A model for predicting the modulus of elasticity of unsaturated soils using the soil-water characteristic curve

Abstract

A simple model was proposed by Oh et al. (2009) to predict the variation of modulus of elasticity with respect to matric suction for unsaturated coarse-grained soils (i.e., sandy soils with plasticity index, <i>I_p</i> = 0). This model requires the modulus of elasticity under saturated condition (<i>E_sat</i>) and the Soil-Water Characteristic Curve (<i>SWCC</i>) along with two fitting parameters (α and β). In the present study, this model has been extended and a general model has been proposed such that the modulus of elasticity can be estimated for all soils (i.e., both coarse- and fine-grained soils). The proposed model is developed using model footing and in-situ plate load test results of six different unsaturated soils. The study shows that there is a good comparison between the measured and the predicted modulus of elasticity with respect to matric suction for all the six soils whose plasticity index, <i>I_p</i> values are in the range of 0 to 16%.