| This Masters' thesis covers a laboratory study on the hydraulic properties of unsaturated sandy soils. The results from this project provide a better understanding of the unsaturated water flow in granular materials used in covers with capillary barriers effects. These covers can be used in the mining industry to control the infiltration of water and prevent oxygen from reaching acid generating waste materials.; The thesis first introduces the concept of water flow in the vadose zone, above the water table.; The water retention curve (WRC) of a soil shows the relation between volumetric water content and water pressure in the voids, and it can be assessed by laboratory tests. The experimentation conducted here aimed at evaluating the WRC and the hydraulic conductivity function of two sandy soils, in an instrumented column with a data acquisition system. The system was recording suction and volumetric water content variation for drainage and wetting tests. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
