative phasal movement;

K(w, ε)

hydraulic conductivity considering dependence on gravimetric moisture content and relative phasal movement;

Q

volumetric flow per unit time;

q

volumetric flux per unit time (Q/A);

w_os

initial gravimetric moisture content of the representative sample (shrinkage test);

w_ts

gravimetric moisture content of the representative sample at a given time (shrinkage test);

Z

initial height of the evaporative flux measurement plane;

z

elevation head;

ΔH_ts

change in height of the representative sample at a given time (shrinkage test);

ΔV/Δt

volume of the water evaporated from the sample per unit time;

$ϵ(w{|}_{t_i})$

vertical strain in the sample as a function of gravimetric moisture content (as a function of time) at time t_i;

θ

volumetric moisture content;

ψ

pressure head;

${\psi }_{\mathrm{bottom},t_i}$

suction measured by the tensiometer at bottom and at time t_i; and

${\psi }_{\mathrm{top},t_i}$

suction measured by the tensiometer at top and at time t_i.

References