Numerical Analysis of Infiltration in One-Dimensional Unsaturated Soil–Geotextile Column

Castro, G. B.; Siacara, A. T.; Nardelli, A.; Lenzi, L.; Futai, M. M.

doi:10.1007/s10706-022-02144-3

Original Paper
Published: 07 May 2022

Numerical Analysis of Infiltration in One-Dimensional Unsaturated Soil–Geotextile Column

G. B. Castro^1,2,
A. T. Siacara ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-6074-4330^1,3,
A. Nardelli^1,3,
L. Lenzi^1,3 &
M. M. Futai^1,3

Geotechnical and Geological Engineering volume 40, pages 4121–4144 (2022)Cite this article

101 Accesses
Metrics details

A Correction to this article was published on 17 June 2022

This article has been updated

Abstract

Numerical modelling development for capillary barrier investigation considering unsaturated soil–geotextile interface has been studied and evaluated in recent years. Most engineering constructions involving geomaterials and geotextiles application, such as reinforced walls, slopes, embankments, and roads, require understanding the hydraulic performance of those systems for design purposes (capillary barrier, drainage, filtration, etc.). Considering that the hydraulic behavior of those materials is directly dependent on their saturated–unsaturated state over time, unsaturated principles should be applied for their long-term evaluation. This paper presents a 1D (one-dimensional) numerical analysis of an unsaturated system composed of soil and gravel layers separated by a geotextile in a column laterally impermeable (2.0 m). A non-woven geotextile was applied considering different soil types from the literature, such as silty sand, sandy, compacted residual silty, bimodal, and compacted residual sandy soils. A SEEP/W finite element numerical model was developed to perform transient analyses through the system to evaluate its hydraulic performance in terms of capillary barrier formation considering different geomaterials combinations in different hydraulic conditions. A significant influence of geotextile hydraulic conductivity and water flow rate were verified on the capillary barrier effect. Also noticed were the different height and duration of capillary barrier formation for different soil profiles. A design chart-table was proposed to evaluate soil–geotextile performance in terms of capillary barrier for new geotechnical designs. Finally, it could be inferred that fine-grained soils demonstrated to develop higher and longer water column (positive pore pressure) compared to coarse-grained soils, independently of their initial suction.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price includes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Data Availability

The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article. Some of the data analysed during this study is properly cited in the manuscript and referenced in the References section.

Change history

17 June 2022
A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-022-02205-7

References

Adu-Wusu C, Yanful EK, Lanteigne L, O’Kane M (2007) Prediction of the water balance of two soil cover systems. Geotech Geol Eng 25:215–237. https://doi.org/10.1007/-006-9106-3
Article Google Scholar
Albino UR, Futai MM, Portelinha FH (2017) Numerical modeling of 1D infiltration on unsaturated interfaces between soil and geosynthetics. In: International conference on soil mechanics and geotechnical engineering, Seoul
Albino UR, Portelinha FHM, Futai MM (2020) Numerical simulation of a geotextile soil wall considering soil–atmosphere interaction. Geosynth Int 1:1–40. https://doi.org/10.1680/jgein.20.00003
Article Google Scholar
Albino UR, Portelinha FHM, Zornberg J, Futai MM (2019) Numerical simulation of infiltration into the fill of a wall reinforced with nonwoven geotextiles. Comput Geotech 108:27–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2018.12.006
Article Google Scholar
Bahador M, Evans TM, Gabr MA (2014) Numerical studies on the effect of temperature on the unsaturated hydraulic response of geotextiles. Comput Geotech 59:161–170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2014.03.010
Article Google Scholar
Bathurst RJ, Ho AF, Siemens G (2007) A column apparatus for investigation of 1-D unsaturated-saturated response of sand–geotextile systems. ASTM Geotech Test J 30(6):433–441. https://doi.org/10.1520/GTJ100954
Article Google Scholar
Bouazza A (2002) Geosynthetic clay liners. Geotext Geomembr J 20(1):3–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0266-1144(01)00025-5
Article Google Scholar
Bouazza A, Zornberg J, McCartney JS, Singh RM (2013) Unsaturated geotechnics applied to geoenvironmental engineering problems involving geosynthetics. Eng Geol 165:143–153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2012.11.018
Article Google Scholar
Durner W (1992) Predicting the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity using multiporosity water retention curves. In: van Genuchten MT et al (eds) Indirect methods for estimating the hydraulic properties of unsaturated soils. University of California, Riverside, pp 185–202
Google Scholar
Durner W (1994) Hydraulic conductivity estimation for soils with heterogeneous pore structure. Water Resour Res 30:211–223. https://doi.org/10.1029/93WR02676
Article Google Scholar
Fredlund DG, Rahardjo H (1993) Soil mechanics for unsaturated soils. Wiley, New York
Book Google Scholar
GeoStudio (2018) Heat and mass transfer modelling with GeoStudio. Geo-Slope. Geo-Slope International Ltd., Calgary
Google Scholar
Harnas FR, Rahardjo H, Leong EC, Wang JY (2014) Experimental study on dual capillary barrier using recycled asphalt pavement materials. Can Geotech J 51(10):1165–1177. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2013-0432
Article Google Scholar
Ho AF (2000) Experimental and numerical investigation of infiltration ponding in one dimensional sand–geotextile columns, Dissertation, Queen’s University
Iryo T, Rowe RK (2003) On the hydraulic behavior of unsaturated nonwoven geotextiles. Geotext Geomembr 21:381–404. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0266-1144(03)00046-3
Article Google Scholar
Jana A, Dey A (2017) Combined functioning of geotextile as barrier and drainage material in unsaturated earth retaining structures. Indian Geotech J. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40098-017-0268-0
Article Google Scholar
Kalonji Kabambi A, Bussière B, Demers I (2017) Hydrogeological behaviour of covers with capillary barrier effects made of mining materials. Geotech Geol Eng 35:1199–1220. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-017-0174-3
Article Google Scholar
Kämpf M, Holfelder T, Montenegro H (2003) Identification and parameterization of flow processes in artificial capillary barriers. Water Resour Res 39:1–9. https://doi.org/10.1029/2002WR001860
Article Google Scholar
Krisdani H, Rahardjo H, Leong EC (2009) Use of instantaneous profile and statistical methods to determine permeability functions of unsaturated soils. Can Geotech J 46:869–874. https://doi.org/10.1139/T09-027
Article Google Scholar
Li X, Li JH, Zhang LM (2014) Predicting bimodal soil–water characteristic curves and permeability functions using physically based parameters. Comput Geotech 57:85–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2014.01.004
Article Google Scholar
Li X, Zhang LM, Fredlund DG (2009) Wetting front advancing column test for measuring unsaturated hydraulic conductivity. Can Geotech J 46:1431–1445. https://doi.org/10.1139/T09-072
Article Google Scholar
Lu N, Likos WJ (2004) Unsaturated soil mechanics. Wiley, Hoboken
Google Scholar
Luckner L, Van Genuchten MT, Nielsen DR (1989) A consistent set of parametric models for the two-phase flow of immiscible fluids in the subsurface. Water Resour Res 25:2187–2193. https://doi.org/10.1029/WR025i010p02187
Article Google Scholar
Mancarella D, Doglioni S, Simeoni V (2012) On capillary barrier effects and debris slide triggering in unsaturated layered covers. Eng Geol 147–148:14–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2012.07.003
Article Google Scholar
Mandal JN, Labhane L (1992) A procedure for the design and analysis of geosynthetic reinforced soil slopes. Geotech Geol Eng 10:291–319. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00880706
Article Google Scholar
Martínez GSS (2003) Estudo do comportamento mecânico de solos lateríticos da formação barreiras. Thesis, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul
McCartney JS, Zornberg JG (2010) Effects of infiltration and evaporation on geosynthetic capillary barrier performance. Can Geotech J 47:1201–1213. https://doi.org/10.1139/T10-024
Article Google Scholar
Morris CE, Stormont JC (1998) Evaluation of numerical simulations of capillary barrier field tests. Geotech Geol Eng 16:201–213. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008853710339
Article Google Scholar
Morris CE, Stormont JC (1999) Parametric study of unsaturated drainage layers in a capillary barrier. Geotech Geoenviron Eng 125(12):1057–1065. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1090-0241(1999)125:12(1057)
Article Google Scholar
Mualem Y (1976) A new model for predicting the hydraulic conductivity of unsaturated porous media. Water Resour Res 12(3):513–522. https://doi.org/10.1029/WR012i003p00513
Article Google Scholar
Ng CW, Alonso E (2008) Monitoring the performance of unsaturated soil slopes. Geotech Geol Eng 26:799–816. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-008-9203-6
Article Google Scholar
Ng CW, Coo JL, Chen ZK, Chen R (2016) Water infiltration into a new three-layer landfill cover system. J Environ Eng 142(5):04016007. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)EE.1943-7870.0001074
Article Google Scholar
Ng CW, Liu J, Chen R, Xu J (2015) Physical and numerical modeling of an inclined three-layer (silt/gravelly sand/clay) capillary barrier cover system under extreme rainfall. Waste Manag 38:210–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2014.12.013
Article Google Scholar
Nitao JJ, Bear J (1996) Potentials and their role in transport in porous media. Water Resour Res 32:225–250. https://doi.org/10.1029/95wr02715
Article Google Scholar
Nobahar M, Khan MS, Ivoke J (2020) Combined effect of rainfall and shear strength on the stability of highway embankments made of Yazoo clay in Mississippi. Geotech Geol Eng 38:2787–2802. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-020-01187-8
Article Google Scholar
Pabst T, Aubertin M, Bussiere B, Molson J (2017) Experimental and numerical evaluation of single-layer covers placed on acid-generating tailings. Geotech Geol Eng 35:1421–1438. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-017-0185-0
Article Google Scholar
Parent SE, Cabral A (2006) Design of inclined covers with capillary barrier effect. Geotech Geol Eng 24:689–710. https://doi.org/10.10007/s10706-005-3229-9
Article Google Scholar
Park KD, Fleming IR (2006) Evaluation of a geosynthetic capillary barrier. Geotext Geomembr 24:64–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geotexmem.2005.06.001
Article Google Scholar
Portelinha FH, Zornberg JG (2017) Effect of infiltration on the performance of an unsaturated geotextile-reinforced soil wall. Geotext Geomembr J 45(3):211–226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geotexmem.2017.02.002
Article Google Scholar
Priesack E, Durner W (2006) Closed form expression for the multimodal unsaturated conductivity function. Vadose Zone 5:121–124. https://doi.org/10.2136/vzj2005.0066
Article Google Scholar
Rahardjo H, Gofar N, Satyanaga A, Leong EC, Wang CL, Johnny Wong LH (2019) Effect of rainfall infiltration on deformation of geobarrier wall. Geotech Geol Eng 37:1383–1399. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-018-0693-6
Article Google Scholar
Rowe RK, Iryo T (2004) Numerical study of infiltration into a soil–geotextile column. Geosynth Int 11:377–389. https://doi.org/10.1680/gein.2004.11.5.377
Article Google Scholar
Salager S, Alessio M, Ferrari A, Laloui L (2013) Investigation into water retention behavior of deformable soils. Can Geotech J 50(2):200–208. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2011-0409
Article Google Scholar
Shackelford CD, Chang CK, Chiu TF (1994) The capillary barrier effect in unsaturated flow through soil barriers. In: 1st ICEG conference, Edmonton, CA, pp 789–793
Sharma P, Mouli B, Jakka RS, Sawant VA (2020) Economical design of reinforced slope using geosynthetics. Geotech Geol Eng 38:1631–1637. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-019-01118-2
Article Google Scholar
Shin EC, Kim DH, Das BM (2002) Geogrid-reinforced railroad bed settlement due to cyclic load. Geotech Geol Eng 20:261–271. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016040414725
Article Google Scholar
Siacara AT, Beck AT, Futai MM (2020a) Reliability analysis of rapid drawdown of an earth dam using direct coupling. Comput Geotech J 118:103336–103341. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2019.103336
Article Google Scholar
Siacara AT, Napa-García GF, Beck AT, Futai MM (2020b) Reliability analysis of earth dams using direct coupling. J Rock Mech Geotech Eng 12(2):336–380. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrmge.2019.07.012
Article Google Scholar
Siemens G, Bathurst RJ (2010) Numerical parametric investigation of infiltration in one-dimensional sand–geotextile columns. Geotext Geomembr J 28:460–474. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geotexmem.2009.12.009
Article Google Scholar
Song W, Cui YJ, Tang AM, Ding WQ (2014) Experimental study on water evaporation from sand using environmental chamber. Can Geotech J 51:115–128. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2013-0155
Article Google Scholar
Stormont JC (1996) The effectiveness of two capillary barriers on a 10% slope. Geotech Geol Eng 14:243–267. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00421943
Article Google Scholar
Stormont JC, Anderson CE (1999) Capillary barrier effect from underlying coarser soil layer. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 125(8):641–664. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1090-0241(1999)125:8(641)
Article Google Scholar
Stormont JC, Morris CE (2000) Characterization of unsaturated nonwoven geotextiles. In: Advances in unsaturated geotechnics ASCE, pp 153–164. https://doi.org/10.1061/40510(287)10
Stormont JC, Zhou S (2005) Impact of unsaturated flow on pavement edge drain performance. J Transp Eng. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-947X(2005)131
Article Google Scholar
Tami D, Rahardjo H, Leong EC, Fredlund DG (2004) A physical model for sloping capillary barriers. Geotech Test J 27(2):173–183. https://doi.org/10.1520/GTJ11431
Article Google Scholar
Thuo JN, Yang KH, Huang CC (2015) Infiltration into unsaturated reinforced slopes with nonwoven geotextile drains sandwiched in sand layers. Geosynth Int J 22:457–474. https://doi.org/10.1680/jgein.15.00026
Article Google Scholar
Van Genuchten MT (1980) A closed-form equation for predicting the hydraulic conductivity of unsaturated soils. Soil Sci Soc Am J 44(5):892. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1980.03615995004400050002x
Article Google Scholar
Vanapalli SK, Sillers WS, Fredlund MD (1998) The meaning and relevance of residual state to unsaturated soils. In: Proceedings of the 51st Canadian geotechnical conference, pp 1–8
Zornberg JG (2010) Geosynthetic capillary barriers. In: 1st International GSI-Asia geosynthetic conference, pp 13–28

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the financial support by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), the Brazilian National Council of Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) and the State of São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP).

Funding

This research was supported by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brasil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001, the Brazilian National Council of Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) and the State of São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
G. B. Castro, A. T. Siacara, A. Nardelli, L. Lenzi & M. M. Futai
Graduate Program in Transportation Engineering, Polytechnic School of the University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
G. B. Castro
Graduate Program in Civil Engineering, Polytechnic School of the University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
A. T. Siacara, A. Nardelli, L. Lenzi & M. M. Futai

Authors

G. B. Castro
View author publications
You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar
A. T. Siacara
View author publications
You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar
A. Nardelli
View author publications
You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar
L. Lenzi
View author publications
You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar
M. M. Futai
View author publications
You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. T. Siacara.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no known competing relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Castro, G.B., Siacara, A.T., Nardelli, A. et al. Numerical Analysis of Infiltration in One-Dimensional Unsaturated Soil–Geotextile Column. Geotech Geol Eng 40, 4121–4144 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-022-02144-3

Download citation

Received: 25 June 2020
Accepted: 15 April 2022
Published: 07 May 2022
Issue Date: August 2022
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-022-02144-3

Keywords

Water flow
Numerical modeling
Unsaturated soils
Capillary barrier
Interface soil–geotextile