PREDICTION MODEL OF SOIL WATER CHARACTERISTICS CURVE FOR UNSATURATED CLAYEY SOIL DUE TO MERCURY INTRUSION POROSIMETRY

Abstract

  A prediction model for water characteristics curve (SWCC) of clayey soils was derived from the thermodynamic energy balance equation of state. The proposal model contains two independent parameters which are the total pore volume and a constant reflecting the characteristics of the pore size distribution. These two parameters may be obtained by fitting the proposal model to experimental result of mercury intrusion porosimetry. The established equation has been examined by an experimental study for various clayey soils and the UNSODA data base. It is found that a reasonable description of SWCC for clayey soil. This study makes it possible to characterize the SWCC of clayey soils based on the mercury intrusion porosimetry.