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Measurement of flow properties of expansive clays
Author(s) -
Uzan J.,
Lytton R. L.
Publication year - 1978
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.1610020106
Subject(s) - thermal diffusivity , geotechnical engineering , water content , sorption , expansive clay , moisture , expansive , flow (mathematics) , porosity , finite element method , materials science , mathematics , mechanics , thermodynamics , geology , soil science , chemistry , physics , composite material , geometry , soil water , organic chemistry , adsorption , compressive strength
The paper deals with the determination of the flow properties of expansive and unsaturated clays under different conditions of stress. By choosing the moisture content as the dependent variable, the well known non‐linear diffusin equation is derived. Numerical solutions using a finite element program are presented, assuming a linear relationship between the moisture diffusivity and the concentration (the relative moisture content). These solutions are interpreted and a procedure is proposed to derive the flow properties of the clay from the sorption curves. Results of tests are presented and used to illustrate the procedure. It is found that the lower the stress applied, the smaller the initial moisture diffusivity and the stronger the dependence of the moisture diffusivity upon the concentration.