Humidity and osmotic suction-controlled box
AssigneeThe Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
InventorCharles Wang Wai Ng
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Abstract
Described herein are systems, apparatuses and methods for the design and use of a suction-controlled box for the measurement of stress-dependent soil and water characteristics, shear strength, volume changes and consolidation characteristics from a single unsaturated soil specimen. The suction-controlled box can include a suction control part and a mechanical loading part, which can apply various suctions and mechanical loadings to test a specimen for a full range of suctions. The suction-controlled box can also include a helical water compartment that can flush diffused air bubbles.
Claims20
A suction-controlled box, comprising:
- a suction control part that facilitates manipulation of a suction of a single soil specimen;
- and
- a mechanical loading part that facilitates measurement of a displacement for a loading of the single soil specimen,
- wherein the suction-controlled box is configured to determine at least four soil properties for the single soil specimen.
A method, comprising:
- manipulating a suction of a soil sample on a single device for a range of suctions between 0 and about 1,000 MPa, wherein the manipulating the suction comprises combining an axis control technique for suctions less than about 500 kPa, an osmosis technique for suctions between about 500 kPa and about 10 MPa, or a humidity control technique for suctions greater than about 10 MPa;
- determining a first property for the soil sample on the single device;
- determining a second property for the soil sample on the single device;
- determining a third property for the soil sample on the single device;
- and
- determining a fourth property for the soil sample on the single device.
A suction-controlled box, comprising:
- means for manipulating a soil sample for a suction range from 0 to 1,000 MPa;
- means for mechanically loading the soil sample;
- and
- means for flushing a diffused air bubble from the suction-controlled box.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.