Modelagem da curva de compressão e da pressão de preconsolidação do solo

Abstract

The preconsolidation pressure (σp) is obtained from the curve of the soil compression visual graphical form, mathematical or associating both and is an estimate of its load-bearing capacity. In order to remove the subjectivity of the visual graphical method is need for mathematical description (models using) of the compression curve. However, research results do not provide subsidies for the choice of a model whose σp represents well the resulting load-bearing capacity of soil, but if some model to represent, the σp should be a function of density and water content soil, other properties remain constant. The objective of this study was to understand the variability in the preconsolidation pressure caused by different models and options to adjust these models to the compression curve and evaluate the relationship of preconsolidation pressure with bulk density (Ds), volumetric water content (θ) and macroporisity (Ma) . For this, we performed the uniaxial compression test of 300 samples from a Hapludox, clayey, with wide variation Ds and θ. The preconsolidation pressure was determined by strictly mathematical, from the set of ten models, where seven of them consisted of variations of the model van Genuchten (1980) and others have been proposed by Friton (2001), Assouline (2002) and Gregory et al. (2006). The model proposed by Gregory and Friton possible to obtain the σp for only 62 and 56% of the curves, respectively, the variations of the model van Genuchten were enable the calculation of σp at least 90% of the curves. In three of the variations of the van Genuchten model, it was possible to get σp in 100% of the curves. The range of σp produced by the various options described in compression curve affects the physical significant of σp to represent the load bearing capacity of the soil. Likewise, Ds, θ and Ma, which influence the same load bearing capacity of the soil, not explained more than 58% of the variation of σp produced using different models. With the criteria used, it is not possible to choose one model over the other which allows to estimate more adequately by σp, the load bearing capacity of the soil, which limits the use of this parameter as an indicator for soil management agricultural. Given this result, it was investigated whether the percentage of deformation of the sample as a function of the applied loads would be more closely related to Ds, θ, and Ma was considered a safe limit of deformation of the physical viewpoint, that Ma deformation where the remains higher than 10%. The use of maintenance limit of 80% of voids index (Mεi) displaces the deformation to the plastic region of the curves of all the density ranges and therefore cannot be used for soil with structure more affected by compaction. The load to achieve a certain percentage (Mεi) is best explained by the variation of Ds and θ. The pedotransfer functions to load in Mεi between 85 and 87.5% resulted in higher coefficients of determination (0.74), having potential use of such values as critical limits to maintenance of porosity without degradation of soil physical quality.