Effect of moisture change on water retention behavior of unsaturated silty soil under loading–unloading conditions
Abstract Earthen embankments either natural or constructed artificially often comprise of unsaturated soils being considered stronger in terms of compressibility and permeability. However, the internal nomenclature of unsaturated soils due to the presence of air, water, and soil particles makes it m...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Discover Civil Engineering |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s44290-025-00169-0 |
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| author | Syed Kamran Hussain Shah Adnan Anwar Malik Shay Haq Waqar Ahmad Umair Ali Rabia Chaudhry |
| author_facet | Syed Kamran Hussain Shah Adnan Anwar Malik Shay Haq Waqar Ahmad Umair Ali Rabia Chaudhry |
| author_sort | Syed Kamran Hussain Shah |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Earthen embankments either natural or constructed artificially often comprise of unsaturated soils being considered stronger in terms of compressibility and permeability. However, the internal nomenclature of unsaturated soils due to the presence of air, water, and soil particles makes it more complex while such soils interact with moisture under the circumstances of applied stress history during the earthen structure’s life span. To investigate this behavior, this study is designed to understand the soil–water interaction and quantify the retention behavior during loading and unloading conditions. To serve this idea, custom-designed static compaction tests were carried out under un-drained water and drained air conditions at the applied stress history. The results show application of loading and unloading cycles impact water retention behavior of soil with varying soil water contents. During the initial stages of the loading process, suction increases with decreasing void ratio due to the heterogeneous distribution of water in the soil. However, there is a unique increasing trend in suction at the reloading or wetting phases of the water retention curve for all moisture contents. To examine the impact on the void ratio, the experimental data have been compared with the selected model incorporating suction, void ratio, and degree of saturation for prediction of soil water retention behaviors. The model prediction deviates from the experimental data and shifts away from the model prediction indicating that the loading–unloading sequence coupled with the variation in moisture does affect the soil behavior. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cba5e5b0332b4c24ab41af67f6258088 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2948-1546 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Springer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Discover Civil Engineering |
| spelling | doaj-art-cba5e5b0332b4c24ab41af67f62580882025-02-02T12:42:16ZengSpringerDiscover Civil Engineering2948-15462025-01-012111310.1007/s44290-025-00169-0Effect of moisture change on water retention behavior of unsaturated silty soil under loading–unloading conditionsSyed Kamran Hussain Shah0Adnan Anwar Malik1Shay Haq2Waqar Ahmad3Umair Ali4Rabia Chaudhry5National Institute of TransportationSchool of Engineering, The University of NewcastleNational Institute of TransportationGeotechnical & Geo-environmental Division, National Engineering Services PakistanDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and MineralsWAPDA Mega Hydel Complex, Rawal Guest HouseAbstract Earthen embankments either natural or constructed artificially often comprise of unsaturated soils being considered stronger in terms of compressibility and permeability. However, the internal nomenclature of unsaturated soils due to the presence of air, water, and soil particles makes it more complex while such soils interact with moisture under the circumstances of applied stress history during the earthen structure’s life span. To investigate this behavior, this study is designed to understand the soil–water interaction and quantify the retention behavior during loading and unloading conditions. To serve this idea, custom-designed static compaction tests were carried out under un-drained water and drained air conditions at the applied stress history. The results show application of loading and unloading cycles impact water retention behavior of soil with varying soil water contents. During the initial stages of the loading process, suction increases with decreasing void ratio due to the heterogeneous distribution of water in the soil. However, there is a unique increasing trend in suction at the reloading or wetting phases of the water retention curve for all moisture contents. To examine the impact on the void ratio, the experimental data have been compared with the selected model incorporating suction, void ratio, and degree of saturation for prediction of soil water retention behaviors. The model prediction deviates from the experimental data and shifts away from the model prediction indicating that the loading–unloading sequence coupled with the variation in moisture does affect the soil behavior.https://doi.org/10.1007/s44290-025-00169-0Unsaturated soilSuctionStatic compactionMoisture contentSoil water retention |
| spellingShingle | Syed Kamran Hussain Shah Adnan Anwar Malik Shay Haq Waqar Ahmad Umair Ali Rabia Chaudhry Effect of moisture change on water retention behavior of unsaturated silty soil under loading–unloading conditions Discover Civil Engineering Unsaturated soil Suction Static compaction Moisture content Soil water retention |
| title | Effect of moisture change on water retention behavior of unsaturated silty soil under loading–unloading conditions |
| title_full | Effect of moisture change on water retention behavior of unsaturated silty soil under loading–unloading conditions |
| title_fullStr | Effect of moisture change on water retention behavior of unsaturated silty soil under loading–unloading conditions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of moisture change on water retention behavior of unsaturated silty soil under loading–unloading conditions |
| title_short | Effect of moisture change on water retention behavior of unsaturated silty soil under loading–unloading conditions |
| title_sort | effect of moisture change on water retention behavior of unsaturated silty soil under loading unloading conditions |
| topic | Unsaturated soil Suction Static compaction Moisture content Soil water retention |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1007/s44290-025-00169-0 |
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