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A random solid‐porous model to simulate the retention curves of soils
Author(s) -
Horta Jaime,
Rojas Eduardo,
PérezRea María L.,
López Teresa,
Zaragoza Juan B.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
international journal for numerical and analytical methods in geomechanics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.419
H-Index - 91
eISSN - 1096-9853
pISSN - 0363-9061
DOI - 10.1002/nag.1133
Subject(s) - wetting , porosity , void ratio , soil water , characterisation of pore space in soil , porous medium , materials science , laplace transform , grain size , geotechnical engineering , void (composites) , mathematics , mechanics , mineralogy , soil science , composite material , environmental science , engineering , geology , mathematical analysis , physics
SUMMARY This paper describes a random solid‐porous model capable of simulating the structure of porous materials. To this purpose, the grain and pore size distributions as well as the void ratio of the material are required. Solids and pores are distributed at random in the model's space according to a size strategy. Herein, the model is used to simulate the retention curves of soils. The Laplace equation is used to determine the size of the pores able to saturate or dry during a wetting or drying process, respectively. The continuous path principle is used to define those elements that effectively saturate or dry during these processes. With this procedure, it is possible to simulate the main retention curves as well as the scanning curves during wetting–drying cycles. Some experimental results reported in the international literature have been used to test the model. This model can be enhanced to study the mechanical behavior of unsaturated soils. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.