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within a soil or rock, in gaps between particles (pores). Pore water pressures below the phreatic level
of the groundwater are measured with piezometers. The vertical pore water pressure distribution
in aquifers can generally be assumed to be close to hydrostatic.
In the unsaturated ("vadose") zone, the pore pressure is determined by capillarity and is also referred
to as tension, suction, or matric pressure. Pore water pressures under unsaturated conditions are
measured with tensiometers, which operate by allowing the pore water to come into equilibrium with
a reference pressure indicator through a permeable ceramic cup placed in contact with the soil.
Pore water pressure is vital in calculating the stress state in the ground soil mechanics,
from Terzaghi's expression for the effective stress of a soil.
Contents
1General principles
2Below the water table
o 2.1Equation for calculation
o 2.2Measurement methods and standards
3Above the water table
o 3.1Equation for calculation
o 3.2Measurement methods and standards
3.2.1Matric pressure
3.2.2Pneumatic pressure
4See also
5References
General principles[edit]
Pressure develops due to:[1]
Water elevation difference: water flowing from higher elevation to lower elevation and
causing a velocity head, or with water flow, as exemplified in Bernoulli's energy
equations.
Hydrostatic water pressure: resulting from the weight of material above the point
measured.
Osmotic pressure: inhomogeneous aggregation of ion concentrations, which causes a
force in water particles as they attract by the molecular laws of attraction.
Absorption pressure: attraction of surrounding soil particles to one another by adsorbed
water films.
Matric suction: the defining trait of unsaturated soil, this term corresponds to the pressure
dry soil exerts on the surrounding material to equalise the moisture content in the overall
block of soil and is defined as the difference between pore air pressure,, and pore water
pressure, .[2]
The buoyancy effects of water have a large impact on certain soil properties, such as the effective
stress present at any point in a soil medium. Consider an arbitrary point five meters below the
ground surface. In dry soil, particles at this point experience a total overhead stress equal to the
depth underground (5 meters), multiplied by the specific weight of the soil. However, when the
local water table height is within said five meters, the total stress felt five meters below surface is
decreased by the product of the height of the water table in to the five meter area, and the specific
weight of water, 9.81 kN/m^3. This parameter is called the effective stress of the soil, basically equal
to the difference in a soil's total stress and pore water pressure. The pore water pressure is essential
in differentiating a soil's total stress from its effective stress. A correct representation of stress in soil
is necessary for accurate field calculations in a variety of engineering trades.[3]
At any point above the water table, in the vadose zone, the effective stress is approximately
equal to the total stress, as proven by Terzaghi's principle. Realistically, the effective stress
is greater than the total stress, as the pore water pressure in these partially saturated soils is
actually negative. This is primarily due to the surface tension of pore water in voids
throughout the vadose zone causing a suction effect on surrounding particles, i.e. matric
suction. This capillary action is the "upward movement of water through the vadose zone"
(Coduto, 266).[8] Increased water infiltration, such as that caused by heavy rainfall, brings
about a reduction in matric suction, following the relationship described by the soil water
characteristic curve (SWCC), resulting in a reduction of the soil's shear strength, and
reduced slope stability.[9] Capillary effects in soil are more complex than in free water due to
the randomly connected void space and particle interference through which to flow;
regardless, the height of this zone of capillary rise, where negative pore water pressure is
generally peaks, can be closely approximated by a simple equation. The height of capillary
rise is inversely proportional to the diameter of void space in contact with water. Therefore,
the smaller the void space, the higher water will rise due to tension forces. Sandy soils
consist of more coarse material with more room for voids, and therefore tends to have a
much shallower capillary zone than do more cohesive soils, such as clays and silts.[8]