ABSTRACT
The laboratory-based ‘‘evaporation’’ or ‘‘Wind’’ method (Wind 1968) is used primarily for
determining the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity relationship [K(c) or K(u)] and the pore water desorption relationship [u(c)] on cores or columns of soil. It is also potentially useful, however, for estimating the so-called capillarity relationships, i.e., sorptivity, S(c), sorptive number, a*(c), flow-weighted mean pore diameter, PD(c), and the number of flowweighted mean pores per unit area, NP(c) (Chapter 69). An alternative laboratory method for determining near-saturated K(c), K(u), and u(c) is given in Chapter 80. Field methods for determining K(c), K(u), or u(c) are given in Chapter 82 and Chapter 83. Selected methods for estimating K(c), K(u), and u(c) from surrogate porous medium properties are given in Chapter 84. A discussion of the principles and parameters associated with the determination
of K(c), K(u), u(c), and the capillarity relationships appears in Chapter 69.
