Water Morphologies and Distribution in Wet Soil and Sands

Water morphologies and distribution were probed into by a CCD combined with a microscope. Observations and analysis showed that besides bound water, interstitial water, and free water, there is surface capillary water on the relative coarse matrix surfaces in soil and sands. At low moisture content, water morphologies in wet soil and sands are bound water, liquid bridges (or interstitial water), surface capillary water. When moisture content is high, water in soil and sands does not distribute homogeneously, however, some water masses (free water) and gas zones were found. Meanwhile, surface capillary water and bridges were still found on the solid surfaces and among the particles gaps enveloped in the gas zones.