Version 1
: Received: 3 September 2024 / Approved: 3 September 2024 / Online: 3 September 2024 (16:58:38 CEST)
How to cite:
Shah, S. S. A.; Turrakheil, K. S.; NAVEED, M. Impact of Wetting and Drying Cycles on the Hydromechanical Properties of Soil and Stability of the Earth Infrastructure. Preprints2024, 2024090250. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202409.0250.v1
Shah, S. S. A.; Turrakheil, K. S.; NAVEED, M. Impact of Wetting and Drying Cycles on the Hydromechanical Properties of Soil and Stability of the Earth Infrastructure. Preprints 2024, 2024090250. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202409.0250.v1
Shah, S. S. A.; Turrakheil, K. S.; NAVEED, M. Impact of Wetting and Drying Cycles on the Hydromechanical Properties of Soil and Stability of the Earth Infrastructure. Preprints2024, 2024090250. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202409.0250.v1
APA Style
Shah, S. S. A., Turrakheil, K. S., & NAVEED, M. (2024). Impact of Wetting and Drying Cycles on the Hydromechanical Properties of Soil and Stability of the Earth Infrastructure. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202409.0250.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Shah, S. S. A., Kanishka Sauis Turrakheil and MUHAMMAD NAVEED. 2024 "Impact of Wetting and Drying Cycles on the Hydromechanical Properties of Soil and Stability of the Earth Infrastructure" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202409.0250.v1
Abstract
The earth infrastructure is the backbone of the global economy, connecting people, enhancing quality of life, and promoting health and safety. However, its vulnerabilities are becoming apparent due to climate change, mainly through frequent wetting and drying (wd) cycles. This study aimed to assess the impact of controlled w-d cycles on the hydromechanical properties of clayey and silty sand soils and its implications for the performance of a typical flood embankment. Volumetric changes were monitored during the w-d cycles. Soil water characteristic curve (SWCC), saturated hydraulic conductivity (ksat), effective cohesion (c’) and effective angle of internal friction (ϕ’) were measured at 1 and 10 w-d cycles. The results indicated that the 10 w-d cycles decreased the saturated moisture content and a flatter SWCC compared to the 1 w-d cycle for clayey soil. The ksat was also significantly higher at 10 w-d cycles than the 1 w-d cycle for clayey soil. An insignificant difference was found in both SWCC and ksat at 1 and 10 w-d cycles for silty sand soil. The ϕ’ for the clayey soil decreased from 28.5 to 20.1 as the wd cycles increased from 1 to 10, while the c’ remained unchanged at 10 kN/m2. On the other hand, for the silty sand soil, the ϕ’ increased from 34.6 to 37.5 with an increase in w-d cycles from 1 to 10, and the c’ remained constant at 1 kN/m2. Numerical modelling of transient water flow coupled with slope stability analysis revealed the dependence of flood embankment performance on the soil's hydromechanical properties and the flooding duration. These findings underscore the need for proactive measures to mitigate landslide risks in regions prone to frequent w-d cycles, thereby ensuring the safety and resilience of slopes and associated infrastructure.
Keywords
wetting-drying cycles; soil water characteristics; saturated hydraulic conductivity; shear strength of soil; slope stability analysis
Subject
Engineering, Civil Engineering
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
