Suction Variation of Natural and Treated Unsaturated Gypseous Soils During Wetting

Abstract The current work is directed to study the variation of suction with time and soil water characteristics curve (SWCC) for natural and treated gypseous soil treated with two types of additive (lime and silica fume) compacted at different initial degrees of saturation S0 = 20 and 50 %. Soil subjected to wetting in an upward direction. Three types of gypsum soils were experimented with different gypsum content 15, 35, and 60 % taken from various sites in Salah Al-dean government, Iraq. The main results show that the air-entry value, residual values, and the time required for the entire saturation stage increases with increasing gypsum content and treatment with lime and silica fume and they for soil treated with silica fume are greater than for soil treated with lime. The rate of flow for soil treated with silica fume is less than that of soil treated with lime. The treated soil is more effective in increasing the time required for the entire saturation stage and decreasing the rate of flow when compacted at an effective degree of saturation S0 = 50 %.