Some examples and lessons from long-term field measurements of suction in Greece

Abstract

The occurrence of unsaturated soils in the field has been well documented worldwide by measurements of the degree of saturation on samples taken during geotechnical investigations. On the other hand, the suction of unsaturated soils in the field, especially as part of long-term measurements, is documented very rarely and references on the subject are very few and for very few places around the world. The scarceness of this kind of measurements denies researchers perception of the anticipated suction and its possible loss, or retention, as a result of climatic conditions, especially in countries with warm temperate climate. Suction measurements from temporary and permanent stations in Greece and Cyprus have been presented in the past showing that considerably high values of suction can develop and be maintained even during wet periods. This paper focuses on examples and lesson learned from stations in Greece, especially magnitude and change of suction with time, as well as longevity of stations and associated problems.