THE EFFECT OF CRYOGENESIS ON WATER-RETENTION IN SOILS

The effect of the duration of freezing and the following period with p ositive temperatures on water drainage and water content in saturated undisturbed samples of soddy-podzolic soils is studied by the tensiome ter method under equal hydrostatic pressures. The longer the soil has been frozen, the lower the observed water content. Water content in th e samples increased with the time of thawing. The described effects ar e explained on the basis of pore space rearrangement and the theory of fluid flow in fine films and pores.