Abstract
Sand improvements using organic agents have shown promising results. Polyacrylamide is one possible organic agent, which has been shown to influence the shear strength, stiffness, soil remediation, and erosion resistance of geomaterials. In this study, we explored the shear wave velocity (S-wave) and water retention curves of unsaturated sands containing polyacrylamide solutions. The shear wave velocity was measured during the water retention curve measurement tests according to the variation of the degree of saturation. The experimental setup was verified through comparison of the measured water retention curves with the published data. The results show that (1) the S-wave velocity of saturated sands increases with polyacrylamide concentration; (2) as the degree of saturation decreases, the S-wave velocity increases; (3) near the residual water (or polyacrylamide solution) saturation, the S-wave velocity increases dramatically; (4) as the degree of saturation decreases, the S-wave velocity at unsaturated conditions increases with any given water (or polyacrylamide solution) saturation, like the water retention curves; (5) the S-wave velocity increases with the increase in capillary pressure; and (6) the predicted S-wave velocity at a given degree of saturation is slightly overestimated, and the modification of the equation is required.
Highlights
Soil improvements using organic agents such as polyacrylamide, xanthan gum, and surfactants have been developed which have shown promising results at improving the shear strength, stiffness, soil remediation, and erosion resistance of geomaterials [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]
The S-wave velocity increases with the decrease in the degree of saturation, The measured shear wave (S-wave) velocities are plotted with the water retention curves in which is consistent with the previous studies [42,43]
The capillary air entry values increase with increase with polyacrylamide concentration; (2) the water retention curves shifts to higher capillary polyacrylamide concentration; (2) the water retention curves shifts to higher capillary pressure at pressure at a given water saturation; and (3) the residual saturation increases with polyacrylamide a given water saturation; and (3) the residual saturation increases with polyacrylamide concentration
Summary
Soil improvements using organic agents such as polyacrylamide, xanthan gum, and surfactants have been developed which have shown promising results at improving the shear strength, stiffness, soil remediation, and erosion resistance of geomaterials [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]. The relation water saturation (Sw ) and capillary pressure (Pc ) in unsatureated influences the relative permeability of fluids [16,17,18,19,20,21,22], water storage capacity of the soils [23], shear. The relation between water saturation (Sw) and capillary pressure (Pc) in unsatureated soils strength [24,25,26], as well as the stiffness and volume change [27,28,29,30,31]. The stiffness changes of unsaturated sands containing polyacrylamide (PAM) solution saturation (Sw )yet and capillary pressure relations as explore the stiffness of unsaturated have not been understood. ) and capillary pressure (Pc) relations as well as explore the stiffness of unsaturated sands through shear wave velocity measurements
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