Cambios en la estructura de suelos compactados frente a humedecimiento y secado

The current paper analyses the structure of compacted soils regarding their compaction conditions and the changes taking place when their degree of saturation varies. The study is carried out comparatively with regards to two generic compaction points, having different density and humidity, which are taken as a reference. The analysis is based on the results obtained by means of a porosimeter with mercury intrusion. This analysis shows that soils compacted on the dry side have a double structure: the microstructure associated to intro-aggregated pores and the macrostructure associated to inter-aggregates. Note that when they are wetted unconfined, they keep the macrostructure and that the microstructure pores tend to increase in volume. On the other hand, soils compacted on the wet side show a unimodal distribution of the pore volume. Furthermore, when dried, the main pore volume decreases reaching values close to those predominant in the microstructure of soils compacted on the dry side.