Soil Water Characteristic Curve of an Unsaturated Soil under Low Matric Suction Ranges and Different Stress Conditions

Accurate evaluation of unsaturated soil properties is critical for the design of geotechnical and geo-environmental structures such as road pavements, foundations, and earth dams. Water retention activity in soils which is used to predict the stability or seepage problems in the ground is one of the key features in unsaturated soil mechanics. Thus, many experimental works have reported on the unsaturated soil properties, and the soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) test has contributed significantly to the interpretation of matric suction. Since traditional instruments cannot apply stress in SWCC tests, some researchers have developed suction controlled triaxial apparatus, by which SWCC tests are performed under different stress states. Determination of SWCCs under stress conditions similar to those in the field is key for interpretation of the hydro-mechanical behavior of unsaturated soils. This study conducted SWCC tests of unsaturated silt soil in low matric suction ranges under both drying and wetting conditions. The SWCCs were measured under one-dimensional and isotropic confining stresses ranging from 50 to 450 kPa. The micro porous membrane method was used instead of high air entry ceramic disk for controlling relatively low matric suction. The range of matric suction controlled was from 0 to 20 kPa. The study revealed that the measured SWCC in low matric suction ranges seems to be affected by the influence of stress conditions. Isotropic confining stress caused the void structure of the specimen to become dense and consequently, soil moisture flow movement also decreased. The water retention activity was obviously high, and the point regard to air entry value was larger. The study further suggests that the current methods adopted for estimating unsaturated soil properties require further development to take into account the effect of different stress conditions.

Effect of suction change on water content and total volume of an expansive clay

A laboratory study was carried out on both natural and compacted specimens to investigate the complex soil-water interaction in an unsaturated expansive clay. The laboratory study includes the measurement of soil-water characteristic curves, 1D free swelling tests, measurement of swelling pressure and shrinkage tests. The test results revealed that the air-entry value of the natural specimen was quite low due to cracks and fissures present. The hydraulic hysteresis of the natural specimen was relatively insignificant as compared with the compacted specimen. Within a suction range 0 to 500 kPa, a bilinear relationship between free swelling strain (or swelling pressure) and initial soil suction was observed for both the natural and compacted specimens. As a result of over-consolidation and secondary structures such as cementation and cracks, the natural specimens exhibited significant lower swelling (or swelling pressure) than the compacted specimen. The change of matric suction exerts a more significant effect on the water phase than on the soil skeleton for this expansive clay.

Research on Expansive Soils Encountered in Middle Route Project of South-to-north Water Transfer Canal

The main canal of the Middle Route Project of South-to-North Water Transfer totals more than 1 240 km in length. In Henan Province and Hebei Province, there will be a section of more than 120 km passing through an expansive soils area. Expansive soils is a special kind of tenacious clay, which swells when meeting with water and shrinks when losing water. With complicated mechanical properties, it changes with the variation of water content. As a result, expansive soils become the key object of study on unsaturated soils mechanics for the project. From the status of study on unsaturated soils at home and abroad, this paper covers an analysis on stability analysis method of expansive soils slope, determination of expansive soils strength, rational design of canal slope ratio and support, and forecast of landslide for the Middle Route Project of South-to-North Water Transfer.

Influence of soil organic matter contents on soil water characteristics of forests on east slope of Gongga Mountain

By testing soil organic matter （SOM） contents, soil water contents （SWC） within low suctions, and saturated infiltration rates of samples taken from east slope of Gongga Mountain of China, the enhancive effects of SOM contents on SWC within low suctions and saturated infiltration rates were quantified. The simulated functions might be applied on regional experience forest-hydrology model. The improving function of protecting forest floor and increasing SOM contents on forest ecosystem hydrological effects were also embodied.

A Flexible Model for Moisture-Suction Relationship for Unsaturated Soils and Its Application

The mathematical equation for the moisture-suction relationship also known as soil water characteristic curve (SWCC) is one of the constitutive relations necessary for the computational modeling of deformation and flow problems of unsaturated soil using the finite element method. In this paper, a new empirical equa-tion for the SWCC is developed that incorporates the actual airentry suction and the maximum possible suction of the soil as input parameters. The capability of the new model is investigated by fitting the experimental data for twelve different soils that includes sands, silts, and clays. The model fits the experimental data well including in high suction range which is one of the difficulties observed in other commonly used models such as the Brooks and Corey, van Genuchten, and Fredlund and Xing models. The numerical stability and the performance of the new model at low and high degrees of saturations in finite element simulation are investigated by simulating the dynamic response of a compacted embankment and the results are compared with similar predictions made using widely used SWCC models.

基于改进溶质吸力方程的含盐土毛细水迁移规律研究

在特殊土地区,毛细水和盐的共同作用极易导致冻胀、盐胀等路基病害。含盐量较高的土壤中,溶质吸力作为重要驱动因素影响毛细水上升。在分析现有溶质吸力计算不足的基础上,提出适用于含有单价离子电解质溶液的溶质吸力系数确定方法,并验证其精度和适用性;基于毛细孔径分布模型理论,提出能体现盐分作用的毛细最大上升高度预测方法并验证其适宜性。研究结果表明,针对含NaCl和Na_(2)SO_(4)土壤的溶质吸力计算公式相较于经典公式具有更高的准确性,NaCl和Na_(2)SO_(4)的存在对基质吸力会产生影响,吸力曲线随着盐含量的增加有增大的趋势,其对溶质吸力的影响更大;该预测方法能够较好体现盐分在毛细上升高度的贡献。

长春地区非饱和粉质黏土的土-水特征试验研究

土-水特征曲线(SWCC)是反映非饱和土工程特性的重要表现形式。为研究长春地区非饱和土的土-水特征曲线变化,以长春地区广泛分布的粉质黏土作为研究对象,采用GEO-Experts压力板仪和GDS非饱和土三轴仪对不同初始含水率的土体进行土-水特征曲线的测量分析。结果表明:不同设备所测得的结果基本一致,土体的进气值均在基质吸力25 kPa左右时达到。土体的体积含水率均随基质吸力的增加而减小,土-水特征曲线均在基质吸力为125 kPa时出现明显拐点。同一含水率土样,GEO-Experts压力板仪的排水体积比GDS非饱和土三轴仪多,压力板仪所对应的体积含水率相对较低。

广州原状花岗岩残积土非饱和力学特性的试验研究

【目的】为了研究原状花岗岩残积土的表观黏聚力和有效内摩擦角随基质吸力的变化趋势,【方法】以广州市白云区某医院在挖基坑的原状花岗岩残积土为研究对象,通过室内试验研究原状花岗岩残积土的矿物成分、颗粒级配曲线、基本物理性质指标和微观结构等,借助变水头试验研究原状饱和花岗岩残积土的渗透性,结合非饱和三轴固结排水试验与原状土的微观试验,解释微观结构在宏观层面上对残积土的渗透系数、崩解及基质吸力等的影响,探讨了不同类型土体土水特征曲线差异的原因。【结果】结果显示,研究对象的花岗岩残积土为残积黏性土,主要由高岭土、石英和云母等组成,土体内部孔隙大小不均匀且相互贯通。饱和状态下原状花岗岩残积土的有效黏聚力和有效内摩擦角分别为29.17 kPa和20.99°。【结论】结果表明,非饱和状态下,随饱和度的减小,基质吸力对花岗岩残积土的表观黏聚力和有效内摩擦角均有着明显的影响;Khalili给出的非饱和抗剪强度方程式对花岗岩残积土较为合适。

膜下滴灌滴水流量对棉花根系分布的影响

为探明膜下滴灌条件下滴水流量对棉花根系分布的影响,采用田间定位试验,设置3组滴水流量,分别为1.69 L·h^(-1)(W169)、3.46 L·h^(-1)(W346)和6.33 L·h^(-1)(W633),分析膜下滴灌土壤水吸力对棉花根系空间分布特征的影响。结果表明:滴水流量越大,膜外裸地和膜内土壤的基质吸力越小,边行棉花根系吸水受到的胁迫程度也越小,W633处理膜下根区土壤水吸力分布均匀且适合棉花生长,棉花根长密度水平分布不论是初期还是后期均呈双峰抛物线分布;棉花根重密度呈现出相同的变化规律,内、边行棉花根重密度在花期、铃期、吐絮期的差值分别为42.26、-0.22、97.40 g·m^(-3)。当滴水流量越小时,膜外裸地的基质吸力大于膜内土壤的基质吸力,致使边行棉花的根系吸水受到较大胁迫,W169处理棉花根长密度水平分布由生育初期的双峰抛物线分布变为后期的单峰抛物线分布;内、边行棉花根重密度在花期、铃期、吐絮期的差值分别为299.70、304.86、369.84 g·m^(-3)。表明随着滴水流量的增加,膜下滴灌行间棉花根系生长更加均匀,研究结果可为棉花膜下滴灌系统设计提供技术参考。

全吸力范围非饱和持水函数和渗透性函数的预测模型

非饱和土的持水函数和渗透性函数是刻画其持水能力和水分运移的基本参数。由于物理机制不同,持水函数及渗透性函数在毛细阶段和吸附阶段的特征有显著差异。多数传统的持水和渗透性函数仅考虑了毛细阶段内,毛细水的持水和渗透特性,不能表征吸附阶段内吸附水的特征。为使传统函数模型在吸附阶段也适用,以传统VG持水函数和VG-M渗透性函数为基础,用修正参数C(ψ)修正VG持水函数,并以此确定非饱和土的残余值ψr,区分毛细水的毛细流动和吸附水的薄膜流动。基于薄膜流动的特点,提出参数Γ(ψ),改进了传统VG-M渗透性函数在吸附阶段内低估非饱和渗透系数这一问题,从而建立了全吸力范围的渗透性函数模型。最后用3组持水及渗透性试验结果验证修正模型的合理性,结果表明修正持水函数模型和渗透性函数模型的预测结果在吸附阶段较传统模型更符合实测结果。

考虑水盐相变的盐渍土基质吸力的温度效应

基质吸力是引起土体中水分迁移的驱动力,对探究土体中水盐迁移动态具有重要的意义。为研究由温度变化诱发的盐渍土孔隙溶液相变对土体基质吸力的影响,用pF meter测试了不同NaCl和Na_(2)SO_(4)比例的盐渍土在不同温度条件下的基质吸力。试验结果表明:在水盐相变发生前,盐渍土基质吸力随温度的降低呈线性增加;而当降温过程中有水盐相变发生时,土体基质吸力随温度的变化趋势会发生明显突变。NaCl和Na_(2)SO_(4)对土体水盐相变规律影响不同,使得含不同比例NaCl和Na_(2)SO_(4)的复合盐渍土基质吸力呈现较大的区别。2%NaCl+4%Na_(2)SO_(4)的盐渍土在19和-9℃附近发生盐结晶相变和二次相变,而4%NaCl+2%Na_(2)SO_(4)的盐渍土两次相变分别发生在11和-16℃附近。水盐相变导致土体液态含水率明显降低,进而引起复合盐渍土基质吸力在两个相变阶段均有明显增加。NaCl抑制土体中液态水发生冰水相变,Na_(2)SO_(4)容易在正温结晶,故Na_(2)SO_(4)主要影响土体正温时的盐结晶规律,NaCl则主要影响土体在负温条件下的冰晶产生规律;二者比例不同造成土体盐结晶温度和二次相变温度有明显差异,使得复合盐渍土的水盐相变规律更加复杂,其基质吸力随温度的变化更加难以预测。此外,该研究进一步探究了冰、盐结晶量对基质吸力变化的贡献,为深入理解盐渍土的相变过程和基质吸力之间的关系提供了有效参考。

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.

Stability Analysing of Unsaturated Soil Slope

The stability of unsaturated soil slope has been the hot point recently. Especially, the seeping rainfall makes losing stability of unsaturated soil slope, and causes enormous loss to the producation and safety of other people. The seeping rainfall makes volumetric water content of unsaturated soil slope changing, and the volumetric water content has directly relationship with matric suction. And matric suction also has directly relationship with the stability of unsaturated soil slope. So the change of matric suction influence the stability changing, that is, safety coefficient has decided relationship with volumetric water content. The profile of dangerous volumetric water content curves of unsaturated soil slope has been obtained. If a volumetric water content curve of some unsaturated soil slope belongs to one of these dongerous curves, the unsaturated soil slope could be in danger. So this is called DVWCCP(dangerous volumetric water content curves profile). By monitoring the volumetric water content curves can obtain the stability information of some soil slope to serve producing and safety.

非饱和黄土高吸力下的水力力学特性及微观结构分析

联合压力板仪和蒸汽平衡法在全吸力范围内对原状与重塑黄土进行持水特性试验,使用非饱和三轴仪对高吸力下的原状与重塑黄土进行剪切试验,同时采用扫描电镜仪(scanning electron microscope,SEM)和压汞仪(mercury injection apparatus,MIP)进行微观试验,探讨了非饱和黄土结构性差异对其水力力学特性的影响。试验结果表明:随着吸力的增大,原状和重塑土的饱和度、含水率均减小,孔隙比稍有减小。由于原状及重塑黄土的初始孔隙比基本一致,因此两者压汞试验总进汞量接近。由扫描电镜和压汞试验得到的原状及重塑黄土的孔隙结构形态及优势孔径范围不一样,结构性有所差异,导致土-水特征曲线在不同吸力范围内呈现不一样的规律。原状和重塑土的应力-应变关系多呈软化现象,吸力为3.29 MPa的重塑土呈硬化现象。且随着吸力的增大,原状和重塑土的黏聚力和峰值强度均明显增加,体变由剪缩趋向剪胀现象。由于原状土具备一定结构性,胶结作用较强,其黏聚力的增幅会大于重塑土,峰值强度也高于重塑土,而两者的内摩擦角基本一致。

非饱和橡胶粉土土水特征曲线及颗粒接触状态

将废旧轮胎与土混合作为建筑材料应用于土木工程领域是处理废旧轮胎最有前景的措施之一。为了研究废旧轮胎橡胶颗粒改良粉土的效果,以橡胶颗粒与粉土的混合土为研究对象,采用滤纸法测定橡胶粉土的土水特征曲线,分析含水率、橡胶含量对土水特征曲线的影响。结果表明:同一橡胶含量下,混合土的基质吸力随含水率增大非线性减少,呈现出典型的3阶段特征;在同一含水率下,基质吸力随橡胶颗粒含量呈先增大后减少的趋势,当橡胶含量为20%时,混合土的基质吸力最大;基于Van Genuchten模型建立混合土的土水特征曲线模式;基于颗粒接触理论,考虑颗粒比重不同,建立混合土的接触状态模式,构建骨架孔隙比描述混合土的非饱和特性,混合土的基质吸力随着骨架孔隙比的增加呈先增加后减小的趋势。

Matrix Suction of Unsaturated Colluvium Slope Influenced by Rainfall and Plant Condition:A Case of Taiwan Huafan University

This study investigates the variation of matrix suction, water content and ground water level before and after the rainfall for the unsaturated colluvium slope in the campus of Fuafan University. The measuring devices including electrical matrix suction, water content and ground water level were set up in different surface of planting condition for each depth in real-time. It is observed that the matrix suction in the time from July to September is higher; however, when heavy rains caused by typhoon happened, matrix suction will drop rapidly. This variation is obvious in short grass zone and less clear in the broadleaftree zone. The maximum value in short grass zone, long grass zone and broadieaf tree zone at 2 m depth are 90.3, 68.2, 18.5 kPa, respectively. These results are expected to serve as a reference for the study of slope stability mechanisms.

The Stability of Unsaturated Soil Slope Affected by Rainfall Seeping

Because rainfall seeping makes losing stability of unsaturated soil slope, and arouses great loss to production and human being safety, the stability of unsaturated soil slope has been researched by many scholars recently. This article mainly uses the model for the prediction of shear strength with respect to soil suction, developed by Vanapalli and Fredlund to formulate rainfall seeping how to affect the stability of unsaturated soil slope. Firstly, volumetric water content of unsaturated soil slope changes with rainfall duration, and effective saturation changes with its volumetric water content. Secondly, soil volume weight changes with its volumetric water content. Thirdly, matric suction also changes with its volumetric water content. According to these causes, this article researches how much they make the contribution to the minimum safety coefficient respectively. At last, these factors roundly considered, this article gets the rule of minimum safety coefficient of unsaturated soil slope with rainfall duration that is minimum safety coefficient gradually increasing firstly, then decreasing that is composed of two sectors, first is slowly decreasing, then is fast decreasing after some value.

干湿交替下木纤维重构红壤的水力特性

红壤黏性重,干湿交替容易结块和形成裂隙,通过土-水特征曲线研究重构红壤的持水保水能力具有一定的意义。为探明干湿交替下木纤维重构对红壤水力特性的影响,该研究应用4种添加量(0、0.5%、2.5%和5.0%)的木纤维重构红壤,采用滤纸法测定木纤维复合土的基质吸力,并利用Logistic模型拟合其土-水特征曲线。结果表明,随着木纤维添加量的增加,干湿交替作用对红壤基质吸力降幅和土-水特征曲线的滞后现象逐渐减缓,2.5%木纤维复合土是提高土壤持水能力最优配比;木纤维添加提高红壤进气值和残余值,干湿交替下残余值变化较大,随着干湿交替次数增加而残余值的降幅逐渐较小,2.5%木纤维复合土的斜率受干湿交替影响较小,其持水能力最优,体积含水率变化速率减小;添加木纤维后土-水特征曲线的决定系数均在0.97,说明Logistic模型适用于拟合木纤维重构的红壤土-水特征曲线。研究对于深入研究红壤区的土壤重构、边坡防护和生态恢复等具有重要的理论和工程实践意义。

刺槐根土复合体抗剪强度试验

植被边坡的稳定性与其根土复合体的抗剪强度密切相关,其主要受根系作用与水分作用的影响。通过直剪试验和SWCC试验获取了含根量和含水率与抗剪强度及其指标的关系,推导出根土复合体的强度计算模型。结果表明:刺槐根系能显著增强土体抗剪强度,黏聚力随含根量的增加先增大后趋于平缓,内摩擦角随含根量的增加有所增大,但增长幅度较小;抗剪强度随含水率的增大迅速降低,黏聚力与内摩擦角变化趋势与抗剪强度一致,内摩擦角变化幅度较小;含根量与含水率对土体抗剪强度的影响均体现在黏聚力的变化上;将根土复合体视为含根非饱和土,推导出根土复合体强度计算模型,强度模型的计算值与试验实测值较为接近,对于根土复合体的强度计算有一定的参考价值。

不同改良剂对红壤土水特征曲线及吸附强度的影响

【目的】向边坡土壤内加入改良剂会对土体水分产生较大影响,揭示此过程中土水特征曲线及吸附强度的变化规律可为采用改良剂进行边坡治理提供依据。【方法】通过测定不同配比的糯米胶、木纤维、糯米胶/木纤维混施的红壤土的基质吸力ψ和体积含水率θv,绘制土水特征曲线并分析典型特征参数变化;采用直剪试验测定不同改良剂红壤饱和状态的内摩擦角φ,结合Fredlund双应力变量抗剪强度理论,分析不同改良剂对红壤吸附强度τψ的影响。【结果】(1)糯米胶和木纤维能提高土体饱和含水率θs,混合改良剂反之;糯米胶和混合改良剂会降低土水特征曲线的残余含水率θr,木纤维只有在较低或较高掺量时才会降低残余含水率,反之增高;3种改良剂均能提高土水特征曲线的进气值ψa,混合改良剂>糯米胶>木纤维;糯米胶会降低土水特征曲线的残余值ψr,木纤维反而增加残余值,混合改良剂介于二者之间且高于素土;糯米胶的土水特征曲线斜率|k|最大,其次是混合改良剂和木纤维。(2)不同改良剂红壤随θv降低,ψ增加,吸附强度τψ增大,抗剪强度随ψ增加的速率减小。在23.73%~30.76%体积含水率区间,2.5%纤维和5.0%纤维的吸附强度相对较大,其次是素土、5.0%混合和2.5%混合,最后是2.5%胶、5.0%胶和0.5%胶。【结论】(1)糯米胶主要影响|k|值,致使土体水分散失速率加快;木纤维对θs、θr和ψr的影响最大,土体保水性好,水分不易流失;混合改良剂以提高ψa为最优,土体初期(边界效应阶段)不易失水,中后期受糯米胶成分的影响,持水能力减弱。(2)不同改良剂增大τψ的效果由强到弱依次为:木纤维>糯米胶>混施。