Wetting front advancing column test for measuring unsaturated hydraulic conductivity

Abstract

Unsaturated hydraulic conductivity is the primary soil parameter required when performing seepage analyses for unsaturated–saturated soil systems. Unsaturated hydraulic conductivity is also one of the most difficult parameters to measure because of the time involved and the limited suction measurement range (e.g., 0∼1500 kPa in a test using the steady-state method). In this study, a new wetting front advancing method was developed for measuring unsaturated hydraulic conductivity. The wetting front advancing method simulates and monitors a soil wetting process through a large-scale soil column. A new interpretative procedure was developed to calculate the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity based on the monitored water content, suction, and wetting front advancing velocity. The proposed technique is used to measure the unsaturated hydraulic conductivities of five soils, which vary from gravel to clay. The results indicate that the proposed technique is time-saving (i.e., requires several days for a complete test) and is applicable over wide ranges of suctions and unsaturated hydraulic conductivities. The measured unsaturated hydraulic conductivity using the wetting front advancing method is similar to that obtained using the instantaneous profile method, with the latter covering narrower ranges of soil suction and hydraulic conductivity.