SUCTION MEASUREMENT

ELECTRICAL / THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY SENSORS

 INDIRECT MEASUREMENTS
• The indirect measurement of soil matric suction can be made using a standard porous
block as a measuring sensor.
• the porous block sensor must be brought into equilibrium with the matric suction in the soil.
at equilibrium, the matric suction in the porous block and the soil are equal.
• the matric suction is inferred from the water content of the porous block. the water
content of the porous block can be determined by measuring the electrical or thermal
properties of the porous block. these properties are a function of the water content, and
can be established through calibrations.
• The indirect measurements based on the electrical properties of a porous block
have been found to be sensitive to the presence of dissolved salts in the pore-
water (Richards, 1974).
• On the other hand, the indirect measurements based on the thermal properties of
the porous block show little effect from the dissolved salts in the pore-water or
variations in the ambient temperature.
• As a result, the thermal sensor is the most promising device for the indirect
measurements of matric suction (Richards, 1974).
 THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY SENSORS
• Thermal properties of a soil have been found to be indicative of the
water content of a soil. water is a better thermal conductor than air.
• The thermal conductivity of a soil increases with an increasing water
content. this is particularly true where the change in water content is
associated with a change in the degree of saturation of the soil.
• It was found that the presence of salts did not significantly affect the
thermal conductivity of the soil.
 THEORY OF OPERATION
• A thermal conductivity sensor consists of a porous ceramic block containing a
temperature sensing element and a miniature (small), heater.
• The thermal conductivity of the porous block varies in accordance with the water
content of the block.
• The water content of the porous block is dependent upon the matric suctions
applied to the block by the surrounding soil. therefore, the thermal conductivity of
the porous block can be calibrated with respect to an applied matric suction.
• A calibrated sensor can then be used to measure the matric suction by placing the
sensor in the soil and allowing it to come to equilibrium with the state of stress in
the porewater (i.e., the matric suction of the soil).
• Thermal conductivity measurements at equilibrium are related to the matric suction
of the soil.
• Thermal conductivity measurements are performed by measuring heat dissipation
within the porous block. a controlled amount of heat is generated by the heater at
the center of the block. a portion of the generated heat will be dissipated
throughout the block. the amount of heat dissipation is controlled by the presence
of water within the porous block. The change in the thermal conductivity of the
sensor is directly related to the change in water content of the block. in other
words, more heat will be dissipated as the water content in the block increases.
• The undissipated heat will result in a temperature rise at the center of the block.
the temperature rise is measured by the sensing element after a specified time
interval, and its magnitude is inversely proportional to the water content of the
porous block. the measured temperature rise is expressed in terms of a voltage
output.
AGWA-I1 thermal conductivity sensor
• The nonlinear behavior of the AGWA-11
sensors may be approximated by a bilinear
curve, as illustrated in Figure below. The
breaking points on the calibration curves are
generally around 175 kPa. Relatively
accurate measurements of matric suction can
be made using the AGWA-I1 sensors,
particularly within the range of 0-175 kPa.
• Matric suction measurements above 175 kPa
correspond to the steeper portion of the
calibration curve, which has a lower
sensitivity to changes in thermal conductivity.
MEASURMENT OF TOTAL
SUCTION

PSYCHROMETERS AND FILTER PAPERS

 MEASUREMENTS OF TOTAL SUCTION
• The initial water content of compacted soils appears to have a direct relationship
with the matric suction component.
• the free energy of the soil water (le., total suction) can be determined by
measuring the vapor pressure of the soil water or the relative humidity in the soil.
• The direct measurement of relative humidity in a soil can be conducted using a
device called a psychrometer.
• The relative humidity in a soil can be indirectly measured using a filter paper as a
measuring sensor. the filter paper is equilibrated with the suction in the soil.
 PSYCHROMETERS
• thermocouple psychrometers can be used to measure the total suction of a soil by measuring the
relative humidity in the air phase of the soil pores or the region near the soil. The relative humidity
is related to the total suction in accordance with eq.
• Where the term is equal to the relative humidity

• The Peltier psychrometer is most commonly used in geotechnical engineering.

• The Seebeck and the Peltier effects are the main principles behind the operation of the Peltier
psychrometer.
SEEBECK EFECTS AND PELTIER EFFECTS
 PELTIER
PSYCHROMETER
 PELTIER PSYCHROMETER WORKING PRINCIPLE
• The Peltier effect can be used to cool a thermocouple junction to reach the
dewpoint temperature corresponding to the surrounding atmosphere. as a result,
water vapor condenses on the junction.
• Upon termination of passing the current, the condensed water tends to evaporate
to the surrounding atmosphere, causing a further reduction in the temperature at
the junction.
• The temperature reduction is a function of the evaporation rate, which is in turn
affected by the water vapor pressure in the atmosphere. if the ambient
temperature and the temperature reduction due to evaporation are measured
using the Seebeck effects, the relative humidity of the atmosphere can be
computed.
 PSYCHROMETER MEASUREMENT PROCEDURE
• Measurements of total suction are conducted by suspending a psychrometer in a closed
system containing a Soil specimen.
• The relative humidity is measured after equilibrium is attained between the air near the
thermocouple and the pore-air in the soil specimen. Isothermal conditions among the
temperature of the soil, the air, and the psychrometer must be achieved prior to
conducting the measurements.
• A Controlled temperature environment of ± 0.001c˚ is required in order to measure total
suctions to an accuracy of ± 10 kpa (krahn and fredlund, 1972).
• The processes associated with the relative humidity measurement when using a Peltier
psychrometer are best illustrated using the figure next page, and the following
explanation.
a) Isothermal equilibrium between the psychrometer and the surrounding atmosphere must
be achieved prior to a measurement being taken. This is indicated by a zero voltage
reading.
b) At an elapsed time of 15 s, a small electrical current (i.e., 5 ma) is passed through the
psychrometer circuit from the constantan wire to the chrome1 wire for a period of 15 s.
The passage of an electrical current in this direction causes the measuring junction to
cool due to the Peltier effect. As the temperature at the measuring junction drops below
the dewpoint corresponding to the surrounding atmosphere, water vapor condenses on
the measuring junction. During the condensation process, the temperature at the
measuring junction remains at the corresponding dewpoint temperature.
c) At the end of the 15 s period of cooling, the Peltier current is then terminated.
d) As soon as the cooling process is stopped, the condensed water on the measuring junction starts
to evaporate to the surrounding atmosphere. The temperature at the measuring junction starts to
drop below the dewpoint temperature as evaporation begins. As a result, the microvoltmeter m
o d s the electromotive force on a strip chart recorder. The generated electromotive force is a
function of the temperature difference between the measuring junction and the reference
junction (le., The Seebeck effect). The microvolt reading increases rapidly to a maximum value
which is a function of the relative humidity in the surrounding atmosphere. The drier the
atmosphere, the higher will be the microvolt output during the evaporation process.
e) Having reached the maximum output corresponding to the maximum evaporative cooling, the
microvolt output decreases rapidly to a zero reading. The decreasing output indicates that the
temperature at the measuring junction is increasing towards the ambient or the reference junction
temperature.
f) The microvoltmeter gives a zero reading when the temperature at the measuring junction
becomes equal to that of the reference junction.
 PSYCHROMETER PERFORMANCE
• Psychrometers are useful far measuring high suctions in soils. In situ measurements of total suctions
using psychrometers are generally not recommended because significant temperature fluctuations
occur in the field. However, laboratory measurements can be conducted in a controlled
temperature environment using undisturbed soil specimens from the field.
• The curves in fig. 4.15 indicate a range for the maximum measurable total suction from 7000 to
8000 kpa, corresponding to a temperature range between 0 and 35°C, respectively.
 FILTER PAPER, PRINCIPLE OF MEASUREMENT
• At present, the filter paper method has not gained general acceptance in geotechnical
engineering. There is a need for further research relative to the use of this technique in
engineering.
• From a theoretical standpoint, it is possible to use the filter paper method to measure either the
total or the matric suction of a soil. The filter paper is used as a sensor. The filter paper method is
classified as an “indirect method” of measuring soil suction.
• The filter paper method is based on the assumption that a filter paper will come to equilibrium (le.,
With respect to moisture flow) with a soil having a specific suction. Equilibrium can be reached by
either liquid or vapor moisture exchange between the soil and the filter paper. When a dry filter
paper is placed in direct contact with a soil specimen, it is assumed that water flows from the soil
to the paper until equilibrium is achieved (fig. 4.24).
• When a dry filter paper is suspended above a soil specimen (le., No direct contact with
the soil), vapor flow of water will occur from the soil to the filter paper until equilibrium is
achieved(fig. 4.24). Having established equilibrium conditions, the water content of the
filter paper is measured.
• The water content of the tilter paper corresponds to a suction value, as illustrated by the
filter paper calibration curve shown in fig. 4.25. Theoretically, the equilibrium water
content of the filter paper corresponds to the matric suction of the soil when the paper is
placed in contact with the water in the soil. On the other hand, the equilibrium water
content of the filter paper corresponds to the total suction of the soil if the paper is not in
contact with the soil. Therefore, the same calibration curve is used for both the matric and
total suction measurements.
• The tilter paper method can be used to measure soil suction over a wide range of values.
The measurements are generally performed in the laboratory by equilibrating a filter
paper with an undisturbed or disturbed soil specimen obtained from the field.
• For the contact procedure, the center filter paper is generally used for the suction measurement,
while the outer filter papers are primarily used to protect the center paper from soil
contamination.
• Suctions in the filter paper should be allowed to equilibrate for a minimum period of seven days.
Figure 4.26 illustrates the increasing water content of initially dry filter paper as equilibration
occurs with the soil specimen. The results indicate that seven days is sufficient for the equilibration
purpose.