Simple Techniques for the Estimation of Suction in Compacted Soils in the Range of 0 to 60,000 kPa

摘要

Two simple techniques are proposed in this Technical Note to estimate suction values over a range of 0 to 60,000 kPa on compacted glacial till specimens. The first technique uses a conventional pocket penetrometer in the estimation of matric suction values lower than 300 kPa. This technique is developed based on the assumption that there is a strong relationship between matric suction and the compressive strength measured using a pocket penetrometer. The second technique uses conventional tensiometer to estimate relatively high suction values in the range of 1200 to 60,000 kPa. In this technique, the tensiometer response versus time (TRT) behavior for a suction range of 0 to 50 kPa is used in a hyperbolic model to estimate the high suction value. This technique is proposed based on the assumption that each suction value has a unique initial tangent of TRT behavior. The equilibrium suction values of the compacted glacial till specimens are respectively measured using axis-translation technique and a psychrometer for low and high suction values and compared with those estimated using the techniques proposed in this study. There is a reasonably good comparison between the measured and estimated suction values both in the low and high suction range.