Consolidation apparatus for testing unsaturated soils

Abstract

An apparatus for performing consolidation tests under K0 conditions was designed and constructed for testing unsaturated soils. Three types of consolidation tests are of interest in unsaturated soils. These are: (1) constant water content loading tests, (2) consolidation under a net total stress, and (3) consolidation under a matric suction. The apparatus had been used for simultaneous and separate measurements of pore-air and pore-water pressures for all three types of consolidation tests. The experimental results demonstrate the pore pressure and volume change behavior of an unsaturated soil during these tests.