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Dual‐energy synchrotron X ray measurements of rapid soil density and water content changes in swelling soils during infiltration
Author(s) -
Garnier Patricia,
AnguloJaramillo Rafael,
DiCarlo David A.,
Bauters Tim W. J.,
Darnault Christophe J. G.,
Steenhis Tammo S.,
Parlange J.Yves,
Baveye Philippe
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/98wr02367
Subject(s) - swelling , infiltration (hvac) , water content , soil water , thermal diffusivity , vertisol , soil science , bulk density , materials science , environmental science , geotechnical engineering , composite material , geology , thermodynamics , physics
Understanding soil swelling is hampered by the difficulty of simultaneously measuring water content and bulk density. A number of studies have used dual‐energy gamma rays to investigate soil swelling. The long counting time of this technique makes it impracticable for studying the rapid changes in moisture content and soil swelling shortly after infiltration is initiated. In this paper, we use the dual‐energy synchrotron X ray to measure, for the first time, the water content and bulk density changes during the fast, initial phase of the swelling process. Ponded infiltration experiments were performed with two soils: a bentonite‐sand mixture and a vertisol. Swelling curves and hydraulic diffusivity were determined. Deformation was very rapid immediately after water application and then became progressively slower. The hydraulic diffusivity decreased with time, which can partially explain the very rapid decrease in infiltration rates observed in the field.