Effects of partial saturation on the collapse and swelling of geo-materials (Effets de la saturation partielle sur l'effondrement et le gonflement des géo-materiaux)

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- Most of the soils found in civil engineering practice are partially saturated with water. In unsaturated soils, the suction is the pore pressure deficiency between the air pressure in the pores of the soil and the interstitial water pressure. Suction is at the origin of bonding forces between the soil particles which means that capillarity has a cohesive effect. Unsaturated soils possess a better resistance and a higher rigidity compared with saturated soils. The engineering properties of the soil thus depend on suction and moisture. The laboratory characterization of the improved geotechnical properties of unsaturated soils has progressed recently. Laboratory tests are now designed to integrate both the volume and suction control. Conceptual interpretation of the observed behavior have also been proposed and led to practical tools for the numerical simulation of engineering problems.