Measurements Of Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity Research Articles

Soil reuse effects on determination of saturated hydraulic conductivity of different loamy soils

AbstractLaboratory measurement of saturated hydraulic conductivity, Ks, of sieved and packed soil is important for many scientific purposes. A given soil mass can be used once or several times. Little is known of the dependence of the Ks data on the reuse of the same soil mass. For three loamy soils, this investigation tested reuse effects of exactly the same soil mass on determination of Ks with the simplified falling head technique. For a given soil, the Ks values of 15 repacked soil samples were determined by using the same soil for a total of eight times. The means of Ks, initially equal to 45–159 mm/h, depending on the soil, decreased by nearly two or three times with the reuse of the same material, and they settled on values of 23–59 mm/h by the end of the experiment. Low, stable and little variable (coefficients of variation ≤15%) Ks values were obtained after the soil was used three to five times although there was some sign that stabilization of Ks could also require more reuses. The soil became finer with more reuses and the textural characteristics of the undispersed soil explained a large amount of the mean Ks results (coefficient of determination between means of Ks and the mean weight diameter = 0.65–0.76, depending on the soil). Taking into account that the best procedure for determination of Ks of sieved and packed soil samples yields the lowest variability of the individual Ks data, the conclusion was that a soil pre‐treatment including several wetting and drying cycles should be realized to obtain a soil mass usable repeatedly. The history of the used soil mass should be reported in the investigations dealing with sieved and repacked soil samples.

Analysis of Water Volume Required to Reach Steady Flow in the Constant Head Well Permeameter Method

The most common method for in situ measurement of saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) of the vadose zone is the constant head well permeameter method. Our general objective is to provide an empirical method for determining volume of water required for measuring Ksat using this procedure. For one-dimensional infiltration, steady state reaches as time (t) → ∞. For three-dimensional water flow from a cylindrical hole under a constant depth of water, however, steady state reaches rather quickly when a saturated bulb forms around the hole. To reach a quasi-steady state for measuring Ksat, we assume an adequate volume of water is needed to form the saturated bulb around the hole and increase the water content outside of the saturated bulb within a bulb-shaped volume of soil, hereafter, referred to as wetted soil volume. We determined the dimensions of the saturated bulb using the Glover model that is used for calculating Ksat. We then used the values to determine the volume of the saturated and wetted bulbs around the hole. The volume of water needed to reach a quasi-steady state depends on the difference between the soil saturated and antecedent water content (Δθ). Based on our analysis, between 2 and 5 L of water is needed to measure Ksat when Δθ varies between 0.1 and 0.4 m3 m−3, respectively.

Influence of landscape position and climatic seasonality on soil water and gas conductivity properties in agricultural soils

Agricultural landscape management and climate seasonality can influence soil structure, hydraulic conductivity, and air permeability within the context of soil water and soil gas mobility. To investigate this, in situ and laboratory-based data were collected from three agricultural landscape positions within a watershed in eastern Ontario, Canada during a growing season. Macropore classification, water infiltration tests, and air permeability measurements were conducted in situ and standard soil characterizations were carried out on soil samples. Hydraulic conductivity of the soil matrix, based on grain size data, indicated that the highest values were consistently measured in the B horizon at each landscape setting. Macropores were found to be more abundant within uncultivated drainage ditch bank soils, compared to the adjacent cropped fields. Macropores in the ditch bank soils were exclusively consisted of circular biopores, while both circular and linear macropores were observed in the cultivated field soils. Air permeability, vertical hydraulic conductivity, and horizontal hydraulic conductivity were also greater in the uncultivated soils, relative to the cultivated soils. Field saturated hydraulic conductivity measurements offered evidence of anisotropy, likely due to the vertical nature of the macropore features. Macropore disposition and extent varied over the growing season, especially in the cultivated field soils where tillage and field trafficking are physically disruptive. Seasonality of macropore development will influence temporal changes in advection-based mass exchange of gas and water in the vadose zone. Modeling of mass exchange in agricultural soils should consider time variability in macroporosity to more realistically characterize infiltration and soil gas emissions.

Repeated falling-head method for in situ measurements of saturated hydraulic conductivity using a single cylinder

A simple, repeated falling-head (RFH) method, which uses an inexpensive portable cylinder to quickly determine field-saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs), is presented. A cylinder of radius r, inserted vertically from the soil surface to a depth d, is used as a water supply tank, through which water infiltrates into the soil. The falling-head test is repeated without allowing the cylinder to be drained entirely to eliminate the effects of the initial soil moisture conditions. Either change in the water level (H) in the water supply cylinder or strong linearity between the infiltration flux (qs) and H can be used to determine Kfs directly or by multiplying the slope with an empirical ring-installation scaling length, Lg; thus, no soil-dependent variable is necessary. To obtain the Lg value for various conditions, we carried out numerical experiments using HYDRUS (2D/3D) with a recently implemented reservoir boundary condition for six different soil textures, ranging from coarse soil (e.g., sand) to fine soil (e.g., silty clay loam), and two different ranges of water levels, 15 ≤ H ≤ 25 cm and 2 ≤ H ≤ 6 cm. Numerical results showed that the Lg has a strong linear dependence on d and r, where Lg increases as d and r increase. We propose a new linear model to determine Lg with optimized coefficients for each H range. Numerical results showed no significant differences in the estimated Kfs after the second repetition, confirming that repeating the falling head test twice is sufficient. The newly obtained Lg values were then applied to the experimental data obtained at multiple fields having different soil textures. The Kfs values determined using the RFH method agreed well with those measured using the field two-ponding depths steady-state method and/or the FH method in the lab. These results demonstrate the reliability of the proposed RFH method.

Comparison of Infiltration Rates of Soils for Run-Off Management and Irrigation Planning in Makurdi Benue State, Nigeria

Understanding of initial infiltration rates and steady state infiltration rates of soil is very important for runoff management and irrigation scheduling. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi in 2018 to evaluate the initial and steady state infiltration rates of soils in Makurdi, Nigeria. Infiltration test was carried out using double ring infiltrometer at eighteen points. Initial and steady state infiltration rates and the cumulative infiltration were then calculated. Soil samples were collected from the adjacent area of the marked points at 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm depths for routine analysis. Undisturbed soil samples were also collected for the measurement of saturated hydraulic conductivity, bulk density, total porosity and moisture content determination. Simple descriptive statistic of mean, variance and standard deviation was used to analyze the data. The soils were predominantly sandy loan texture, with percentage sand, silt and clay as 710.7, 118.9, and 170.4 g kg-1 respectively. Soil bulk density and saturated hydraulic conductivity were 1.40 g cm-3 and 10.27 cm hr-1 at 0 – 15 cm depth, while soil organic carbon and CEC were 0.67 % and 6.62 cmol/kg respectively. The initial infiltration rate ranged from 7.40 - 87.46 mm hr-1 with a mean of 44.09 mm hr-1, meanwhile, the steady state infiltration rate ranged between 4.99 – 22 mm hr-1, with a mean value of 15.42 mm hr-1. High soil bulk density caused moderate to low infiltration capacity. The mean values for the steady state infiltration rate suggest that the soils of the study area have moderate infiltration capacity, therefore, water application for irrigation should be less or equal to the infiltration capacity of the soils to minimize water loss by surface runoff and erosion.

3D hydrogeophysical characterization of managed aquifer recharge basins

Aquifers are increasingly stressed. Managed aquifer recharge provides a potential solution to mitigate this stress and provide sustainable groundwater resources. Subsurface properties are known to have a strong control on the infiltration rates that can be achieved. However, these properties are often highly heterogeneous and difficult to assess with conventional probing techniques. Here, we show the application of 3D geophysical imaging to assess the recharge potential and its variation across several basins used for managed aquifer recharge. We link in-situ measurements of saturated hydraulic conductivity with the electrical resistivity of the subsurface to establish petrophysical relationships and use those relationships to estimate the distribution of hydraulic conductivity throughout the five recharge basins. Our results show a considerable variability in the hydraulic properties, i.e., soil texture and saturated hydraulic conductivity, that have a direct impact on potential infiltration rates. We use the 3D hydraulic property distributions to model groundwater recharge and provide estimates for infiltration rates and volumes, and use this approach to assess the impact of management activities on groundwater recharge performance. Having such data not only enables us to predict infiltration rates, but also provides means for optimizing such water infrastructure.

Manual packing and soil reuse effects on determination of saturated hydraulic conductivity of a loam soil

Performing laboratory measurement of saturated hydraulic conductivity, Ks, of sieved soil is important for many scientific purposes such as testing theories and methods to determine Ks. A given soil mass can be used only once or it can be reused after a previous use. Little is known on the dependence of the Ks measurements on both the applied packing method and the reuse of the same soil mass. This lack of knowledge makes comparisons among different investigations more or less uncertain. Four packing methods were tested on an initially dry loam soil by measuring Ks with the simplified falling head (SFH) technique. The four methods differed by the used compacting procedure (dropping from a given height, pestle imparting vertical and radial forces on the pressed soil surface) and the number of soil layers disposed at each step of the procedure. Changes in Ks due to the reuse of the same soil mass were also determined. Depending on the packing method and the number of times a given soil mass was used, the means of Ks varied from 51 to 110 mm h−1, with a ratio between these two extremes of 2.2, and the coefficients of variation, CVs, ranged between 10 and 36%, depending on the developed dataset (sample size, N = 15 for each dataset). Therefore, the packing method and the reuse of the same soil had a moderate effect on determination of Ks. For a given pre-treatment of the soil mass, the lowest variability of Ks was detected by using the pestle, probably because this simple device favored homogenization of the soil and enhanced the contact with the walls of the cylinder. With the pestle, reusing the soil once was enough to pass from a medium (CV = 23–27%) to a low (CV = 12%) variation of Ks. Taking into account that the best procedure yields the lowest variability of the individual Ks measurements, the conclusion was that the pestle and a previously wetted soil should be used. In the future, additional experiments should be carried out on other soils, in different antecedent soil water conditions and with other laboratory measurement methods of Ks. This study provided new information on soil sample preparation methods and it showed that simple procedures could be applied for preparing different samples with similar Ks values.

Spatialization of saturated hydraulic conductivity using the Bayesian Maximum Entropy method: Application to wastewater infiltration areas

Wastewater treatment, a major issue at the European level, focuses on improving surface water and groundwater quality, preserving the receiving environment, and ensuring a sustainable use of water. Soil infiltration is increasingly practiced downstream of wastewater treatment plants, particularly in rural areas without surface water bodies, as is the use of soil as an additional buffer and treatment step. However, the design of infiltration areas on heterogeneous soils remains an extremely complex task due to the costly and time-consuming spatial measurement of saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks). This article proposes integrating 2D electrical resistivity tomography and infiltration tests into a Bayesian Maximum Entropy method, yielding a vertical mapping of soil heterogeneities at a metric scale. This updated method will facilitate infiltration area design in a heterogeneous soil setting.

SoilKsatDB: global database of soil saturated hydraulic conductivity measurements for geoscience applications

Abstract. The saturated soil hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) is a key parameter in many hydrological and climate models. Ksat values are primarily determined from basic soil properties and may vary over several orders of magnitude. Despite the availability of Ksat datasets in the literature, significant efforts are required to combine the data before they can be used for specific applications. In this work, a total of 13 258 Ksat measurements from 1908 sites were assembled from the published literature and other sources, standardized (i.e., units made identical), and quality checked in order to obtain a global database of soil saturated hydraulic conductivity (SoilKsatDB). The SoilKsatDB covers most regions across the globe, with the highest number of Ksat measurements from North America, followed by Europe, Asia, South America, Africa, and Australia. In addition to Ksat, other soil variables such as soil texture (11 584 measurements), bulk density (11 262 measurements), soil organic carbon (9787 measurements), moisture content at field capacity (7382), and wilting point (7411) are also included in the dataset. To show an application of SoilKsatDB, we derived Ksat pedotransfer functions (PTFs) for temperate regions and laboratory-based soil properties (sand and clay content, bulk density). Accurate models can be fitted using a random forest machine learning algorithm (best concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) equal to 0.74 and 0.72 for temperate area and laboratory measurements, respectively). However, when these Ksat PTFs are applied to soil samples obtained from tropical climates and field measurements, respectively, the model performance is significantly lower (CCC = 0.49 for tropical and CCC = 0.10 for field measurements). These results indicate that there are significant differences between Ksat data collected in temperate and tropical regions and Ksat measured in the laboratory or field. The SoilKsatDB dataset is available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3752721 (Gupta et al., 2020) and the code used to extract the data from the literature and the applied random forest machine learning approach are publicly available under an open data license.

Selecting the most suitable pedotransfer functions for estimating saturated hydraulic conductivity according to the available soil inputs

Direct measurements of saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) are costly and time-consuming. Alternatively, pedotransfer functions (PTFs) have been developed to estimate Ksat in terms of readily available soil properties. The goal of this study is to evaluate forty-five PTFs of Ksat. The functions were divided into four groups according to their input requirements: EP-Ksat group (F1.1-F1.9) require the effective porosity as inputs; SSC-Ksat group (F2.1-F2.12) require (sand, silt, clay contents); SSCBD-Ksat group (F3.1-F3.8) require (sand, silt, clay contents), bulk density; and SSCBDOM-Ksat group (F4.1-F4.16) require (sand, silt, clay contents), bulk density, and organic matter content. The results showed that the best PTFs were F1.9 and F1.5 in EP-Ksat group. For the SSC-Ksat group, the PTFs F2.1, F2.11. For the SSCBD-Ksat group, the PTFs F3.5, F3.6. For SSCBDOM-Ksat group, the PTFs F4.13 and F4.8. Results of this study are helpful for predicting Ksat inputs required for large scale hydrologic models with reliability.

India’s Commitments to Increase Tree and Forest Cover: Consequences for Water Supply and Agriculture Production within the Central Indian Highlands

As part of its nationally determined contributions as well as national forest policy goals, India plans to boost tree cover to 33% of its land area. Land currently under other uses will require tree-plantations or reforestation to achieve this goal. This paper examines the effects of converting cropland to tree or forest cover in the Central India Highlands (CIH). The paper examines the impact of increased forest cover on groundwater infiltration and recharge, which are essential for sustainable Rabi (winter, non-monsoon) season irrigation and agricultural production. Field measurements of saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs) linked to hydrological modeling estimate increased forest cover impact on the CIH hydrology. Kfs tests in 118 sites demonstrate a significant land cover effect, with forest cover having a higher Kfs of 20.2 mm h−1 than croplands (6.7 mm h−1). The spatial processes in hydrology (SPHY) model simulated forest cover from 2% to 75% and showed that each basin reacts differently, depending on the amount of agriculture under paddy. Paddy agriculture can compensate for low infiltration through increased depression storage, allowing for continuous infiltration and groundwater recharge. Expanding forest cover to 33% in the CIH would reduce groundwater recharge by 7.94 mm (−1%) when converting the average cropland and increase it by 15.38 mm (3%) if reforestation is conducted on non-paddy agriculture. Intermediate forest cover shows however shows potential for increase in net benefits.

Studying hydraulic conductivity of asphalt concrete using a database

A new database called AC/k-1624 containing over 1600 measurements of saturated hydraulic conductivity of asphalt concrete has been assembled and analysed. AC/k-1624 was used to investigate the effect of the grading entropy parameters on saturated hydraulic conductivity. A new prediction model comprising both air voids and grading entropy is presented. The database analysis using different predictors of asphalt hydraulic conductivity reveals that the gradation does affect the hydraulic conductivity, but the air void level is necessary to make reasonable a-priori assessments of hydraulic conductivity for asphalt concrete. The new empirical model is shown to have a good predictive capacity for hydraulic conductivity fitting more securely at higher values with more scatter observed at lower values. The effects of test type, gradation classification and Nominal Maximum Aggregate Size (NMAS) are also studied, revealing in general relatively modest influences on the computed regression coefficients.

The measurements of saturated hydraulic conductivity of the forest floor under deciduous forest

The measurements of saturated hydraulic conductivity of the forest floor under deciduous forest

Determination of soil hydraulic properties and its implications for mechanistic simulations and irrigation management

Water retention θ(h) and hydraulic conductivity K(h) are mandatory soil hydraulic properties (SHP) for consistent hydrological modeling and for an efficient irrigation management. Most commonly, SHP are determined by conventional methods (CM), based on hydrostatic equilibrium and the independent measurement of saturated hydraulic conductivity, which is used as a matching point for K(h) function. Alternatively, inverse-modeling experiments allow simultaneous parameter estimation using data from transient water flow conditions. This study aims to investigate the implications of these two protocols on simulations of soil water content (θ) and crop evapotranspiration (ET), and how they affect irrigation management and scheduling for different irrigation systems and crops. The SHP obtained from CM and IM were used in simulations with the Richards equation-based SWAP hydrological model. ET and θ were simulated for passion fruit under high-frequency drip irrigation and for pasture under conventional sprinkler irrigation. The simulation performance was evaluated using measured θ and ET obtained with passion fruit under drip irrigation. Both methods (CM and IM) gave similar results in the wetter range, while in the drier soil, CM estimated higher θ than IM. These differences affected the simulated ET and irrigation scheduling. Regarding the ET and θ simulations, for the drip irrigation scenario, in which the water content in the root zone remains near saturation, both SHP determination methods produced similar results. On the other hand, for scenarios with larger irrigation intervals such as sprinkler irrigation, simulations were affected significantly, with CM likely biasing irrigation frequency and depth.

Wetted front advance under point-source field dripper system for estimation of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity function

Unsaturated soil hydraulic conductivity function is often required for designing a drip irrigation system. Point-source field dripper methods are available for quick measurement of saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and scaling parameters of the soil. However, steady-state saturated front radii is difficult to differentiate compared to the wetted front radii, which is easy and precise. Field dripper methods were used for estimation of Ks and scale parameters using saturated front radii for four different soils viz ., cultivated tilled and no-tilled normal and sodic soils. There exists a good consistency among the values obtained by using saturated as well as wetted front radii. Use of wetted front radii could be useful for measurement of Ks and scale parameter of the soil with more accuracy.

A database of saturated hydraulic conductivity of fine-grained soils: probability density functions

ABSTRACTSaturated hydraulic conductivity is a key soil mechanics parameter which has widespread use in many geotechnical applications. In order to set up stochastic analyses, geotechnical modellers require databases to calibrate the parameter ranges and distributions employed. This letter uses a recently compiled database of saturated hydraulic conductivity measurements called FG/KSAT-1358 and reports on the fitting of various probability density functions to the data of void ratio, liquid limit, water content ratio and the negative natural logarithm of ksat. It is shown that the best fit distribution is the lognormal for void ratio, while the loglogistic distribution is most favoured for liquid limit and water content ratio, and the best fit distribution for -ln[ksat(m/s)] is the logistic function. The data of -ln[ksat(m/s)] is then subdivided according to liquid limit level, silt or clay classification, type of hydraulic conductivity test used and sample preparation/condition. When some subdivisions of the database are analysed, the best fit distribution is more variable with GEV and logistic being the most favoured for most of the studied subsets.

Spatial variability of saturated hydraulic conductivity and measurement-based intensity-duration thresholds for slope stability, Santa Ynez Valley, CA

Shallow landslides are commonly triggered by positive pore-fluid pressures generated at the soil-bedrock interface and are linked to heavy rainfall. In this study, in situ measurements of saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) were performed at three historic landslide sites to determine its variability and implications on predicting rainfall-rate thresholds for shallow landslides in the Santa Ynez Valley, CA. Falling head tests were performed in the soil column and at the soil-bedrock interface to estimate Ksat. It was found that overlying soils from the A and B horizons exhibited higher infiltration rates ranging from 37 to 138 mm/h and 24 to 77 mm/h, respectively, whereas the failure plane (coincident with the soil-bedrock interface) exhibited Ksat values ranging from 4 to 33 mm/h. Below the soil-bedrock interface, Ksat ranged from 5 to 123 mm/h, signifying a pattern of fast-slow-fast infiltration. Measurements of grain size distributions and bulk density do not provide insight into the cause of low-conductivity at the soil-bedrock interface. Rather, field observations suggest that the infilling of fractures and pore spaces with fine-grained particles and caliche are a possible cause of the low-conductivity layer. Measurements of soil mechanical and hydrologic properties were used in a finite slope-stability model as well as a simple 1-D flow model to predict intensity-duration (I-D) thresholds for shallow landsliding in this area. Results of this analysis indicate rainfall intensities >20–30 mm/h that are sustained for >2–4 h are capable of triggering widespread shallow landsliding. This study also suggests that the variability in Ksat at the failure plane can produce significant changes in I-D thresholds for failure and is an important factor in predicting slope stability over any spatial scale.

Macropore structure and permeability of clay fill samples from a historic clay fill earthwork

Abstract Near surface macropores and macro features (e.g. cracks and fissures) provide pathways for rapid water infiltration into the core of clay fill earthworks. However it is more difficult to measure the size and distribution of macropores located below the weathered soil surface (>1.5 m depth) and hence assess their influence on water flow through the clay fill core of an earthwork. This paper explores the influence of macropores on the rate of water flow within the core of a historic railway earthwork. Samples were excavated from the core (1.5 m–6.5 m depth) of a clay fill railway embankment and subjected to laboratory saturated hydraulic conductivity testing. The samples were scanned using X -ray computed tomography (XCT) before and after laboratory testing. XCT was used to measure the size and distribution of macropores (>63 × 10−6 m) within the samples and compare with the saturated hydraulic conductivity measurements. The results showed that the distribution of macropores and the saturated hydraulic conductivity of the samples from the embankment core was not dependant on the depth of excavation. The total macroporosity of the samples was very small relative to the total porosity (less than 10%). The saturated hydraulic conductivity of the samples was more closely related to the connectivity of the macropores (mean length) than to the total porosity or the total macroporosity. The macropores were variably distributed within the core of the clay fill embankment, they did not show a clear relationship with depth and they were connected over relatively short lengths (the mean macropore length was not greater than 1.6 × 10−3 m). Therefore water flow through the core of the embankment is likely to be through the clay fill matrix, rather than through the connected macropore pathways which allow rapid water infiltration at the near soil surface (

Assessment of clogging in constructed wetlands by saturated hydraulic conductivity measurements.

This study aims at defining a methodology to evaluate Ks reductions of gravel material constituting constructed wetland (CW) bed matrices. Several schemes and equations for the Lefranc's test were compared by using different gravel sizes and at multiple spatial scales. The falling-head test method was implemented by using two steel permeameters: one impervious (IMP) and one pervious (P) on one side. At laboratory scale, mean K values for a small size gravel (8-15 × 10-2 m) measured by the IMP and the P permeameters were equal to 19,466 m/d and 30,662 m/d, respectively. Mean Ks values for a big size gravel (10-25 × 10-2 m) measured by the IMP and the P permeameters were equal to 12,135 m/d and 20,866 m/d, respectively. Comparison of Ks values obtained by the two permeameters at laboratory scale as well as a sensitivity analysis and a calibration, lead to the modification of the standpipe equation, to evaluate also the temporal variation of the horizontal Ks. In particular, both permeameters allow the evaluation of the Ks decreasing after 4 years-operation and 1-1.5 years' operation of the plants at full scale (filled with the small size gravel) and at pilot scale (filled with the big size gravel), respectively.

Change of hydraulic conductivity of cohesive soils due to consolidation treatments with expanding resins

Settlements of ground subjected to foundation load are often due to both natural and/or anthropogenic causes, such as differential consolidation, seepage, periods of drought alternating with heavy rainfalls, growth of tree roots, sewer leaks, vibrations induced by vehicle traffic, excavations, or construction defects. Techniques of soil consolidation and stabilization by means of injection of polyurethane expanding resins have been efficiently used to mitigate or even solve this issue. The efficiency of the resin injection treatment has been well documented also thanks to the develop of a procedure of planning and monitoring which combines traditional geotechnical tests with the application of electrical resistivity tomography, which is strongly sensitive to the presence of water or voids. The combination of these survey methodologies allows to recognize the effect of injection in terms of soil compaction and water migration, a key factor for understanding the phenomenon and planning of resolutive interventions. The present study follows a previous work aimed at evaluating the increase in the geotechnical performance of cohesive soils treated by injection of expanding resins (same soil, resin, at the same site) and integrates it by focusing on the quantification of the effects of consolidation treatments, by means of expanding resins injection, on hydrologic properties of cohesive soils, focusing on saturated hydraulic conductivity measurements. Laboratory permeability test, performed in triaxial cell at different stress conditions and hydraulic gradients, were performed on undisturbed samples collected on “natural (non-treated)” and “treated soils”, before and after the injection of resin (MAXIMA ® by GEOSEC ® ) in a full-scale test site characterized by the presence of continuous and homogeneous cohesive soils, (clay and silts). The investigated soil is classified as CH or CL soil, very firm and apparently overconsolidated. The study shows how the treatment is able to modify the characteristics of hydraulic conductivity of the soil. The injected resins partly follow pre-existing weaknesses and partly impregnate homogeneous and continuous masses of soil in a capillary way, giving it, in addition to the already documented greater mechanical strength, a lower hydraulic conductivity. The electrical resistivity investigations allow to appreciate the volumes affected by the treatment to which the variations of the measured properties can be attributed.