PURPOSES : This study compares the results of field-monitored unsaturated hydraulic data to verify the wetting path estimation method using the drying path on roadside soil slope.
METHODS: A method proposed by Fredlund was used to estimate the wetting curves of soil water characteristic curves. Wetting curves were estimated from the drying curve acquired mainly from laboratory testing, and the estimated wetting curve was applied to the infiltration analysis to verify the estimation method. The infiltration analysis results obtained from the drying, wetting, and estimated wetting curves were compared to the field-monitored data at the same location.
RESULTS : The volumetric water contents measured at 40 cm were closest to analysis results obtained from the wetting curve, whereas the volumetric water content measured at 80 cm were closest to the analysis results obtained from the drying curve. The results of the estimated wetting curves were between the results of the drying and wetting curves. The measured suction results were within the drying and wetting curves, and the estimated wetting curves were within the drying and wetting curves. Additionally, the safety factor obtained from applying the drying curves was carefully calculated, and the factor of safety of the estimated wetting curves was close to the results of the wetting curves.
CONCLUSIONS : Applying a drying curve to calculate the slope stability during the rainy season will cause an overestimation of the factor of safety at roadside soil slopes. However, if the proposed estimation method of the wetting curve can be applied to the numerical analysis, the stability of the road slope can be reasonably estimated.