Effect of Climate Change on Depth of Suction Change—A Case Study
Publication: Geo-Congress 2023
ABSTRACT
Lightweight structures founded on expansive soils can be affected by soil-atmospheric boundary interaction. For example, soils can go through significant volume change when subjected to changes in moisture content, causing ground movement. One of the approaches to incorporate the effect of atmospheric boundary interaction in geotechnical design is the Thornthwaite Moisture Index (TMI), which can be correlated with the depth of suction change (Hs), which is an important input to the estimation of ground movement. In this study, the long-term weather data and outcomes of global climate models were used to quantify expected changes in TMI, and then a series of Hs maps were developed for South Australia for different emissions scenarios. Under all scenarios, the state is likely to have a significant increase in Hs (an average increase of up to 0.7 m was observed under different future climate scenarios), and designs that are considered safe under the current climate may become insufficient and may even lead to ultimate failure.
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Geo-Congress 2023
Pages: 649 - 660
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Published online: Mar 23, 2023
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