CIVE 498/898 Geoenvironmental Engineering Fall 2016 Homework No. 4 — Soil water characteristic curve (SWCC), K-function Due: Nov. 01 Tue. at start of class The following diagram shows a conceptual system, involving a capillary tube with a pressure-tight enclosure at the top, inserted into a reservoir of water. The gas pressure in the capillary tube is initially at atmospheric pressure. Some time after the tube is inserted, a new equilibrium is established. Compute the capillary rise, H., in the tube: a. Fora radius = R = 105 m (Please use the surface of the water reservoir as your elevation reference, i.e. 2=0) b. Prepare a plot of the height of capillary rise for radii varying from 10” to 102 m. L=2m Pam = 101 kPa Ope = 0.0727 Nim 20 aw) Conceptual mode! RP Consider the following: a. Assume that the water perfectly wets the tube (i.e., contact angle @ between tube and water is zero.) b. Use atmospheric pressure (Paim) as your reference pressure. c. Gas within the sealed capillary tube is initially at a volume equal to that of the volume of the capillary tube, and is at atmospheric pressure (hint: Use Boyle's law P,V1772 = P2V2T/ to calculate the air pressure within the tube at equilibrium). d. Pain = Pgos + Pw, Pw= water pressure in the tube; Cgy = Pyes + Pw e. Gas within the capillary tube may be treated as an ideal gas. f. You may want to use the total potential per unit volume (in pressure units) rather than the total potential per unit weight (or head, in length units) in your calculations. This will avoid problems due to the different unit weights of air and water. g. Equilibrium implies that no flow occurs. h. Assume constant temperature and no evaporation. i, Neglect air diffusion through the water.2. Experimental data is given below for the SWCC and K-function for Superstition sand (Richards 1952). The soil has a porosity of 0.375. SWCC and K data W (kPa) S(%) K (mis) 7,00 E-14 400 7.83 E-04 0.294 100) 1.83 E-04) 0.981 99 1.76 E-04 4.961 96 1.55 E-04 2.942 80 7226-05 | 3.923 53.7 1.03 E-05, 4,903 41.6 2.00 E-06 5.884 36.5 6.67 E-07 6.864 33.7 2.88 E-07 7.845 31.9 1.45 E-07, 8.826 30.8 8.32 E-08 9.806 29.9 5.01 E-08 14.710 27.8 9.12 E-09 19.613, aT 3.33 E-09 (a. Determine the best-fit parameters for the van Genuchten (1980) SWCC model. Choose representative values of @; and @,, and fit by changing a and n. Use the solver in EXCEL to minimize the difference between the fitted values and the experimental values of 8. = (1+ @yyrre® b. Determine the best-fit parameters for the Brooks-Coery (1964) SWCC model. Choose representative values of @ and @,, and wa fit by changing A. Use the solver in EXCEL to minimize the difference between the fitted values and the experimental values of 8. =(¥y* ve Ge) c. Which model better represent the data? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each of the two models for use in engineering practice?4d. Predict the K-function for the sand using the best-fit parameters determined in part (a) and (b) with the van Genuchten-Mualem and Brooks-Corey-Burdine models, respectively. Which model shows a better prediction for this set of data? Cana you think of reasons that the prediction is not accurate? e, Determine the best-fit K-function parameters for the data for both of the models in part (d). Use a similar approach to parts a and b, although trial and error may need to be used because the EXCEL solver may not work well for small difference. How do the predictions of the SWCC change in this case? f. Perform a parametric analysis for each of the parameters in the van Genuchten SWCC model (i.¢., a, n, @,, 85). Use the SWCC for the best-fit parameters from part (a) as the baseline case. Prepare 4 plots, comparing the baseline SWCC with the SWCCs that result from changing one of the parameters by +20% while holding the other parameters constant. What parameter has the greatest effect? g. Briefly summarize the effects of compaction water content and plasticity index on the shape of the SWCC on the van Genuchten parameters described by Tinjum et al (1997) for compacted clay barriers. Which soils have a higher air-entry pressure? Which soits have a higher moisture storage capacity ata suction of 33 KPa? a . By using Burdine’s (1953) equation oe below, derive mathematically a relationship for K(8) shown in Lecture note, “Unsat. (3) Pp. 12, which is based on the Brooks and Corey (1964) capillary head vs. water content relationship. yt Brooks-Corey (1964) model: @ = ® where w = suction, Ws = suction, @ = “+, 9, is the residual moisture content, 6. the porosity. Sf _ 92 (_tsoainneratoas_) = e228 ‘Actual (Sat) Fluid Pathways Burdine's (1953) equation: “ pe Keat ae