The development of design criteria to select the depth of a vertical moisture barrier /
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| Other Authors: | , , |
| Format: | Thesis Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
1985.
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Link to OAKTrust copy Link to ProQuest copy |
| Abstract: | This dissertation presents a design procedure to tailor the depth of a vertical moisture barrier to the climatic conditions and to the soil properties for a specific site. This is accomplished in two steps. The first step is the selection of the meteorological design event. The second step is the estimation of the response of the soil profile to the design event. The meteorological drought was found to be the relevant meteorological event. The annual drought intensity is characterized based on the effect that the meteorological conditions have on the amount of water stored in the soil profile. This effect is estimated with a simplified procedure to perform the daily water balance. Two alternative approaches are used to characterize drought intensity. For both alternatives, the design event is selected from a frequency analysis of the drought intensities that occurred with a stochastic series of consecutive one-year meteorological events. Two alternative approaches are presented to estimate the response of the soil profile to the design event. The first approach consists of a numerical simulation of the flow of water in or out of the region and of the deformation of the soil mass associated to the moisture content changes. The second approach neglects the water flux through the soil matrix. The deformation of the soil mass is estimated from the suction profile which is associated to the minimum depth of water stored in the soil profile in the design year. The design procedure is illustrated for a test section of IH-37 in San Antonio, Texas. This section was rehabilitated with the installation of a vertical moisture barrier and the behavior of the pavement has been monitored since then. The site investigation and the measurements obtained in the monitoring of the test section are also discussed in this dissertation. |
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| Item Description: | Typescript (photocopy). Vita. "Major subject: Civil Engineering." |
| Physical Description: | 3 volumes (xx, 822 leaves) : illustrations ; 29 cm |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references (leaves 366-374). |