Unsaturated soil testing

Permeability under confining pressure

Test capabilities:

  • Perform permeability test according to ASTM standard (D5084/D6766/ D5887) and Australian Standard (AS 1289.6.7.3)
  • Measure permeability of soil under confining pressure using the falling head method
  • Sample diameter: 100mm
  • Measure permeability of Geosynthetic Clay Liner (GCL)


Unsaturated shear strength of soil using double cylinder tri-axial cell test

Test capabilities:

  • Preform unsaturated triaxle test according to ASTM standards and Australian Standards
  • Suction controlled (up to 800kPa suction) testing using the axis-translation method
  • Sample diameter: 50mm
  • Overall volume change measurement using double cylinder technique
  • Undisturbed and re-compacted soil samples
  • Measure SWCC (drying/wetting) of soil (including expansive soil) under different confining pressures





SWCC measurement of soil – Tempe pressure cell and pressure plate

Test capabilities:

  • Measure SWCCs (soil water characteristic curves) of soil up to 1500kPa suction
  • Undisturbed and re-compacted soil samples including expansive soils
  • Use axis-translation technique
  • Tempe pressure cell can measure volume change of the sample during the test
  • Tempe pressure cell can measure SWCC under different vertical stresses

Soil suction measuring devices



Psychrometer – Dew point potentiometer

Test capabilities:

  • Measure total suction (ASTM D6836-07)
  • Suction measuring range: 0 – 300MPa


MPS 6 – Dielectric water potential sensor

Test capabilities:

  • Measure matric suction indirectly (measure water content and covert to suction using SWCC of the ceramic disk attached to the sensors)
  • Suction measuring range: 0 – 100MPa


Tensiometer developed at QUT

Test capabilities:

  • Measure matric suction indirectly
  • Can be used in soil column to measure suction over long period as flushing can be done time to time remove air bubbles
  • Suction measuring range: 0 – 90kPa

In-situ suction and moisture measuring devices



T5x – Tensiometer

Test capabilities:

  • Measure matric suction from 0 – 200kPa
  • Use in the lab as well as in the field


MPKit-406

Test capabilities:

  • Measure in-situ soil moisture content instantaneously
  • Measure volumetric moisture content and dry density to obtain gravimetric moisture content
  • Measurement range: 0- 100%


Jet fill tensiometer

Test capabilities:

  • Measure in-situ soil matric suction
  • Measuring suction range: 0- 90kPa