Abstract
Soil–water characteristic curves were obtained for a number of Singapore residual soil samples. Soil samples were obtained from the two main residual soil formations, the Jurong sedimentary formation and the Bukit Timah granitic formation, at various depths. The effect of weathering on the shape of the soil–water characteristic curve is examined. As the test procedure in obtaining the soil–water characteristic curve is tedious and time-consuming, empirical relationships based on multivariate analysis relating the parameters of the Fredlund and Xing (1994) soil–water characteristic curve equation to basic soil properties are suggested for the Singapore residual soils. The multivariate equations were found to be suitable for providing a quick preliminary estimate of the soil–water characteristic curve of Singapore residual soils.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ahuja, L. R., Naney, J. W. and Williams, R. D. (1985) Estimating soil water characteristics from simpler properties or limited data, Soil Science Society of America Journal 49, 1100–1130.
Aitchinson, G. D. (1965) Engineering concepts of moisture equilibria and moisture changes in soils, In Moisture Equilibria and Moisture Changes in Soils Beneath Covered Areas, Statement of Review Panel, Butterworths, Australia. pp. 7–21.
Arya, L. M. and Paris, J. F. (1981) A psychoempirical model to predict soil moisture characteristics from particle-size distribution and bulk density data. Soil Science Society of America Journal 45, 1023–1030.
Arya, L. M., Leij, F. J., van Genutchen, M. T. and Shouse, P. (1999) Scaling parameter to predict the soil water characteristic from particle-size distribution data. Soil Science Society of America Journal 63, 510–519.
Aung, K. K., Rahardjo, H., Toll, D. G. and Leong, E. C. (2000) Mineralogy and microfabric of unsaturated residual soils. In Proceeding of the Asian Conference on Unsaturated Soils. Unsat-ASIA 2000, Singapore, Balkema, Rotterdam, pp. 317–321.
ASTM (1998) Soil and rock: dimension stone, geosynthetics. Annual Book of Standards, 04.08. Philadelphia.
Brenner, R. P. and Phillipson, H. B. (1979) Sampling of residual soils in Hong Kong, State of the Art on Current Practice of Soil Sampling. In Proceeding of the International Symposium of Soil Sampling, Singapore, 1, 109–120.
Brooks, R. H. and Corey, A. T. (1964) Hydraulic Properties of Porous Medium, Hydrology Papers, Fort Collins, Colorado.
Fredlund, D. G. (1997) From theory to the practice of unsaturated soil mechanics. Keynote speech, In Proceedings of 3rd Brazilian Symposium on Unsaturated Soils NSAT'97, Brazil.
Fredlund, M. D, Fredlund, D. G. and Wilson, G. W. (1997) Prediction of the soil-.-water characteristic curve from grain size distribution and volume-mass properties, In Proceedings of 3rd Brazilian Symposium on Unsaturated Soils NSAT'97, Brazil.
Fredlund, D. G. and Rahardjo, H. (1993) Soil Mechanics forUnsaturated Soils, John Wiley & Sons, Canada.
Fredlund, D. G. and Xing, A. (1994) Equation for the soil-water characteristic curve, Canadian Geotechnical Journal 31, 521–532.
He, L. C. (1999) Evaluation of Instrument for Measurement of Suction in Unsaturated Soils, MEng Thesis, School of Civil and Structural Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
Lang, A. R. G (1967) Osmotic coefficient and water potentials of sodium chloride solutions from 0°C to 40°C, Australian Journal of Chemistry 20, 2017–2023.
Leong, E. C. and Rahardjo, H. (1997) Review of soil water characteristic curve equations, Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering 123(12), 1106–1117.
Lim, T. T. (1995) Shear Strength Characteristics and Rainfall-induced Matric Suction Changes in a Residual Soil Slope,MEng Thesis, School of Civil and Structural Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
Mazier, G. (1974) Méthodes de prélévement des soils meubles. Annales de l'Institut Technique du Bâtinent et des Travaux Publics 319, 75–85.
Poh, K. B., Chuah, H. L. and Tan, S. B. (1985) Residual granite of Singapore, In Proceedings of 8th Southeast Asian Geotechnical Conference. Kuala Lumpur, pp. 3-1–3-9.
Public Works Department of Singapore (1976) The geology of the Republic of Singapore.
Raj, K. N. and Tan, H. G. (1996) Permeability Functions of Unsaturated Soils, Final Year Project Report, School of Civil and Structural Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
Saxton, K. E., Rawls, W. J., Romberger, J. S. and Papendick, R.I. (1986) Estimating generalized soil water characteristics from texture, Soil Science Society of America Journal 50(4), 1031–1036.
Tan, S. B., Tan, S. L., Lim, T. L. and Yang, K. S. (1987) Landslide problems and their control in Singapore, In Proceedings of 9th Southeast Asian Geotechnical Conference. Bangkok, pp. 1–25 1-36.
Teong, L. T. and Kong, M. T. (1994) A Study of Permeability of Typical Residual Soils in Singapore, Final Year Project report, School of Civil and Structural Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
VanGenuchten, M.T. (1980) A closed-form equation for predicting the hydraulic conductivity of unsaturated soils. Soil Science Society of America Journal 44, 892–898.
Vanapalli, S. K. (1994) Simple Test Procedures and Their Interpretation in Evaluating the Shear Strength of Unsaturated Soils. Ph.D. thesis, University of Sakatchewan, Saskatoon.
Vanapalli, S. K., Fredlund, D. G., Pufahl, D. E. and Clifton, A. W. (1996) Model for the prediction of shear strength with respect to soil suction. Canadian Geotechnical Journal 33, 379–392.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Agus, S.S., Leong, E.C. & Rahardjo, H. Soil–water characteristic curves of Singapore residual soils. Geotechnical and Geological Engineering 19, 285–309 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013175913679
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013175913679