Abstract
This paper presents the experimental study conducted on a clayey soil originating from the region of Béja, north-west of Tunisia. The evaporation, shrinkage and permeability behaviours were studied. The Soil Water Retention Curve (SWRC) was determined from the slurry state to dry state, under the desiccation path (called initial drying curve). The Crack Intensity Factor (CIF), settlement and void ratio were also studied to characterise the shrinkage phenomenon during desiccation. Moisture content (
ω
), saturation degree (
S
r
) and evaporation rate (
R
e
) evolutions during desiccation path were also presented. This type of slurry clay presents three stages during the desiccation process (pendular, funicular and capillary regimes). During desiccation process, the evaporation rate presents a linear relationship as a saturation degree function. Furthermore, the evaporation rate versus suction presents two phases: quasi-saturated and unsaturated states. This paper introduces a study of the hygroscopic and mechanical parameters naturally modified during a desiccation process and proposes some analytical models to describe clay behaviour. Using these parameters, we can determine the intrinsic permeability during the desiccation process.