THE PRINCIPLE OF SOIL SUCTION AND ITS GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS

Soil suction has been used by soil scientists for many years, but only within the past two decades has the concept been applied to engineering soil mechanics. Although many engineers involved in geotechnical engineering research and in particular those involved with expansive soils, are familiar with the soil suction theory, few practicing professionals are familiar with the term and even fewer attempt to apply it to predicting the response of expansive clays to changes in the soil water content or soil water constituents. An introduction to the concept of soil suction is presented, some of the typical methods of measuring soil suction are described, and an iterative method of predicting static soil suction gradients under an impervious surface and the subsequent differential movement of the soil beneath the surface is explained as a means of introducing soil suction to the practitioner and encouraging its use where mechanical theories fail to predict the proper response of the foundation to changing subsurface soil conditions. (Author/TRRL)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0858252198
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Expansive Soils, Adelaide, South Australia, 21-23 May, 1984.
• Corporate Authors:

  Institution of Engineers

  11 National Circuit
  Barton, A.C.T.,   Australia 
• Authors:
  • Wray, W K
• Conference:
  • Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Expansive Soils, Adelaide, South Australia, 21-23 May, 1984.
• Publication Date: 1984

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 114-118
• Serial:
  • Issue Number: 84/3

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Conferences; Expansive clays; Forecasting; Foundations; Geotechnical engineering; Measurement; Measuring instruments; Soil mechanics; Soil structure interaction; Soil suction; Soil water; Soils; Subsoil; Swelling soils
• Uncontrolled Terms: Change
• Old TRIS Terms: Foundations (Structures); Response; Soil water content
• ITRD Terms: 6155: Apparatus (measuring); 8525: Conference; 6136: Measurement; 4156: Soil; 5771: Suction; 5203: Swelling (soil)
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00389700
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• ISBN: 0-85825-219-8
• Files: ITRD, TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 29 1985 12:00AM