Effect of pore size distribution on permeability and shear strength of soil with unimodal grain size distribution

Abstract

Engineering properties (saturated and unsaturated permeability, saturated and unsaturated shear strength) of a soil are affected by pore size distribution. Water flow within pores of soil changes the matric suction, thus affecting the permeability and shear strength of the soil. Soil mechanics in the past deals and focuses mainly with saturated soil problems. By 1960s, unsaturated soils mechanics began to gain greater attention due to the wide range of engineering problems that is associated with it. Expansive soil and slope instability are some of the engineering problems associated with unsaturated soil mechanics and there are still many more problems related to unsaturated soil. Hence, it is important to understand the mechanics of unsaturated soil behavior.