A physical model to investigate the influence of atmospheric variables on soil suction in pyroclastic soils

This paper investigates the interaction between soil and atmosphere in pyroclastic soils with a view to understanding the influence of meteorological factors on soil variables (essentially water content and suction). Such factors are known to have a great effect upon slope stability. As our particular interest lies in the influence of evaporation, we set up a physical model to quantify evaporation fluxes and use the results to interpret fluctuations in soil water content and suction. The physical model consists of a 1 m3 tank filled in this case with pyroclastic soil and exposed to natural weather elements. The system is extensively monitored to record atmospheric and soil variables during the tests