Experimental research into the hydraulic conductivity curve (HCC) of unsaturated soil is limited due to the inherent challenge associated with labor, cost, and time. Typically, the HCC is estimated using the soil wate...Experimental research into the hydraulic conductivity curve (HCC) of unsaturated soil is limited due to the inherent challenge associated with labor, cost, and time. Typically, the HCC is estimated using the soil water characteristic curve (SWCC) based models and saturated hydraulic conductivity (SHC). However, the efficiency of the SWCC-based model is rarely assessed, and the influence of soil density and pore structure on HCC remains incomplete due to limited experimental data. To address this gap, this study employs an innovative filter-paper-based column method, which can measure the HCC over a wide suction range (e.g. 0−105 kPa), to capture the HCCs of both intact and compacted specimens with varying dry densities. The efficiency of two typical SWCC-based models is assessed using the measured data. Meanwhile, the mercury intrusion porosity (MIP) technique is employed to obtain the pore characteristic (i.e. pore size distribution (PSD)) and a method of predicting the HCC using the PSD data is proposed, emphasizing the dominant role of the pore structure in shaping the HCC. The results reveal that the dry density's influence on the HCC is primarily observed within the low suction range, corresponding to variations in the dominant and large pores. In the high suction range, the HCCs align along a linear trajectory when plotted in a log-log format. A notable finding is the overestimation of the HCC obtained from the SWCC-based models using the measured SHC. When the SHC is regarded as a fitting parameter, good agreement is achieved. The adjusted SHC value is typically 0-1 order of magnitude lower than the measured value, and this discrepancy diminishes as dry density increases. On the other hand, the proposed PSD-based model performs well with the measured SHC data. Caution is exercised when using the SHC to estimate the HCC for modeling water movement in partially saturated soil.展开更多
The influence of different types of roots on the soil is complex and still remains unclear.Four in-situ extrusion tests were conducted on two types of root systems,namely fibrous and tap root system,for three plants,E...The influence of different types of roots on the soil is complex and still remains unclear.Four in-situ extrusion tests were conducted on two types of root systems,namely fibrous and tap root system,for three plants,Eleusine indica,Potentilla anserine,and Artemisia argyi,according to the classification in Botany,and the thrust-displacement curves and failure patterns of different samples were analysed by comparison to fill the aforementioned gap.Results reveal that the roots can reduce the characteristics of soil brittleness and enhance its capability to resist large deformation,and different root types contribute different effects to the strain-hardening behavior of the root-soil mass.The contribution of the fibrous root system to strength is limited,whilst the tap root system substantially enhances strength and stiffness.Results of failure patterns show that fibrous and tap root systems affect soil solidification and surface cracking reduction.However,the effect of the tap root system depends on the composition of lateral and tap roots:long and rich lateral roots are effective for resisting the creation of cracks,but thick tap roots with few and thin lateral roots may lead to several surface cracks.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.41825018)Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.XDA23090402)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.42141009).
文摘Experimental research into the hydraulic conductivity curve (HCC) of unsaturated soil is limited due to the inherent challenge associated with labor, cost, and time. Typically, the HCC is estimated using the soil water characteristic curve (SWCC) based models and saturated hydraulic conductivity (SHC). However, the efficiency of the SWCC-based model is rarely assessed, and the influence of soil density and pore structure on HCC remains incomplete due to limited experimental data. To address this gap, this study employs an innovative filter-paper-based column method, which can measure the HCC over a wide suction range (e.g. 0−105 kPa), to capture the HCCs of both intact and compacted specimens with varying dry densities. The efficiency of two typical SWCC-based models is assessed using the measured data. Meanwhile, the mercury intrusion porosity (MIP) technique is employed to obtain the pore characteristic (i.e. pore size distribution (PSD)) and a method of predicting the HCC using the PSD data is proposed, emphasizing the dominant role of the pore structure in shaping the HCC. The results reveal that the dry density's influence on the HCC is primarily observed within the low suction range, corresponding to variations in the dominant and large pores. In the high suction range, the HCCs align along a linear trajectory when plotted in a log-log format. A notable finding is the overestimation of the HCC obtained from the SWCC-based models using the measured SHC. When the SHC is regarded as a fitting parameter, good agreement is achieved. The adjusted SHC value is typically 0-1 order of magnitude lower than the measured value, and this discrepancy diminishes as dry density increases. On the other hand, the proposed PSD-based model performs well with the measured SHC data. Caution is exercised when using the SHC to estimate the HCC for modeling water movement in partially saturated soil.
基金supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.XDA23090402)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.41790442,41825018)the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program(STEP)(No.2019QZKK0904)。
文摘The influence of different types of roots on the soil is complex and still remains unclear.Four in-situ extrusion tests were conducted on two types of root systems,namely fibrous and tap root system,for three plants,Eleusine indica,Potentilla anserine,and Artemisia argyi,according to the classification in Botany,and the thrust-displacement curves and failure patterns of different samples were analysed by comparison to fill the aforementioned gap.Results reveal that the roots can reduce the characteristics of soil brittleness and enhance its capability to resist large deformation,and different root types contribute different effects to the strain-hardening behavior of the root-soil mass.The contribution of the fibrous root system to strength is limited,whilst the tap root system substantially enhances strength and stiffness.Results of failure patterns show that fibrous and tap root systems affect soil solidification and surface cracking reduction.However,the effect of the tap root system depends on the composition of lateral and tap roots:long and rich lateral roots are effective for resisting the creation of cracks,but thick tap roots with few and thin lateral roots may lead to several surface cracks.
