Conceptual hydraulic conductivity model for unsaturated soils at low degree of saturation and its application to the study of capillary barrier systems

Scarfone, R. , Wheeler, S. J. and Lloret-Cabot, M. (2020) Conceptual hydraulic conductivity model for unsaturated soils at low degree of saturation and its application to the study of capillary barrier systems. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 146(10), 04020106. (doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0002357)

Abstract

Accurate modeling and prediction of the variation of the hydraulic conductivity of unsaturated soils at a very low degree of saturation has important implications in various engineering problems. Physical processes underlying the hydraulic behavior of unsaturated soils (retention behavior and variation of hydraulic conductivity) are first explained, and then a consistent set of new definitions for key transition hydraulic states is proposed. This lays the foundation for the presentation of a new predictive hydraulic conductivity model, accurate for the full range of degree of saturation and applicable to relatively coarse-grained soils (i.e., gravels, sands, and silts). The hydraulic conductivity is divided into two components—a bulk water component and a liquid film component—each of which varies with the degree of saturation or suction. The model is then validated against experimental data. Finally, the new hydraulic conductivity model is applied to the numerical study of the hydraulic behavior of capillary barrier systems (CBSs). The new model is able to predict the behavior of CBSs better than conventional models, and the numerical modeling highlights the role of liquid film flow, which is often neglected.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: The authors wish to acknowledge the support of the European Commission via the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (ITN-ETN) project Training Engineers and Researchers to Rethink geotechnical Engineering for a low carbon future (TERRE) (H2020-MSCA-ITN-2015-675762).
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Scarfone, Riccardo and Lloret-Cabot, Dr Marti and Wheeler, Professor Simon
• Authors: Scarfone, R., Wheeler, S. J., and Lloret-Cabot, M.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering; College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Infrastructure and Environment
• Journal Name: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
• Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers
• ISSN: 1090-0241
• ISSN (Online): 1943-5606
• Published Online: 29 July 2020
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2020 American Society of Civil Engineers
• First Published: First published in Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering 146(10): 04020106
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy
• Data DOI: 10.5525/gla.researchdata.1018