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research article

Evolution of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of aggregated soils due to compressive forces

Berli, M.
•
Carminati, A.
•
Ghezzehei, T. A.
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2008
Water Resources Research

Prediction of water flow and transport processes in soils susceptible to structural alteration such as compaction of tilled agricultural lands or newly constructed landfills rely on accurate description of changes in soil unsaturated hydraulic conductivity. Recent studies have documented the critical impact of aggregate contact characteristics on water flow rates and pathways in unsaturated aggregated soils. We developed an analytical model for aggregate contact size evolution as a basis for quantifying effects of compression on saturated and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of aggregated soil. Relating confined one-dimensional sample strain with aggregate deformation facilitates prediction of the increase in interaggregate contact area and concurrent decrease in macropore size with degree of sample compression. The hydrologic component of the model predicts unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of a pack of idealized aggregates (spheres) on the basis of contact size and saturation conditions under prescribed sample deformation. Calculated contact areas and hydraulic conductivity for pairs of aggregates agreed surprisingly well with measured values, determined from compaction experiments employing neutron and X-ray-radiography and image analysis. Model calculations for a unit cell of uniform spherical aggregates in cubic packing were able to mimic some of the differences in saturated and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity observed for aggregates and bulk soil.

  • Details
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Type
research article
DOI
10.1029/2007WR006501
Web of Science ID

WOS:000261147800001

Author(s)
Berli, M.
Carminati, A.
Ghezzehei, T. A.
Or, D.  
Date Issued

2008

Published in
Water Resources Research
Volume

44

Issue

5

Article Number

W00C09

Subjects

Neutron-Radiography

•

Loam Soil

•

Compaction

•

Pores

•

Water

•

Transmission

•

Behavior

•

Porosity

•

Stress

•

Model

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
LASEP  
Available on Infoscience
November 30, 2010
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/60803
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