ABSTRACT
The accurate prediction of complex mechanical and hydrothermal soil behavior in shallow zones is necessary to mitigate geo-disasters. This study aimed to develop a numerical model for predicting soil water transfer in both liquid and vapor forms, involving heat transfer in the evaporation process in shallow zones. Parametric studies demonstrated that intensive surface desiccation occurs in soils with a low coefficient of permeability or low water retention. The numerical model was validated by comparing the numerical and experimental results of the evaporation tests, which showed that the evaporation rate can be predicted quantitatively. However, some modifications are required for both calculations and experiments to confirm the validity of local soil water transfer and temperature variation.
