Effect of Freezing–Thawing Cycles on Suction Measurement of Unsaturated Soil

Abstract

The basic relationship between the volumetric water content of soil and suction value is defined as soil–water characteristic curve or soil retention curve that plays an important role for determining properties of unsaturated soil and estimating its mechanical behavior. The present study is an attempt to evaluate the effect of freezing–thawing cycles on suction parameter of unsaturated soil. Suction is measured by filter paper method. Experiments have been conducted on 5 cycles of freezing–thawing of samples, and their soil–water characteristic curves have been developed with the change in its air entry value, and residual water content of soil for each cycle is presented in this paper.