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Examining long-term variability in saturated hydraulic conductivity of sandy soils and its influencing factors
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  • Saeed Nikghalb Ashouri,
  • Adrian Pittari,
  • Vicki Moon,
  • Ali Shokri
Saeed Nikghalb Ashouri
Waikato University
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Adrian Pittari
Waikato University
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Vicki Moon
Waikato University
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Ali Shokri
Waikato University

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Abstract

Saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) is a crucial parameter that influences water flow in saturated soils, with applications in various fields such as surface water runoff, soil erosion, drainage, and solute transport. However, accurate estimation of Ks is challenging due to temporal and spatial uncertainties. This study addresses the knowledge gap regarding the long-term behaviour of Ks in sandy soils with less than 10% fine particles. The research investigates the changes in Ks over a long period of constant head tests and examines the factors influencing its variation. Two sandy samples were tested using a hydraulic conductivity cell, and the hydraulic head and discharge were recorded for over 50 days. The results show a general decline in Ks throughout the test, except for brief periods of increase. Furthermore, the relationship between flow rate and hydraulic head gradient does not follow the expected linear correlation from Darcy’s law, highlighting the complex nature of sandy soil hydraulic conductivity. The investigation of soil properties in three different sections of the samples before and after the tests revealed a decrease in the percentage of fine particles and a shift in specific gravity from the bottom to the top of the sample, suggesting particle migration along the flow direction. Factors such as clogging by fine particles and pore pressure variation contribute to the changes in Ks. The implications of this study have far-reaching effects on various geotechnical engineering applications. These include groundwater remediation, geotechnical stability analysis, and drainage system design.
13 Sep 2023Submitted to ESS Open Archive
13 Sep 2023Published in ESS Open Archive