ABSTRACT
The paper presents an experimental study on unsaturated Sterrebeek loam (w L ,=27, I p =4) based on drying tests and oedometric tests under controlled negative pressure (−u w ) conditions. The samples were prepared by following a consolidated path and then, drained under several given negative pressures.
A new definition of the effective stress, based on a discontinuous model composed of isodiametral spheres, led to a satisfactory interpretation of drying tests. On the other hand, it is necessary to introduce directly the role of the negative pressure to explain the quasi-elastic behaviour of the soil on oedometric paths.
