ISSN: 1945-7545
CODEN: GTJODJ
Published Online: 7 October 2011
Page Count: 10

The Effect of Contact on the Filter Paper Method for Measuring Soil Suction

Marinho, Fernando A. M.


da Silva Gomes, Jorge E.


(Received 16 November 2010; accepted 17 September 2011)

Abstract

The filter paper method is one of the most commonly used and critiqued techniques for measuring soil suction. However, many aspects related to its use still require some clarification. The results of a comprehensive study on the effect of the contact between the soil grains and soil water and the filter paper are presented herein. We investigated the influence of the equilibration time, the texture of the porous material and the degree of contact, or lack thereof, between the soil grains and the filter paper using Whatman #42 and three different types of porous material. To enhance the difference between the total suction and the matrix suction, osmotic suction was induced by saturating the specimens with a sodium chloride solution.

Keywords:
unsaturated soil, soil suction, suction measurement, filter paper, contact effect, matrix suction, total suction

Paper ID: GTJ103571
DOI: 10.1520/GTJ103571
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