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Modeling and Mechanics of Granular and Porous Materials pp 181–210Cite as

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Flow of Water in Rigid and Non-Rigid, Saturated and Unsaturated Soils

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Abstract

Flow of water in soils is studied intensely in soil physics and hydrology. The continuum theory of mixtures can be used as a framework for outlining the theory. The well-established theory for flow of water in rigid soils is reviewed briefly, with emphasis on the description and main implications of the non-linear theory proposed by Richards in 1931. For non-rigid soils, it is convenient to formulate the theory in terms of material coordinates of the solid phase. For one-dimensional, vertical flow, it is shown that, compared to the theory for rigid soils, the effect of the weight of the soil may be to reverse the sign of the gravitational force in the Richards equation. Progress with multi-dimensional deformation processes is outlined, including the complications arising from cracking. Finally, available analytical and numerical solutions of one-dimensional, equilibrium and flow problems for water in non-rigid soils are reviewed.

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  1. KL Roden, The Netherlands, Paaskamp, 16, NL-9301, Netherlands

    Peter A. C. Raats

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Matematica, Università di Pisa, Pisa, I-56127, Italy

    Gianfranco Capriz

  2. Dipartimento di Meccanica e Materiali, Università “Mediterranea” di Reggio Calabria, Reggio Calabria, I-89060, Italy

    Vito N. Ghionna  & Pasquale Giovine  & 

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Raats, P.A.C. (2002). Flow of Water in Rigid and Non-Rigid, Saturated and Unsaturated Soils. In: Capriz, G., Ghionna, V.N., Giovine, P. (eds) Modeling and Mechanics of Granular and Porous Materials. Modeling and Simulation in Science, Engineering and Technology. Birkhäuser, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-0079-6_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-0079-6_7

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