Rainfall evaluation of root water uptake induced deformation

Abstract

A volume change was modeled as a result of matric suction change caused by vegetative induced moisture migration. Tree root water-uptake increases soil strength by increasing the soil matric suction and as well causes volume change which might be detrimental to geotechnical structure. Rainfall effects are evaluated for full cycle and simulated for periods that covers a spring/summer soil-drying phase of 6 months followed by an autumn/winter 6 month recharge phase. The effects of with and without rainfall has been incorporated into the simulation work. Generally rainfall reduces the amount of the root generated matric suction and ground movement due to recharge. From the results, vegetative induced matric suction change, induced deformation without considering rainfall effect tends to be too conservative and work of this kind is not complete without inclusion of rainfall data.