Pore size distribution of unsaturated compacted kaolin: the initial states and final states following saturation

The structure of soil is derived from the arrangement of the particles, and affects the overall mechanical and hydro-mechanical properties (Casagrande, 1932; Lambe, 1951; Mitchell, 1976; Leroueil & Vaughan, 1990). Within the context of fine-grained unsaturated soils, different structures result from compaction depending on whether water contents are wet or dry of optimum, and they significantly affect the performance of unsaturated soils (Barden & Sides, 1970, Alonso et al., 1995; Gens et al., 1995; Lloret et al., 2003; Romero et al., 2003). Generally, a flocculated...