Effect of climate change on migration of wetting front in expansive soils | |
| Author | Asif, Taskid Hossain |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.GE-24-06 |
| Subject(s) | Climatic changes--Environmental aspects Soil mechanics Finite element method |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Geotechnical and Earth Resources Engineering |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | Climate change, one of the significant global concerns at present, poses emerging challenges across various sectors, including geotechnical engineering. Expansive soil is one sector that is particularly susceptible to climate and is likely to be sensitive to its variations. Within these soils, movement occurs due to changes in subsurface water content, causing the soil to swell with increased moisture or shrink upon drying, which can induce considerable damage to foundations and infrastructure.This study examines the impact of climate change on subsurface water content profiles in expansive soils and its subsequent effects on foundation design. Finite element modeling, calibrated and validated using field and laboratory data from the TRACON building at Denver International Airport, was used to simulate long-term water migration. Key climate variables, including temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation, projected under multiple Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6), were incorporated into the models to evaluate their influence over time. Representative expansive soil profiles from Colorado's Front Range region were analyzed to assess the effects of climate change. In turn, pier designs were evaluated based on wetting depth and degree of saturation under varying climate scenarios.The findings of the research show that climate projections lead to shallower wetting depths, with deeper clay layers experiencing a greater reduction (8%) compared to shallower layers (4%). While both low and high carbon emission scenarios exhibit similar effects on wetting depth, the high emission scenario results in the lowest degree of saturation. Sensitivity analysis reveals temperature and precipitation as the most influential factors affecting wetting depth, while solar radiation and wind speed exert comparatively minor effects. Climate projections lead to slightly shorter pier lengths compared to the conventional design approach, which does not account for climate change. The deviations range from approximately 3% to 6% for rigid piers and 5% to 12% for elastic piers. These relatively small deviations suggest that, despite future climate change, the conventional design approach may remain a practical and reliable option for foundation design due to its simplicity and consistency. |
| Year | 2025 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Engineering and Technology |
| Department | Department of Civil and Infrastucture Engineering (DCIE) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Geotechnical and Earth Resources Engineering (GTE)/Former name = Geotechnical Engineering (GE) |
| Chairperson(s) | Chao, Kuo Chieh |
| Examination Committee(s) | Avirut Puttiwongrak;Natthachet Tangdamrongsub |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | His Majesty the King’s Scholarships (Thailand) |
| Degree | Thesis (M. Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2025 |