Preliminary study on water retention behaviour of compacted koalin

Abstract

The soil water characteristic curve (SWCC), also known as soil water retention curve (SWRC), describes the relationship between water content and soil suction in unsaturated soils. The importance of SWCC can be seen, as the relationship will affect geotechnical properties such as shear strength, volume change, permeability and deformability of unsaturated soils. This paper presented a preliminary study on the effect of initial water content and density on SWCC on unsaturated compacted kaolin. Filter paper technique was used as suction measurement on the unsaturated compacted kaolin soil. Filter paper Whatman 42 was used to determine total suction and matric suction through contact and noncontact technique. ASTM D 5298 calibration curve was used to relate with the gravimetric water content obtained in filter paper with correspond suction. A comparison on SWCC established through filter paper was also compared with axis translation technique (pressure plate). The study found that the initial water content and density influence the SWCC of compacted kaolin.