In the previous chapter, a probabilistic porous-solid model with the ability to
simulate both branches of the soil-water retention curve was developed. In this chapter,
the model is used to interpret more realistically the results of mercury intrusion
porosimetry tests. Moreover, it is used to obtain the pore size distribution of soils
employing both branches of the soil-water retention curve as data. The numerical and
experimental comparisons for different soils show that the model approximately
reproduces the pore size distribution obtained from mercury intrusion porosimetry
tests. Finally, a procedure to fit the numerical with the experimental soil-water
retention curves in order to obtain the pore size distribution of soils is presented.
Keywords: Contact angle, Critical radius, Grain size distribution, Hydromechanical
coupling, Logarithmic normal distribution, Macropores, Mean size,
Mercury intrusion porosimetry tests, Mesopores, Micropores, Pore size
distribution, Relative volume, Scanning electron micrographs, Soil mixtures, Soilwater
retention curve, Standard deviation, Superficial tension.
