Pore Size Distribution of Sandy Soils and the Prediction of Permeability

摘要

The soils used in this study were a sand and two sand-clay mixtures. Kneading compaction was used to prepare samples of sand-clay mixtures while pluvial compaction was used to prepare compacted samples of sand. The testing program consisted of the permeability test and the pore size distribution (PSD) test. A technique for the preparation of PSD specimens of cohesionless sands has been developed. The mercury intrusion technique was used to conduct PSD test. Falling head tests under back pressure were used to measure permeability. The pore size density function of the sands studied showed a single modal characteristic on a log diameter scale while that of sand-clay mixtures showed biomodal characteristics on the same scale. The influence of varying water content and compactive effort on the fabric of the sandy soils studied was characterized by their pore size distributions and pore size density functions.