INVESTIGATION ON CHANGES IN THE RETENTION BEHAVIOUR OF A SAND DUE TO VETIVER ROOTS

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4. INVESTIGATION ON CHANGES IN THE RETENTION BEHAVIOUR OF A SAND DUE TO VETIVER ROOTS

Vegetation can significantly influence the soil hydraulic properties, prompting extensive research into the use of plant roots as a functional tool for enhancing the performance of geotechnical systems. The present study investigates the potential evolution of the water retention ability of a sand as influenced by the presence of a Vetiver plant after one growing season. The methodology involves comparing the hydraulic retention properties of undisturbed sand with those of sand with roots. To simulate the soil-vegetation interaction in the laboratory, a physical model replicating a vegetated backfill has been developed. It consists of a tank with a geosynthetic draining side, filled with siliceous sand, in which a Vetiver plant has been grown. The setup includes tensiometers positioned at different depths, enabling continuous suction measurement during a controlled rainfall test. Measurements have been carried out on specimens to determine the hydraulic properties of the sand unrooted, for implementing them in the numerical simulation of an infiltration process through soil without vegetation. Then, the comparison between the suction values predicted by numerical simulation and those recorded during the physical model test provided indications of the influence of roots on the soil hydraulic properties.

3rd International Workshop on Soil-Vegetation-Atmosphere Interaction (RootS2025)

1a. Experimental characterisation of thermo-hydraulic properties of the rooted soils