Water retention curve and hydraulic conductivity function of highly compressible materials

Abstract

A model capable of describing the suction-induced consolidation curve (void ratio function) and water retention curve (WRC) of highly compressible materials (HCM) is developed, validated, and finally applied to describe the WRC of deinking by-products (DBP). DBP are a highly compressible by-product of paper recycling used in geoenvironmental applications. Validation is conducted by modelling the WRC and the void ratio function for a well documented silty sand from Saskatchewan, Canada. The WRC and void ratio function were used to predict its hydraulic conductivity function (k-function). The water content, suction, and volumetric deformation data of DBP are obtained using an experimental technique that allows determination of the WRCs of HCMs that is suitable for prediction of the DBP k-function. The results show that volumetric water contents are underestimated if volume changes are not accounted for, leading to inaccuracies in the WRCs, thus inaccurately predicted k-functions. It is shown that the newly developed model is better suited for HCMs than currently available models, in particular for HCMs that continue to undergo significant volume changes when the applied suction exceeds the air-entry value.