Permeability function for unsaturated soil

Abstract

This paper proposes a permeability function to estimate the water permeability coefficient of unsaturated soil. It is derived on the basis of the equilibrium equation of the water phase. Only one parameter is required in the proposed function, which is similar to the Brooks–Corey model. However, this parameter can be more easily obtained by using permeability tests of saturated soil with different porosity values. A number of test results in the literature are employed to validate the proposed permeability function, and the model prediction exhibits good agreement with the experimental data.

Keywords:

• Unsaturated soil
• permeability function
• equilibrium equation
• water phase

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant No. 51479023].