The Need for Unsaturated Soil Mechanics: A Brief Review

Abstract

Soils exhibit seasonal saturation and desiccation, often resulting in varying degrees of moisture content. In practice, soil is seldom fully saturated. When it is completely dry or wet, it behaves as a two-phase system. Otherwise, the moisture content within the interstices of soil vary, leading to partially saturated conditions. Unsaturated soil condition has significant influence on soil behaviour. This paper presents a brief review of the emergence of unsaturated soil mechanics and its applications. © 2021, Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.