ABSTRACT
Laboratory tests were conducted on artificially prepared unsaturated fabrics obtained from natural clay to investigate hydraulic changes induced by heating (up to 80°C) in relation to water retention and water permeability characteristics. Retention curves at different temperatures show that total suction tends to reduce with increasing temperatures at constant water content in the high-suction or intra-aggregate zone. Temperature influence on water permeability is more relevant at low suctions corresponding to free water preponderance (inter-aggregate zone), whereas below a degree of saturation of 70% (intra-aggregate zone) no clear effect is detected. Experimental data show temperature dependence of permeability at constant degree of saturation smaller than could be expected from the thermal change in water viscosity, indicating that thermochemical effects altering clay fabric and pore fluid chemistry could be relevant.
