[Geoqus] On Partially Saturated Flow

[bsaad at po-box.mcgill.ca]

Please give me your comments on the matter below

- Traditionally Soil Water Retention (Characteristic) curve is given in 
terms of the relation between the volumetric water content VWC and the 
suction.Now as you know ABAQUS needs the SWCC data in terms of Degree 
of saturation (S) and suction therefore (and as I have low potential 
swelling soils) I can find S given VWC from the simple relation
VWC= Sn where S is the degree of saturation and n is the porosity. If 
this is ok , which porosity one has to choose if one needs the SWCC 
data for Consolidation study purpose and if one wants to get the SWCC 
in terms of Saturation and not in terms of VWC  is an addressable 
matter.
- In the commercial softwares performing Consolidation analysis of 
Partially Saturated Soils such as ABAQUS, the analyst inputs only one 
SWCC data (which ,in my opinion, could correspond to the initial void 
ratio).  After that the SWCC function will operate through out the 
Consolidation analysis (for infinite number of void ratio).This implies 
that SWCC is inherent characteristic of the soil and it doesnot depend 
on the the void ratio.
Thank you Bassam