ABSTRACT

In this chapter, we present the laboratory tests that evaluate and characterize the interaction between the soil skeleton and the pore water. The engineering parameters that describe these properties are the hydraulic conductivity and the consolidation coefficient. The hydraulic conductivity characterizes the ease of water flow through soils, while the consolidation coefficient evaluates the dissipation of the pore water pressure when saturated soils are loaded. Along with these properties, consolidation test results provide data that evaluate the deformation response of soils under vertical loading. These deformation parameters are known as compression and swelling indexes, and they allow geotechnical engineers to calculate the settlement of structures.