Frontiers in Environmental Science (Jul 2021)

SWCC of Calcareous Silty Sand Under Different Fines Contents and dry Densities

  • Jian-Hua Shen,
  • Ming-Jian Hu,
  • Xing Wang,
  • Chen-Yang Zhang,
  • Dong-Sheng Xu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2021.682907
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9

Abstract

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Investigating the soil-water characteristics of calcareous soil has a great significance for preventing geological disasters on island-reefs as well as maintaining the foundation stability of hydraulic-filled island-reefs. In this study, calcareous silty sands with different fines contents and dry densities were studied to reveal their effects on the soil-water characteristics of calcareous soil on hydraulic-filled island-reefs. The soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) of the calcareous silty sand was measured using a pressure plate apparatus. Taking into account the porous meso-structure, the effects of fines content and dry density on the SWCC of calcareous silty sand were analyzed, and the applicability of existing SWCC models to calcareous silty sand was verified. A SWCC model suitable for assessing soil-water characteristic of calcareous silty sand was proposed. Results of this study provide some reference for quantifying the water-holding capacity of calcareous silty sand.

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