Constitutive framework for unsaturated soils with differentiation of capillarity and adsorption

Abstract

This paper presents a hydromechanical coupled framework for unsaturated soils, which differentiates the capillarity and adsorption. The proposed framework is a thermodynamic-based modelling framework and it was derived from energy-conjugate variables. Independent hydromechanical models are considered for each mechanism, including independent measures of effective stresses and water retention curves. Hydromechanical coupling at each mechanism is efficiently achieved by liking the effective stress formulation with the water retention model. Finally, the models are linked through a structure parameter to obtain the global response. The framework will pave the way for developing constitutive models for unsaturated soils, in particular the expansive soils.