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Damilola Akinniyi

DAMILOLA AKINNIYI

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DAMILOLA AKINNIYI

Unsaturated Soil Mechanics · Course 2 of 4

Reading Soil-Water Behaviour

Learn how suction is measured, how to read a soil-water characteristic curve with confidence, and how to use it: to understand water flow, compare soils fairly and support a real engineering choice. You will finish able to say what a curve shows, and what it does not.

3 lessonsAbout 4½ hoursIntermediateAssessment with optional marking
Start Lesson 1

What you will be able to do

By the end of Course 2

  1. Name the main methods for measuring or controlling suction, state what each measures and over what range, and calculate the suction applied by axis translation.
  2. Convert between gravimetric water content, volumetric water content and degree of saturation.
  3. Read the air-entry value and residual conditions from a soil-water characteristic curve.
  4. Explain hysteresis, and why density and structure change the curve.
  5. Explain how permeability depends on suction, compare curves fairly and use them to support a proportionate recommendation.

The lessons

Three lessons, about four pages each

  • 1
    Measuring suctionMethods and ranges · axis translation · choosing a method
    Start →
  • 2
    The soil-water characteristic curveConversions · air-entry value · hysteresis, density and structure
    Open →
  • 3
    Using the curvePermeability · comparing curves · cover-soil case · Course 2 assessment
    Open →

Each lesson ends with practice questions and a quick check. The last lesson ends with the Course 2 assessment. You can mark yourself against the model answers, or send it to me for personal marking and written feedback.

Before you start

Who it is for

Research students, graduates, designers and laboratory staff. It builds on Course 1 and on the phase relationships in Soil Mechanics Fundamentals, so start there if suction or void ratio are new to you.

What you need

A calculator, a notebook, and about four and a half hours in total. You can stop at any page and return later on the same device.

← Back to Unsaturated Soil Mechanics

This pathway reflects my own research, teaching and general practice. It is independent of any employer or client, and all examples are fictional.