Course 5

GROUND WATER

Ground water
Ground water is the water that lies beneath the ground surface,
fillings cracks, crevices, and the pore space between grains in clastic
sedimentary rocks
The water has a great influence on the properties and behaviour of a soil
mass,so, the first step to study the action of the water is to classify the forms of
the water we meet into the soil.
Using the criteria to the state of aggregation of the water, we can
distinguish the following forms:
-Fluid water (liquid)
-Solid water (ice)
-Gaseous water (water vapors)
Using the criteria given by the forces wich act on the water molecules, we
can distinguish the following kinds of water:
-Free water- with two forms:
-capillary water
-gravitational water
-Chemicaly bound water
-Physical bound water

FLUID WATER

1.Free water

1.1. Capillarity and capillarity effects

The forces which act on the capillary water are the gravity and the surface
tension.
will rise upward
The water will rise upward due to the surface
tensi
tension
hc = the height of rise
T = capillarity tension
r = the capillary radius

Obs. The capillary cohesion disappears when the soil is dry or saturated
1.2. The gravitational water free water that fills the voids of the soil
-Is influenced by the force of gravity
-It is the water named also ground water
-Can be at rest or in movement
-Usually are disolved in it several saltsgiving an acid or a basic reaction (pH)
-pH< 7 (acid water)
-pH >7 (basic water)
-pH=7 (neutral water)

2. Chemicaly bound water

-May be- water of hydratation - water of constitution
- water of crystalization
- zeolithic water
Water of constitution - is the part of chemical composition of the
hydroxides
The water of crystalization - belongs to the lattice of the crystal of
the chemical compound
Zeolithic water - is contained in the voids of the crystalline lattice

3. Physical bound water

-Is due to electromolecular forces that develop between

the solid mineral grains and the water molecules
Obs.The water molecules is a dipol due to the two
different electric charges and behaves as a magnet
Absorbed water:
Clay particles in soils are always hydrated surrounded
by layers of water molecules called absorbed water
Obs. The properties of clay change as the thickness of the hydratation
shell changes.
This layer is at least two molecules thick and is called the diffuse layer, the
double diffuse layer or simply double layer.

The density of absorbed water reaches the value up to 1,4 g/cm for the first
layer and behaves more as a solid. It decreases further dropping to 0,97g/cm at
about four water layers and than increases to 1,0g/cm for free water.
The thickness of the water layer depends on:
-The chemical and mineralogical nature of the clay
-The specific surface
-The chemical nature of the absorbed ions
-The hydrogen potential (pH) of the environment
Obs. Its viscosity is higher than the normal water.
This layers of water may be lost at temperatures higher than 60 to 100 C.
Some of this water may be lost by air drying.
Firm adsorbed water
-high density
-Frost temperature higher
--to T> 2000 0 C can be take off
Loose adsorbed water
-it is movable
- Frost temperature T< - 1,50 C

Substitution of one ion for onother

Exchangeable cations are positively charged ions from the salts in the
pore-water which are attracted to the surface of clay particles to balance the
negative charge
Obs. Cations in water are always hydrated
The predominant exchangeable cations in soils are Ca 2+and Mg2+
K + and Na + are found in smaller amounts; Al 3+ and Fe 3+are
the predominant exchangeable cations in acid soils.
Obs. Clays deposited in sea water will have predominantly magnesium
Mg2+ and Na+

WATER MOVEMENT IN SOILS

The water content of soils is rarely static water form: snow-melt, rainfall,
irrigation, condensation and water loose form : evaporation, transpiration, or
drainage occure most of the time.

Permeability:
Will be used for the value of k, or as a general term denoting the rate at
which water moves through a soil.

Darcy law: v=ki

v= the macroscopic flow velocity

i= hydraulic gradient

The macroscopic flow velocity was proportional to

the hydraulic gradient.
Soils classification depending on perbeability
coefficient:
k< 10-1 cm/s- high permeability of soil
k= 10-1 -10-4 cm/s permeable soil
k=10-4 -10-7 cm/s low permeability
k> 10-7 cm/s water-proof soil
Obs. The value k can be determined experimentally in the field or in
laboratory samples.

SOLID WATER
= frozen water (ice)
In region where surface temperature fall below the freezing point of water
freezing of pore in soil is possible.
Usually in our country soil may be frozen only in the winter months.
The limits of the frozen soil are indicated in our country in Stas 6034/77
and depend on the fluctuation in the winter temperature, nature of the soil
and its humidity (water content).
The variation of soil temperature with depth from the ground surface in
generally referred to as the geothermal profile.
The thickness of frost layer is between 0,6-1,10 m.