An examination of the air-pressure infiltration method of measuring hydraulic conductivity of unsaturated porous materials

Abstract

An air-pressure infiltration method (proposed by Youngs) for determining the hydraulic conductivity of porous material is examined, and a theory for the potential distribution in such a system is proposed. The results of experiments on aluminium oxide powder support the theory. The matric potential during infiltration is not locatable a priori on a predetermined wetting scanning curve of the moisture characteristic, and the implications of this are discussed.