EVALUATION OF THE PORE INDEX OF A GROUND UNSATURATED FROM CONSOLIDATION TESTS

Abstract

The mechanical behavior of agricultural grounds is in favor conditional of different variables like: the apparent density, humidity content, pore porosity, index, and others. The objective of this work was to determine the effect of the increase of the pressure on the ground caused by the traffic of the agricultural machines in the mechanical properties of the ground, showed through the pore index (relation of emptinesses), for three humidities and two values of apparent density, from the simulation of the process of compaction in laboratory. Tests of uniaxial compression (oedometer) to remolded samples were made, put under a sequence of load of: 25, 50, 100, 200 and 400 kPa, during 0,5 h, and tests of physical properties. The results showed that the accomplishment of works mechanized in humidities near the critical humidity of compaction favors the increase of the compaction of the ground, because diminishes the relation of emptinesses and therefore the porosity is smaller. The increase of the content of organic matter favors the maintenance of greater relations of emptiness, opposite case of the clay content. The increase of the apparent density goes prepared with the diminution of the relation of emptinesses.