Influence of Temperature on the Water Retention Curve of Soils. Modelling and Experiments

Summary

We investigate the influence of temperature on the retention curve of soils. This curve represents the constitutive relation between water content w and suction s, for a given temperature T and a given void ratio e. We present a model based on the differential of suction as a function of T, w and e. When adjusted for a retention curve obtained at a given temperature, this model enables to predict this curve for any temperature. In parallel, we carried out experiments on a clayey silty sand by using a pressure cell immersed in a thermostatic bath. The model was validated by several tests on the clayey silty sand at 20 and 60˚ C. The application of the model to data found in the literature confirms its predictive power for a wide range of porous materials. These results allow us to plot the retention surface, from experimental tests obtained at a given temperature and from modelling. It can be considered as a generalization of the classical retention curve. Finally, we discuss the influence of the void ratio variation during experiments on the curve predicted by the model.