Use of the electric analogy for the determination of the shape factor in complex soil conditions

Zoubeir Lafhaj (1) , Isam Shahrour (1)

1 LML - Laboratoire de Mécanique de Lille - FRE 3723

This paper presents a use of the electric analogy for a study of the shape factor, which is used for the determination of the soil permeability from in situ test. The objective of the study is the determination of the shape factor for complex sol conditions. The paper is composed of three parts. The first one presents the experimental device, while the second one discribes the experimental procedure and the methodology used for the interpretation of experimental result. The last part includes a study of the variation of the shape factor with some parameters such as (i) the position of the infiltration cavity with regard to the water table or the substratum, and (ii) the presence of an obstacle or an heterogeneity close to the cavity.

Mots clés: borehole; electric analogy; heterogeneity; in situ; permeability; shape factor; soil; water table

Zoubeir Lafhaj, Isam Shahrour. Use of the electric analogy for the determination of the shape factor in complex soil conditions. International Journal of Physical Modelling in Geotechnics, 2002, 2 (4), pp.49. ⟨hal-00140312⟩