Effect of geotextiles with different masses per unit area on water loss and cracking under bottom water loss soil conditions

Abstract

Soil water loss is an important component of the water balance in irrigated agriculture. This study investigated the effects of geotextiles on water loss during soil drying and cracking. The results indicate that the residual water content of soil samples increased by 98.5%, 145.5%, and 164.7% with geotextile masses per unit area of 100, 300, and 400 g/m², compared that of soil without geotextiles. There are two water loss stages of soil, the "rapid loss" and the "residual loss,” under the condition of bottom water loss, which is different from the evaporation stage of normal soil without bottom water loss. When a geotextile is added to the soil, the stages of bottom water loss will become "rapid loss, deceleration loss, and residual loss." When the mass per unit area of 400 g/m² geotextile was used, the crack ratio, probability entropy, and fractal dimensions decreased by 15.19%, 6.47%, and 5.81%, respectively. The geotextile mass per unit area increased the specific surface area of the soil, and water retention was improved. When the mass per unit area of the geotextile increased, the interface friction between the soil and geotextile increased, and the cracking of the soil was effectively inhibited.