Evaluation of suction and water content fluctuations of a tropical soil

A.C. Silva Jr., G.F.N. Gitirana Jr.

In the proceedings of: GEO2011: 64th Canadian Geotechnical Conference, 14th Pan-American Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 5th Pan-American Conference on Teaching and Learning of Geotechnical Engineering

Session: Behaviour of Unsaturated Soils

ABSTRACT: The evaluation of soil-atmosphere interaction is required in several types of geotechnical applications, such as collapse and swelling analysis, construction and operation of embankments, and slope stability analysis. In most cases, the soil is in an unsaturated state and its conditions fluctuate as a result of varying weather conditions. The main objective of this study is to employ and evaluate a mechanistic approach to predict the fluctuations of suction and water content of a tropical soil profile. The profile studied is located in the city of Aparecida de Goiania, Goias, Brazil. Water content, suction, water table and atmospheric conditions at the site were monitored for a period of six months. Numerical analyses of water content and suction were made based on soil-water characteristic curves determined using standard laboratory tests and based on predictions from the grain-size distribution. The results indicate that relatively small differences are obtained using approximate, predicted soil properties. The results also indicate that the analysis of suction and water content for the shallowest depths is significantly more challenging.

RÉSUMÉ: L'évaluation de l'interaction sol- d'effondrement et gonflement, de la construction et fonctionnement des barrages, et l'analyse de stabilité des talus. Dans la plupart des cas, le sol est dans un etat non saturés et de ses conditions fluctuent en raison des conditions météorologiques variées. L'objectif principal de cette étude est d'utiliser et d'évaluer une approche mécaniste de prédire les fluctuations du teneur en eau et de la succion d'un profil de sol tropical. L'profil étudié est situé dans la ville d'Aparecida de Goiânia, Goias, Brésil. Teneur en eau, succion, le niveau de la nappe phréatique et les conditions atmosphériques sur le site ont été surveillés pour une période de six mois. Analyses numériques de teneur en eau et succion ont été faites basée sur les courbes caractéristiques sol-eau déterminée à l'aide des tests de laboratoire standard et basées sur des prédictions de la distribution granulométrique. Les résultats indiquent que relativement peu de différences sont obtenues en utilisant approximative, prédit propriétés du sol. Les résultats indiquent également que l'analyse du teneur en ea et succion pour la moins profond des profondeurs est nettement plus difficile.

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Cite this article:
A.C. Silva Jr.; G.F.N. Gitirana Jr. (2011) Evaluation of suction and water content fluctuations of a tropical soil in GEO2011. Ottawa, Ontario: Canadian Geotechnical Society.

@article{GEO11Paper730,author = A.C. Silva Jr.; G.F.N. Gitirana Jr. ,title = Evaluation of suction and water content fluctuations of a tropical soil,year = 2011}