X-ray Computed Tomography Method for Measuring Matric Suction of Micro-Sheet Materials Mixed Cs2SO4

Abstract

Abstract In this paper, the X-ray computed tomography method was applied to measure the matric suctions of the glass-sheet samples. With the contributions of Cs2SO4 solution, the distributions of water among glass sheets were distinctly observed. The shape of the liquid bridges between the glass sheets are not simple circular ring, but rings with the triangular or quadrangular projective planes. Cs2SO4 resulted in the coefficient surface tension of the solution decreasing, which is the main reason that the tested values of matric suction were slightly higher than calculated. Overall, the differences between tested and calculated values are less than 3%, which testified that X-ray computed tomography method for measuring matric suction is feasible. The significance of this work is X-ray computed tomography method could be applied in unsaturated clay soil constituted by sheet particles.