Changes of matric suction in expansive soil under drying-wetting cycles using filter paper method

Abstract: Soil water characteristic curve (SWCC) can show the soil water holding capacity, and is the relationship between the soil matric potential and saturation. The expansive soil has the characteristics of strong swell-shrink, developing fissures and over consolidation, especially under drying-wetting cycles. Its water holding capacity, which has an important impact on the soil properties, is totally different from the capacity of full soil. Therefore, how to exactly obtain the matric suction of expansive soil under drying-wetting cycles is very important to analyze the characteristics of mechanics and deformation of expansive soil. In order to analyze the change rule of matric suction of expansive soil under drying-wetting cycles, the artificial rainfall and evaporation was applied in drying-wetting tests of expansive soil. The specimens sized at 102 mm × 40 mm (diameter × height) were made by compaction apparatus and the initial dry density was 1.68 g/cm3. All the specimens were saturated after compaction and undergoing drying-wetting cycles in constant temperature (22 ℃) environment. The small electric fans were adopted to increase the rate of evaporation until the mass of specimens was kept constant under the condition of drying. Then the water vapours were sprayed to the surface of specimens by humidifiers until the process of infiltration stopped under the condition of wetting. That is one drying-wetting cycle so far. In this paper, 4 set of experiments under drying-wetting cycles were carried out and the cycle times were 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. Then 11 specimens sampled by cutting rings (61.8 mm × 20 mm (diameter × height)) in different volumetric water content were obtained in each process of drying and wetting respectively. The matric suction of each specimen was measured with filter paper of Whatman No. 42 and then the SWCCs were obtained under drying-wetting cycles. The corresponding air-entry values and residual values in different drying-wetting cycle times were calculated from SWCC. Ulteriorly, the different SWCCs obtained in different drying-wetting cycle times were fitted by the Fredlund SWCC model. Based on the above analysis, an SWCC model of expansive soil considering drying-wetting cycle effect was established finally. The results showed that: 1) With the increase of drying-wetting cycle time, the air-entry value of expansive soil was evidently reduced. Compared with the air-entry value (134.5 kPa) of expansive soil undergoing one drying-wetting cycle, the air-entry value was 58.5 kPa and reduced by 56.5% undergoing 4 drying-wetting cycles. The most effect of drying-wetting cycles on air-entry value occurred in the first cycle. 2) With the increase of drying-wetting cycle time, the residual value of expansive soil was also reduced. Compared with the residual value (1040.5 kPa) of expansive soil undergoing one drying-wetting cycle, the residual value was 528.5 kPa and reduced by 49.2% undergoing 4 drying-wetting cycles. Moreover, the residual value is reduced evidently after undergoing one drying-wetting cycle and it cannot yet be stabilized with the increase of drying-wetting cycle time. That means the effect of drying-wetting cycles on ari-entry value is much greater than on residual value. 3) The fitted parameters in the SWCC model of expansive soil considering the effect of drying-wetting cycle have a good linear correlation with the drying-wetting cycle time. With the increase of drying-wetting cycle time, the soil air-entry value and change rate of water content reduce while the residual value increases gradually. The results can provide a reference for the further analysis on soil matric suction and its application in engineering.