Applicability of Fractal Models in Estimating Soil Water Retention Characteristics from Particle-Size Distribution Data

Soil water retention characteristics are the key information required in hydrological modeling. Frac-tal models provide a practical alternative for indirectly estimating soil water retention characteristics fromparticle-size distribution data. Predictive capabilities of three fractal models, i.e, Tyler-Wheatcraft model,Rieu-Sposito model, and Brooks-Corey model, were fully evaluated in this work using experimental datafrom an international database and literature. Particle-size distribution data were firstly interpolated into20 classes using a van Genuchten-type equation. Fractal dimensions of the tortuous pore wall and the poresurface were then calculated from the detailed particle-size distribution and incorporated as a parameter infractal water retention models. Comparisons between measured and model-estimated water retention cha-racteristics indicated that these three models were applicable to relatively different soil textures and pressurehead ranges. Tyler-Wheatcraft and Brooks-Corey models led to reasonable agreements for both coarse- andmedium-textured soils, while the latter showed applicability to a broader texture range. In contrast, Rieu-Sposito model was more suitable for fine-textured soils. Fractal models produced a better estimation of watercontents at low pressure heads than at high pressure heads.

Suitability of Soil Water Retention Characteristic Models (SWRC) in Regions and Soil Depth

Soil Water Retention Characteristics (SWRC) models have been widely used in many applications. Presently, there are many models in the literature and many more still being developed so much so that it is confusing which model to prefer. The current choice of the appropriate model to use has not been well guided by any incisive research on the predictive performance of these models. Consequently, SWRC model applications have been largely moved by convenience. This study used a global dataset to evaluate 12 commonly used SWRC models. The measured data onto which the models were evaluated was grouped into different soil depths and different regions of the world. The evaluation used correlation, Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency, and residual standard error statistics to choose the best overall performing model and models for each category. It gives an indication of the type of SWRC models to use in different regions of the world and depths of sampling. The suitability of the models to regions showed that the Fredlund and Xing model had the best performance in subsoils in Africa;Omuto in Southern Asia;and van Genuchten in subsoils of the other regions. It is recommended that many more models be tested using the procedures in this study so that benchmarks can be established on SWRC model selection suitable for various regions.

Determination of strain-dependent soil water retention characteristics from gradation curve

The importance of soil water retention characteristics in modelling the hydro-mechanical response of unsaturated soils has been well recognised by many investigators in recent years.Determination of strain-dependent soil water retention curve(SWRC)is likely to be extraordinarily difficult.The first two authors have recently shown that SWRC can be computed from the gradation curve and the calculation result is consistent with the experimental results obtained from pressure plate tests.In this paper,based on a hypothesis related to change in the pore size distribution(POSD)due to volumetric strain of soil skeleton,a method to compute strain-dependent SWRC is presented.It is found that at initial degrees of saturation higher than 0.8,the influence of volumetric strain may be marginal whilst at initial degrees of saturation lower than 0.8,its influence is likely to be substantial.In all cases,the gradation curve of the soil affects the SWRC.

Soil-water characteristics of Gaomiaozi bentonite by vapour equilibrium technique

Soil-water characteristics of Gaomiaozi(GMZ)Ca-bentonite at high suctions(3–287MPa)are measured by vapour equilibrium technique.The soil-water retention curve(SWRC)of samples with the same initial compaction states is obtained in drying and wetting process.At high suctions,the hysteresis behaviour is not obvious in relationship between water content and suction,while the opposite holds between degree of saturation and suction.The suction variation can change its water retention behaviour and void ratio.Moreover,changes of void ratio can bring about changes in degree of saturation.Therefore,the total change in degree of saturation includes changes caused by suction and that by void ratio.In the space of degree of saturation and suction,the SWRC at constant void ratio shifts to the direction of higher suctions with decreasing void ratio.However,the relationship between water content and suction is less affected by changes of void ratio.The degree of saturation decreases approximately linearly with increasing void ratio at a constant suction.Moreover,the slope of the line decreases with increasing suction and they show an approximately linear relationship in semi-logarithmical scale.From this linear relationship,the variation of degree of saturation caused by the change in void ratio can be obtained.Correspondingly,SWRC at a constant void ratio can be determined from SWRC at different void ratios.

Assessment of Super Absorbent Polymer (SAP) on Plant Available Water (PAW) in Dry Lands

One of the ways of overcoming the cost of irrigation is through in-situ water harvesting at the plant roots. Super absorbent polymer (SAP) can facilitate water harvesting at the plant roots. This study attempted to assess the effect of SAP on plant available water (PAW) of different soils. In this study, SAP was sequentially added at the rate of 0.2%, 0.3% and 0.5% of the soil weight and its impact assessed in clay, sandy clay and sandy loam soils. The moisture retention characteristics of the original and SAP treated soils were studied using soil water retention curves (SWRC) and results modelled using Gardner model. PAW was estimated from SWRC as the difference between moisture content at 1.5 and 3 bar in all soils. The difference in PAW between original and treated soils was assessed at 5% level of significance. The WRC of all the samples was adequately found to be described by the Gardner model (Coefficient of determination R2 ≥ 98% and residual standard error (RSE) ≤ 0.04). SWRC changed with increase in SAP percentage in clay, sandy clay and sandy loam soils. Clay had a higher change in water retention then sandy clay and lastly sandy loam. Plant available water content (PAW) in all soils increased. In clay soil it increased with increase in SAP from 0.3291 at zero SAP to 0.6223 at 0.5% SAP. Sandy clay soil increased in PAW from 0.2721 at zero SAP to 0.5335 at 0.5% SAP and Sandy loam soils from 0.1691 at zero SAP to 0.3461 at 0.5% SAP. Hence, from the study SAP can be used to conserve irrigation water in the plant roots and therefore reducing the cost since PAW has been increased.

基于PIV技术的非饱和膨胀土径向劈裂试验研究

非饱和膨胀土的径向劈裂强度与裂隙扩展之间存在密切联系,分析不同含水率下非饱和膨胀土的裂隙演化机制,对南水北调中线工程膨胀土渠段的工程灾害防治具有重要的理论意义和工程实用价值。联合运用WP4C仪、压力板和PIV(Particle image velocimetry,PIV)劈裂试验系统,对南水北调中线工程邓州段某高填方渠堤非饱和膨胀土进行了一系列的持水特性试验和劈裂试验,结合持水特征曲线,揭示了不同含水率膨胀土的劈裂强度、裂隙演化过程、位移矢量场的变化规律及其内在机理。试验表明:(1)膨胀土的含水率和饱和度均随吸力的增大而减小。在低吸力范围内膨胀土试样含水率和饱和度随吸力的增加而减小趋势缓慢;在高吸力范围内,含水率和饱和度与吸力基本呈线性关系,随吸力的增加,试样的含水率和饱和度显著减小。(2)含水率对膨胀土的劈裂强度具有显著影响。随含水率的增加,试样的劈裂峰值荷载呈先增加后减小的变化规律,劈裂峰值荷载在含水率为3%~12%范围内持续增加,而在12%~24%范围内持续减小;上述试验现象与不同含水率膨胀土试样具有不同的颗粒间液桥作用有密切的内在联系。(3)不同含水率下膨胀土劈裂试验荷载-位移曲线均可分为荷载接触阶段、荷载线性增加阶段、张拉破坏阶段和残余阶段。膨胀土劈裂试验不同阶段的裂隙、位移矢量场的变化规律与荷载-位移曲线变化之间存在着一一对应关系。

Unraveling the hydraulic properties of loess for landslide prediction:A study on variations in loess landslides in Lanzhou,Dingxi,and Tianshui,China

Loess has distinctive characteristics,leading to frequent landslide disasters and posing serious threats to the lives and properties of local re sidents.The involvement of water repre sents a critical factor in inducing loess landslides.This study focuses on three neighboring cities sequentially situated on the Loess Plateau along the direction of aeolian deposition of loess,namely Lanzhou,Dingxi,and Tianshui,which are densely populated and prone to landslide disasters.The variations in hydraulic properties,including water retention capacity and permeability,are investigated through Soil Water Characteristic Curve(SWCC)test and hydraulic conductivity test.The experimental findings revealed that Tianshui loess exhibited the highest water retention capacity,followed by Dingxi loess,while Lanzhou loess demonstrated the lowest water retention capacity.Contrastingly,the results for the saturated permeability coefficient were found to be the opposite:Tianshui loess showed the lowest permeability,whereas Lanzhou loess displayed the highest permeability.These results are supported and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy(SEM)observation.In addition,the water retention capacity is mathematically expressed using the van Genuchten model and extended to predict unsaturated hydraulic properties of loess.The experimental results exhibit a strong accordance with one another and align with the regional distribution patterns of disasters.

Shear strength of an unsaturated weakly expansive soil

To study the weakly expansive clay obtained from a slope along Wuhan—Shiyan expressway in Hubei Province,soil-water property tests and some unsaturated triaxial tests with suction control were conducted,and the soil-water retention curve（SWRC） and unsaturated shear strength of this soil were obtained.Results show that the air-entry suction and the residual degree of saturation of the tested soil are 106 kPa and 8%,respectively.The boundary effect zone and the transition zone can be identified on the desorption curve,but the residual zone is not so obvious.The unsaturated shear strength increases as suction increases within the range of controlled suction in the test,and friction angle,b,in the triaxial shear test is 17.6°.Based on the results,constitutive models for predicting the unsaturated shear strength using the SWRC were evaluated,and comparisons between prediction and measurement were made.It is concluded that for engineering purpose,the constitutive model should be carefully selected based on soil properties when predicting the unsaturated shear strength using the SWRC.

On the thermo-mechanical properties of unsaturated soils

The establishment of energy balance equation is necessary to study the thermo-mechanical properties of unsaturated soils.To solve this equation,the determination of two fundamental parameters as volumetric specific parameter and thermal conductivity coefficient is essential.In this paper,the effective thermal conductivity coefficient of dry soil grain is analyzed for soils with different compositions,and the thermo-mechanical properties of porous media with water and gas are studied by considering the soil water retention curve（SWRC）.Different methods,i.e.volumetric average method,self-consistent method,Hashin-Strikman method,are employed to calculate thermal conductivity coefficients,and a new method is proposed to determine the thermo-mechanical parameters.Comparison of the results obtained by different methods shows that the proposed method is in a good agreement with the experimental results and is suitable for describing the main properties of the thermo-mechanical behaviors of soils.The relationship between the SWRC and the seepage curve is further studied by the natural proportional rule.The characteristics of the SWRC,its differential coefficient and the seepage curve,are investigated by considering the physico-mechanical mechanism;the limit scopes of the indices of the SWRC and the seepage curve are also given.

不同有机堆肥对土壤性状及微生物生物量的影响

研究不同种类有机堆肥对土壤性状及微生物生物量的短期影响。采用盆栽试验的方式,探讨了施用50 g/kg的啤酒污泥堆肥(BSC)、牛粪堆肥(DMC)和菇渣堆肥(SMC)对土壤有机质、氮磷钾含量、容重、持水性、土壤呼吸及微生物生物量碳、氮、磷(SMBC、SMBN、SMBP)的影响。结果表明,与对照相比,施用啤酒污泥、牛粪和菇渣3种有机堆肥后,土壤中有机质、全氮、碱解氮、有效磷、速效钾含量显著增加,并且显著降低土壤容重和增大土壤孔隙度(P<0.05);经过1周土壤水分的变化,CK处理的土壤水分消耗率分别是BSC、DMC和SMC处理的1.26、1.24、1.14倍;BSC、DMC和SMC处理显著提高土壤呼吸(P<0.05),半年后分别与CK相比增加了142.17%、114.30%、105.39%;施用啤酒污泥、牛粪和菇渣3种有机堆肥后显著增加SMBC、SMBN、SMBP含量(P<0.05),6个月后,SMBC含量分别是CK的2.35、1.84、1.86倍,SMBN含量分别比CK高135.44%、99.16%、90.82%,SMBP含量分别是CK的2.76、2.19、2.04倍。啤酒污泥堆肥含有活性小颗粒对土壤性状和微生物生物量的影响最为明显,其次是牛粪堆肥,菇渣堆肥表现最差。

锡林郭勒草原不同植被类型的土壤水分特性

根据压力膜仪测得土壤水分特征曲线，分析了锡林郭勒草原4种植被类型下0-50cm土层的土壤水分特性。结果表明：在中、低吸力段（〈1.5MPa）土壤水吸力与土壤含水量之间存在显著相关关系，且各植被类型不同土层的曲线形状和变化趋势基本相同。4种植被类型下，土壤有效水含量、土壤持水能力和土壤供水能力呈现出多伦克氏针茅草原〉锡林浩特羊草草原〉东乌珠穆沁大针茅草原〉多伦农田。在多伦克氏针茅草原、锡林浩特羊草草原和多伦农田，随着土层深度的加深，土壤质地逐渐变粗，土壤有效水含量、土壤持水能力和土壤供水能力逐渐减小；在东乌珠穆沁大针茅草原，随着土层深度的加深，土壤机械组成先变粗后变细，在20-30m质地最粗，土壤有效水含量、土壤持水能力和土壤供水能力先减小后增大。

非饱和土双应力变量广义土水特征曲线理论模型构建

土水特征曲线(soil-water characteristic curve,SWCC)方程是非饱和土力学中最重要的土性表征手段之一。该文评价当前经典的SWCC方程,指出其未具有包容复杂因素的能力,具有灵活性的优点但却同时具有对试验数据量依赖性高的缺点,不能处理多孔隙尺度集群土体固-液-气共同运动及作用的水力-力学耦合效应问题。建立双应力变量广义SWCC概念图示并定义相对体积含水比,基于Fredlund双应力变量理论及van Genuchten土-水表征方程,构建考虑土体变形及多孔隙分布形态的双应力状态变量的广义SWCC方程。相较于2个参数的Brooks等的方程、3个参数的van Genuchten方程以及4个参数的Fredlund等的方程,广义SWCC方程仅3个参数,其中2个参数在双对数坐标系的"相对体积含水比-吸力"平面中进行最小二乘法线性拟合得到,仅1个参数需非线性最小二乘法拟合得到。该模型可利用不同应力状态下的至少3个土水试验数据点,绘制出1条具有适宜精度的单峰SWCC;方程考虑了多峰孔隙概率密度函数分布及土体变形因素,实现了从应力历史推广到应力状态的广义情况,为定量描述不同孔隙结构土体双应力状态下的持水特性、渗透特性和强度特性提供了一条途径。

土壤结构改良剂影响下的土壤水分有效性研究

以聚丙烯酰胺(PAM)与磷石膏(PG)为土壤结构改良剂,利用离心机法,测定土壤水分特征曲线,从分析土壤的吸水能力和持水能力的角度出发,研究土壤结构改良剂对土壤水分有效性的影响。研究结果表明,土壤的吸水能力、持水能力与释水能力均表现出与用量密切相关;在使用土壤结构改良剂的情况下,仍然可用van Genuchten方程很准确的模拟土壤吸力与含水率之间的关系,即可作为使用土壤结构改良剂后的土壤水分特征曲线的模拟表达式;在试验的用量范围内,土壤结构改良剂的使用不会影响植物对水分的吸收和利用。

有机物质类型与含量对土壤持水性能的影响

【目的】研究灌溉水中不同类型有机物质及其含量对土壤持水性能的影响。【方法】分别以不同含量的亲水性有机物质乙醇（0．0001％，0．001％，0．1％，1％，42．27％，100％）与疏水性有机物质苯酚（0．0001％，0．001％，0．003％，0．006％）水溶液为供试材料，用离心机法测定供试溶液饱和土壤的水分特征曲线，用VanGenu—chten模型（V—G）进行数学拟合，分析模型的相关参数以及土壤水分常数。【结果】pF为0～4．1时，乙醇对土壤水分特征曲线有不同程度的影响，其中乙醇含量高于0．1％时影响明显，且随乙醇含量增加土壤持水量和有效水的含量均呈递减趋势。乙醇对水分特征曲线VanGenuchten模型中土壤饱和含水量只的影响呈现凸峰特征，而对进气值倒数α影响呈现凹形特征。pF为O～1．5时，苯酚对于土壤持水性能有明显影响；随苯酚含量增加，θ1和α均呈递增趋势。乙醇对土壤水分常数与水分有效性的影响比苯酚明显。【结论】有机物质的类型和含量均不同程度地影响着土壤的持水能力，水中含有一定量的有机物质可以提高土壤的持水能力，其中亲水性有机物质乙醇的影响大于疏水性有机物质苯酚。

压实黏质砂土脱湿过程影响机制的核磁共振分析

通过对具有不同初始含水率和干密度的两种压实黏质砂土的脱湿曲线进行测试、分析和对比,并结合核磁共振技术,探讨了干密度、初始含水率和土样组分对压实黏质砂土脱湿过程的影响规律。利用核磁共振测得了试样在各级吸力下的T2时间(横向弛豫时间)分布曲线,定性地探讨了不同吸力下试样中的水分分布特征,揭示了干密度、初始含水率和土样组分对试样脱湿过程的微观机制影响。试验结果表明:干密度仅在低基质吸力条件下对试样脱湿过程产生重要影响,而在高吸力条件下初始含水率和试样组分起主导作用;核磁共振结果证实在压实黏质砂土中,小孔隙结构主要由初始含水率和试样组分控制,而大孔隙的结构主要取决于干密度;试样组分对压实土的内部结构和孔隙大小分布的影响比初始含水率大。

土壤持水特征测定中的容重变化及其确定方法

利用离心机法测定了黄土高原6种典型质地土壤的吸力、容重和重量含水量三者的关系,分析了土壤持水特征测定中的容重变化特征;借用土壤水分特征曲线幂函数模型和土壤收缩特征线性模型获得容重与吸力间幂函数关系,并利用试验资料进行检验;提出了确定土壤持水特征测定中容重变化的三点法,该方法所获得土壤水分特征曲线与实测结果极为吻合,精度较高。

固结作用下粉土的持水性能与细观机制研究

针对传统仪器无法考虑岩土工程中温度和荷载等因素综合作用的缺陷,研制了一套多功能土-水特征曲线试验仪。以粉土为研究对象,开展了不同固结应力作用下粉土的土-水特征曲线试验,并测量其增减湿过程中土体的体积胀缩量,以便修正体积变化对其体积含水率的计算误差。结果表明,粉土在减湿过程中,土体的体积发生明显的收缩。其收缩量与固结应力水平有关,固结应力越小,则减湿引起的体缩量越大。但土体在增湿过程中的体积则基本保持不变。固结应力对粉土土-水特征曲线的进气值、增减湿速率影响较大,固结压力越大,其进气值越大、减湿速率也越大。最后,为揭示固结应力对土的持水性能的影响机制,开展了不同固结应力作用下土体的细观试验。结果表明,固结应力主要改变了土体团粒间的大孔隙,而对黏土颗粒之间的孔隙影响较小。土体的持水性能与土体的孔隙大小和分布模式密切相关,大孔隙主要影响土体的进气值,而其孔隙分布模式则控制其增减湿湿速率。

采用土壤孔隙表面分形维数预测土壤水分特征曲线

采用土壤颗粒体积累积曲线按照不同的粒径分级方法计算表面分形维数,避免了原始计算过程中颗粒密度不变的假设,改进了计算中的缺陷。结合土壤水分特征曲线分形模型—de Gennes模型,预测试样的SWRC。结果发现:不同颗粒分级只会影响表面分形维数的大小;相同颗粒分级情况下,计算得出的分形维数随着土壤粘粒含量降低而减小;采用D2(最大半径为1mm)的分级情况计算出的表面分形维数,预测得出的结果与实测值相差偏大,RMSE≥2.11E-02cm3/cm3只适合粗略估计田间土壤的水分特征曲线;通过D1(最大半径为0.1mm)计算出的表面分形维数,结合de Gennes模型预测水分特征曲线结果与实测值非常接近,RMSE≤0.0105cm3/cm3。研究表明采用土壤颗粒体积累积曲线计算表面分形维数,并预测土壤水分特征曲线是合理的,具有较高的预测精度。

估计土壤水分特征曲线的间接方法研究进展

土壤水分特征曲线是模拟水分和化学物质在非饱和土壤中运移的关键参数。对于一个较大范围的实际问题,由于其在空间和时间上的强烈变异性,采用直接实验大量测定通常是不可行的。作为一种替代方法,根据土壤基本性质如粒径分布、容重、有机质含量等间接估计水分特征曲线的方法在实践中证明效果是比较理想的。按照其理论基础,这些间接方法可以分为土壤转换函数、物理—经验方法、分形方法等。本文对该领域近二十多年来的研究进展进行了综述,并对间接方法的发展前景作了展望。

秸秆全量深翻还田和施加生物炭对不同土壤持水性的影响

【目的】研究秸秆深翻还田对土壤持水性的影响机理。【方法】采用连续4 a玉米秸秆全量深翻还田定位试验和土壤有机碳梯度入渗淋溶模拟试验,秸秆全量深翻还田1~4 a处理(SF1、SF2、SF3和SF4),以不深翻秸秆全量还田处理作为对照(CK);土壤有机碳入渗淋溶模拟试验研究了2种质地土壤(砂土、壤土)的不同质量比生物炭处理条件下的土壤水力传导性,砂土中添加质量比为0、1%、3%、5%、8%、10%生物炭处理分别记作CKS、BS、CS、DS、ES、FS,壤土中添加质量比为0、1%、3%、5%、8%、10%生物炭处理分别记作CKR、BR、CR、DR、ER、FR,应用单环入渗法测定了土壤平均入渗速率和累积入渗量,应用压力膜法测定了土壤水分特征曲线。【结果】秸秆全量深翻还田后,相同的静水压力下,SF4处理持水性比CK降低21.05%,土壤平均入渗速率比CK增加82.07%,累积入渗量比CK增加225.09 cm;随深翻秸秆还田年限(随年份和深翻措施的累积增加)的增加,土壤持水性逐渐降低,土壤平均入渗速率逐渐加快,土壤的累积入渗量逐渐增多;在土壤体积质量保持不变的情况下,随生物炭量的增加,砂土的入渗速率、累积入渗量减小,持水能力升高;当生物炭添加比例从1%到8%时,壤土累积入渗量、入渗速率递增,持水能力降低,当添加生物炭量为10%时,较添加8%生物炭处理时土壤持水性略有升高,土壤持水性变化规律出现波动。秸秆全量深翻还田增加了土壤有机质量,土壤有机质的腐解增加了土壤生物炭量,同时结合室内模拟试验的结果,生物炭量的增加改善了土壤(0~40 cm)持水性和通透性。【结论】应适度采取秸秆深翻还田来改善土壤的持水性,可为春玉米的连续高产稳产提供良好的土壤水分环境。