ABSTRACT
This paper presents a study of the influence of pore water composition on the suction measured using filter papers. Comparisons are made between the soil water retention characteristic of a silty soil with pure pore water and the characteristics of the same soil reconstituted with various salt solutions. The curves are represented in terms of total suction and matrix suction and are used to estimate the osmotic suction component over a wide range of moisture contents. A comparison is made between the osmotic suction derived from the measurement of total and matrix suction and the osmotic suction calculated from the concentration of salt in the soil.
