Unsaturated Hydraulic Conductivity in Composite Porous Media
Determining the constitutive properties that describe the incipient hydraulic behavior of the materials, including the matrix domains and the distribution of macro and micropores, is crucial to analyzing the preferential water flow in saturated soils, <i>k<sub>s</sub></i>, an...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-09-01
|
| Series: | Applied Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/18/9058 |
| _version_ | 1797491522177859584 |
|---|---|
| author | Jhan Piero Rojas Juan Carlos Ruge Gustavo Adolfo Carrillo |
| author_facet | Jhan Piero Rojas Juan Carlos Ruge Gustavo Adolfo Carrillo |
| author_sort | Jhan Piero Rojas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Determining the constitutive properties that describe the incipient hydraulic behavior of the materials, including the matrix domains and the distribution of macro and micropores, is crucial to analyzing the preferential water flow in saturated soils, <i>k<sub>s</sub></i>, and unsaturated, <i>k<sub>u</sub></i>. This study focused on determining the hydraulic conductivity in porous media under total and partial saturation conditions. The infiltration characteristics of three reconstituted soils were evaluated using five suction ranges employing conventional permeameters, an automated dual system, and mini-disk infiltrometers. The experimental cycles were carried out in granular soils with mixtures of diatomaceous soils, iron oxide (Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>), and calcium carbonate (CaCO<sub>3</sub>) in 5–40% proportions. The differences between the granular microstructures of each material and the different hydraulic interaction mechanisms (suctione levels) significantly affected the values of <i>k<sub>s</sub></i> and <i>k<sub>u</sub></i> and the coupling between the pore domains and the defined water regime. Additionally, a lower impact was observed in the data set exposed to higher percentages of Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> and CaCO<sub>3</sub> in different suction ranges, mainly due to a tension effect (meniscus) generated by suction in the granular skeleton. Since both parameters are mutually correlated and have a similar impact between methods and soil cores, <i>k<sub>s</sub></i> and <i>k<sub>u</sub></i> must be optimized simultaneously in each mechanism analyzed. The main findings of this work result in the confirmation that the unsaturated permeability decreases as suction is imposed on the sample. As well as the addition of different materials with Particle Size Distribution finer than the base sample, it also reveals a reduction in hydraulic conductivity, both saturated and unsaturated. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:49:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1332200e7bb64f5189a03d1b6cc2badb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:49:38Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-1332200e7bb64f5189a03d1b6cc2badb2023-11-23T14:52:23ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172022-09-011218905810.3390/app12189058Unsaturated Hydraulic Conductivity in Composite Porous MediaJhan Piero Rojas0Juan Carlos Ruge1Gustavo Adolfo Carrillo2Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Francisco de Paula Santander, Cúcuta 540003, ColombiaPrograma de Ingeniería Civil, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Militar Nueva Granada, Bogotá 111071, ColombiaFacultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Francisco de Paula Santander, Cúcuta 540003, ColombiaDetermining the constitutive properties that describe the incipient hydraulic behavior of the materials, including the matrix domains and the distribution of macro and micropores, is crucial to analyzing the preferential water flow in saturated soils, <i>k<sub>s</sub></i>, and unsaturated, <i>k<sub>u</sub></i>. This study focused on determining the hydraulic conductivity in porous media under total and partial saturation conditions. The infiltration characteristics of three reconstituted soils were evaluated using five suction ranges employing conventional permeameters, an automated dual system, and mini-disk infiltrometers. The experimental cycles were carried out in granular soils with mixtures of diatomaceous soils, iron oxide (Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>), and calcium carbonate (CaCO<sub>3</sub>) in 5–40% proportions. The differences between the granular microstructures of each material and the different hydraulic interaction mechanisms (suctione levels) significantly affected the values of <i>k<sub>s</sub></i> and <i>k<sub>u</sub></i> and the coupling between the pore domains and the defined water regime. Additionally, a lower impact was observed in the data set exposed to higher percentages of Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> and CaCO<sub>3</sub> in different suction ranges, mainly due to a tension effect (meniscus) generated by suction in the granular skeleton. Since both parameters are mutually correlated and have a similar impact between methods and soil cores, <i>k<sub>s</sub></i> and <i>k<sub>u</sub></i> must be optimized simultaneously in each mechanism analyzed. The main findings of this work result in the confirmation that the unsaturated permeability decreases as suction is imposed on the sample. As well as the addition of different materials with Particle Size Distribution finer than the base sample, it also reveals a reduction in hydraulic conductivity, both saturated and unsaturated.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/18/9058unsaturated hydraulic conductivitypermeabilitysuctiondiatomaceous soils |
| spellingShingle | Jhan Piero Rojas Juan Carlos Ruge Gustavo Adolfo Carrillo Unsaturated Hydraulic Conductivity in Composite Porous Media Applied Sciences unsaturated hydraulic conductivity permeability suction diatomaceous soils |
| title | Unsaturated Hydraulic Conductivity in Composite Porous Media |
| title_full | Unsaturated Hydraulic Conductivity in Composite Porous Media |
| title_fullStr | Unsaturated Hydraulic Conductivity in Composite Porous Media |
| title_full_unstemmed | Unsaturated Hydraulic Conductivity in Composite Porous Media |
| title_short | Unsaturated Hydraulic Conductivity in Composite Porous Media |
| title_sort | unsaturated hydraulic conductivity in composite porous media |
| topic | unsaturated hydraulic conductivity permeability suction diatomaceous soils |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/18/9058 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jhanpierorojas unsaturatedhydraulicconductivityincompositeporousmedia AT juancarlosruge unsaturatedhydraulicconductivityincompositeporousmedia AT gustavoadolfocarrillo unsaturatedhydraulicconductivityincompositeporousmedia |