Retention curves estimation by soil properties correlations

This paper presents, at first, an abbreviation revision concerning basic concepts about the suction and the capacity of retention of soils unsaturated. A database of 50 characteristic curves was set up, whose curves were adjusted for 6 models proposed in the literature. Parameters of adjustment of the models were determined by the reduction of error among the experimental curves in an iterative way. Subsequently, correlations were accomplished between the parameters of adjustment of the models and some properties of the soils. Finally, there were undertaken comparisons among the experimental characteristic curves of some soils and the corresponding estimated curves from the adjusted models. The models of Willians et al. (1983), Brooks and Corey (1964), Fredlund and Xing (1994) and Gardner (1958) provided the most consistent adjustments. © 2018 University Federal de Uberlandia. All rights reserved.