Null-type axis-translation technique: Is it applicable to soils with low saturation?

Nurses Kurucuk, Jayantha Kumarasiri Kodikara, Delwyn Fredlund

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference PaperResearchpeer-review

Abstract

The applicability of the axis-translation technique for controlling and measuring the matric suction of the soils with occluded air phase has been extensively studied. However, there is little known about whether this technique can be used for matric suction measurements of the soils with occluded water phase or with low saturations. In this study, granular soils that have low matric suctions and low saturations were tested using the null-type axis-translation technique. In order to compare the results obtained by the axis-translation technique, the suctions of the samples were also measured using standard tensiometers. It is found that matric suction measurements took substantially longer time for the samples with lower water contents (about 6.5 and less). This is attributed to the discontinuous water phase within those samples. In addition to that, matric suction values measured using the null method were close to the values measured with a tensiometer. This is a promising result on the applicability of the null method to measure the matric suction of the soils with low saturation. However, the method seems to be very time consuming and therefore, not very practical.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication5th Asia-Pacific Conference on Unsaturated Soils 2012
EditorsApiniti Jotisankasa, Auckpath Sawangsuriya
Place of PublicationBangkok Thailand
PublisherGeotechnical Engineering Research and Development Center
Pages416 - 423
Number of pages8
Volume1
ISBN (Print)9781622762644
Publication statusPublished - 2012
EventAsia-Pacific Conference on Unsaturated Soils 2012 - Pattaya, Thailand
Duration: 29 Feb 20122 Mar 2012
Conference number: 5th

Conference

ConferenceAsia-Pacific Conference on Unsaturated Soils 2012
Abbreviated titleAP-UNSAT 2012
Country/TerritoryThailand
CityPattaya
Period29/02/122/03/12

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