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The application of the overburden potential theory to swelling soils
Author(s) -
Towner G. D.
Publication year - 1976
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/wr012i006p01313
Subject(s) - overburden , swelling , geotechnical engineering , soil water , shrinkage , hysteresis , geology , moisture , diagram , soil science , materials science , mathematics , composite material , statistics , physics , quantum mechanics
From a consideration of alternative loading paths in the shrinkage diagram of swelling soils it is shown that hysteresis in the relationship between the voids ratio and the moisture ratio may occur even though no actual reversals of loading have been allowed nor any irreversible structural changes have taken place. It is therefore argued that the application of the overburden potential theory to the analysis of situations such as water profiles above water tables in vertical soil columns is questionable. The need for experimental studies is stressed.