Abstract
Early theoretical soil mechanics dealt mainly with saturated soil from below the ground-water table, i.e. positive porewater pressures (see Chapter 2). The soil above the groundwater table has negative porewater pressures and is known as the vadose zone. Recent theories for unsaturated soil behavior have taken on the form of extensions of classical (saturated) soil mechanics theories. While parallels and similarities between saturated and unsaturated soil mechanics are present, variations exist that make the practice of unsaturated soil mechanics somewhat different in character from saturated soil mechanics. Differences lie primarily in the assessment of appropriate soil properties and soil property functions, and in the flux boundary condition between the soil and the atmosphere. This chapter presents the fundamental theories of unsaturated soil mechanics, and emphasizes those elements of unsaturated soil mechanics that differ from saturated soil mechanics. Unsaturated soil mechanics can be categorized into three classical areas of study: seepage, shear strength and volume change. Paradigm shifts in analysis associated with the assessment of soil properties become an important factor when moving from theory to practice of unsaturated soil mechanics.
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