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DISCUSSION
The working principle behind the filter paper method is that the filter paper will
come to equilibrium with the soil either through vapor flow or liquid flow, and at
equilibrium, the suction value of the filter paper and the soil will be the same. If the filter
paper and soil are not in direct contact, then only total suction is measured. However, if
the filter paper and soil are in intimate contact, then only matric suction is measured.
In engineering practice, soil suction is composed of two components: matric and
osmotic suction. The sum of the matric and osmotic suction is called the total suction:
ht
RT P
ln
V
PO
(1)
where,
ht
R
T
V
P/PO
P
PO
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
REQUIRED APPARATUS
For Calibration Procedure:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
Filter papers; the ash-free quantitative Schleicher & Shuell No. 589 White
Ribbon or Whatman No. 42 type filter papers.
Salt solutions; sodium chloride (NaCl) solutions in a range between 0 (i.e.,
distilled water) to about 2.7 molality.
Sealed containers; 250 ml glass jars with lids which work nicely.
Small aluminum cans; the cans with lids are used as carriers for filter
papers during moisture content measurements.
A balance; a balance with an accuracy to the nearest 0.0001 g. is used for
moisture content determination.
An oven; an oven for determining the moisture contents of the filter papers
by leaving them in it for 24 hours at 105 5oC temperature in the
aluminum moisture cans (as in the standard test method for water content
determinations of soils).
A temperature room; a controlled temperature room in which the
temperature fluctuations are kept below 1oC is used for the equilibrium
period.
Pressure plates and tensiometers; pressure plates and tensiometers are used
for the low suction range in the calibration process.
An aluminum block; the block is used as a heat sink to cool the aluminum
cans for about 20 seconds after removing them from the oven.
In addition, latex gloves, tweezers, plastic tapes, plastic bags, ice-chests, scissors,
and a knife are used to set up the test.
NaCl solutions are prepared from 0 (i.e., distilled water) to 2.7 molality.
The definition of molality is the number of moles of NaCl in 1000 ml of
distilled water. For example, one mole of NaCl is 58.4428 g. Thus, 2
molality NaCl means 2 times 58.4428 g. or 116.8856 g. NaCl in 1000 ml
distilled water. Table 1 gives the NaCl weights at different suction values.
3
Suction in
cm
units
Suction in
pF
units
Suction in
kPa
units
0.000
0.003
0.007
0.010
0.050
0.100
0.300
0.500
0.700
0.900
1.100
1.300
1.500
1.700
1.900
2.100
2.300
2.500
2.700
0
153
347
490
2,386
4,711
13,951
23,261
32,735
42,403
52,284
62,401
72,751
83,316
94,228
105,395
116,857
128,625
140,699
0.00
2.18
2.54
2.69
3.38
3.67
4.14
4.37
4.52
4.63
4.72
4.80
4.86
4.92
4.97
5.02
5.07
5.11
5.15
0
15
34
48
234
462
1,368
2,281
3,210
4,158
5,127
6,119
7,134
8,170
9,240
10,335
11,459
12,613
13,797
b.
c.
NaCl amount
in grams
(in 1000 ml
distilled water)
0
0.1753
0.4091
0.5844
2.9221
5.8443
17.5328
29.2214
40.9099
52.5985
64.2871
75.9756
87.6642
99.3528
111.0413
122.7299
134.4184
146.1070
157.7956
Lid
Filter papers
Glass jar
Plastic support
Salt solution
d.
Steps b. and d. are repeated for each of the different NaCl concentrations.
Then, the prepared containers are put into plastic bags for extra protection. After
that, the containers are put into the ice-chests in a controlled temperature room. The
suggested equilibrium period is at least one week.
After the equilibrium period, the procedure for the filter paper water content
measurement is as follows:
a.
____________________________________________________________________
MEASUREMENT OF SOIL SUCTION USING FILTER PAPER
BORING NO.:_____________
DATE SAMPLED:_________
SAMPLE NO.:____________
DATE TESTED:____________
TESTED BY:_______________
Depth
Moisture Tin No.
Top Filter Paper/Bottom Filter Paper
(circle)
Cold Tare Mass, g
Mass of Wet Filter Paper +
Cold Tare Mass, g
Mass of Dry Filter Paper +
Hot Tare Mass, g
Hot Tare Mass, g
Mass of Dry Filter Paper, g
(M2 Th)
Mass of Water in Filter Paper,
g (M1 M2 Tc + Th)
Filter Paper Water Content, %
(Mw/Mf)
Top/
Bot.
Top/
Bot.
Top/
Bot.
Top/
Bot.
Top/
Bot.
Tc
M1
M2
Th
Mf
Mw
w
Suction, cm of water
Suction, pF
b.
c.
After that, all measurements are carried out by two persons. For example,
while one person is opening the sealed glass jar, the other person is putting
the filter paper into the aluminum can very quickly (i.e., in a few seconds,
usually less than 5 seconds) using the tweezers.
Then, the weights of each can with wet filter papers inside are taken very
quickly. The weights of cans and wet filter papers are recorded with the
corresponding can numbers and whether the top or bottom filter paper is
inside.
6
d.
e.
f.
II.
Step c. is followed for every glass jar. Then, all cans are put into the oven
with the lids half-open to allow evaporation. All filter papers are kept at a
105 5oC temperature for 24 hours inside the oven.
Before taking measurements on the dried filter papers, the cans are closed
with their lids and allowed to equilibrate for 5 minutes in the oven. Then a
can is removed from the oven and put on an aluminum block (i.e., heat
sinker) for about 20 seconds to cool down; the aluminum block acts as a
heat sink and expedites the cooling of the can. After that, the can with the
dry filter paper inside is weighed again very quickly. The dry filter paper
is taken from the can and the cold can is weighed in a few seconds.
Finally, all the weights are recorded on the data sheet shown in Fig. 2.
Step e. is repeated for every can.
In the calibration process at low suction values (i.e., below about 2.5 pF) salt
solutions can not be used, so for this part of the calibration (i.e., suction values less than
about 2.5 pF) pressure plates and tensiometers should be employed. In the calibration
process with pressure plates, the filter papers are either directly put on the porous disks or
embedded in soil specimens on the porous disks. However, when the filter papers are
embedded in the soil samples, protective filter papers need to be used in order to avoid
any contamination of the filter paper on which the measurement relies. In other words,
one filter paper from which the measurements will be taken is sandwiched between two
larger size protective filter papers. The configuration of the pressure plate setup is shown
in Fig.3. The suggested equilibrium period is about 3 to 5 days. The procedure is as
follows:
a.
b.
c.
Air supply
Pressure Plate
Porous disc
Soil
Filter
paper
Embedded
filter
papers
Water
outlet
Water compartment
Water
cup
d.
e.
f.
Step c. is followed for every pressure plate. Then, all cans are put into the
oven with the lids half-open to allow evaporation. All filter papers are
kept at a 105 5oC temperature for 24 hours inside the oven.
Before taking measurements on the dried filter papers, the cans are closed
with their lids and allowed to equilibrate for 5 minutes in the oven. Then a
can is removed from the oven and put on an aluminum block (i.e., heat
sinker) for about 20 seconds to cool down; the aluminum block acts as a
heat sink and expedites the cooling of the can. After that, the can with the
dry filter paper inside is weighed again very quickly. The dry filter paper
is taken from the can and the cold can is weighed in a few seconds.
Finally, all the weights are recorded on the data sheet shown in Fig. 2.
Step e. is repeated for every can.
The filter paper calibration curve of water content versus corresponding suction
values is obtained from the calibration testing procedure. If suction values in pF or log
(kPa) units are plotted with corresponding filter paper water content values a calibration
curve for that specific type filter paper is obtained. Such a curve for Schleicher &
Schuell No. 589 White Ribbon and Whatman No. 42 type filter papers is given by ASTM
D 5298 (1994) and is reproduced in Fig. 4, on which the suction values are plotted as log
(kPa).
6
log (kPa) = 5.327 - 0.0779 w
Whatman No. 52
Schleicher & Schuell No. 589
3
log (kPa) = 2.412 - 0.0135 w
2
1
log (kPa) = 1.882 - 0.0102 w
0
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
In addition, a new more recently developed calibration curve, for Schleicher & Schuell
No. 589 White Ribbon filter papers, is depicted in Fig. 4b.
4.5
Schleicher & Schuell
No. 589-WH Filter Paper
4
3.5
3
hm = 1.1247w-0.8473
2.5
R2 = 0.9745
2
1.5
1
ht = -8.247w + 5.4246
R2 = 0.9969
(1.5 < ht < 4.15)
0.5
0
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
Filter paper water content, w
1.2
1.4
Fig. 4b. The new total and matric suction calibration curves.
10
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
At least 75 percent volume of a glass jar is filled up with the soil; the
smaller the empty space remaining in the glass jar, the smaller the time
period that the filter paper and the soil system requires to come to
equilibrium.
A ring type support (1 to 2 cm in height) is put on top of the soil to provide
a non-contact system between the filter paper and the soil.
Two filter papers one on top of the other are inserted on the ring using
tweezers. The filter papers should not touch the soil, the inside wall of the
jar, and underneath the lid in any way.
Then, the glass jar lid is sealed very tightly with plastic type electrical
tape.
Steps a., b., c., and d. are repeated for every soil sample.
After that, the containers are put into the ice-chests in a controlled
temperature room for equilibrium.
The suggested equilibrium period is at least one week. After the equilibrium
period, the procedure for the filter paper water content measurement is as follows:
11
Filter papers
Total Suction
Ring support
Soil sample
Filter paper
in
betw
een
two
prote
Matric Suction
Soil sample
Lid
Glass jar
Embedded
filter papers
for matric
suction
measurements
(refer to above
drawing)
Fig. 5. Contact and noncontact filter paper methods for measuring total and matric
suction.
12
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
After obtaining all of the filter paper water content values an appropriate
calibration curve , such as the one in Fig. 4, is employed to get total suction values of the
soil samples.
Soil Matric Suction Measurements:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
The suggested equilibrium period is 3 to 5 days. After the equilibrium period, the
procedure for the filter paper water content measurement is as follows:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
After obtaining all of the filter paper water content values an appropriate
calibration curve, such as the one in Fig. 4, is employed to get matric suction values of
the soil samples.
14