Abstract
Capillary rise underestimation can reduce the long-term performance of civil engineering projects, especially those concerned with ground moisture, such as basements, roads, dams, and soil barrier liners. According to Peck et al. [1], the grain shape constant in empirical capillary rise estimation relationships varies between 10 and 50 mm2 and can be difficult to assume. Furthermore, the measurement of capillary rise in laboratory settings is also quite challenging because it occurs in the transition zone between saturated and unsaturated soils. This study focused on the application of the simplified image analysis method (SIAM) to capillary rise determination for the assessment of the grain shape constant as proposed by Peck et al. [1]. SIAM is a non-intrusive, non-destructive laboratory technique used to measure the temporal and spatial distribution of water saturation in whole domains. In this study, six one-dimensional tests were conducted using a 35 mm × 35 mm × 550 mm column to simulate capillary rise at fixed groundwater levels. The results show that values smaller than 25 mm2 should be used for coarser sand, whereas values greater than 25 mm2 should be used for finer sand. This study demonstrates that SIAM can be further utilized in studies of unsaturated soil, especially to assess soil saturation changes.
Highlights
The presence of subsurface groundwater always affects civil engineering structures, and this condition requires geotechnical engineers to take additional precautions on any construction work done at saturated layers
Capillary rise in soil is the upward movement of water above the groundwater table, which increases soil moisture content
Estimating soil capillarity is important because capillary rise underestimation can reduce the long-term performance of a civil engineering structure and infrastructure
Summary
The presence of subsurface groundwater always affects civil engineering structures, and this condition requires geotechnical engineers to take additional precautions on any construction work done at saturated layers. Water vapor from capillary rise can penetrate the pores of concrete floors It condenses into water once it reaches adjacent air-conditioned spaces. Besides damaging a building’s finishing, each time moisture enters a masonry structure, the water transports diluted salts, which it deposits This process is called efflorescence and results in a salt crystalline deposit often seen as a white or greyish tint on the surface of concrete. During design and construction work, engineers usually estimate the height of capillary rise. It is critical to use the right empirical coefficient value when determining the soil sample’s capillary height. This value depends on the soil’s microscopic properties. This paper presents an approach to determining the hc value through a laboratory experiment using the simplified image analysis method (SIAM), which can be used to measure the temporal and spatial distribution of fluid saturation in the whole domain of the soil laboratory setup
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