Influence of Hydraulic Loading and Effluent Flux on Surface Surcharging in Soil Absorption Systems

Abstract

The goal of this study was to investigate how extreme hydraulic loading influences hydraulic pathways, and thus failure potential, of two soil absorption systems. A grid of tensiometers and piezometers were installed beneath and adjacent to the absorption trenches, and water height was manipulated to simulate different hydraulic loadings. At both sites, measured soil matric potentials along the trench sidewalls increased toward zero as water height increased over time, indicating that water was preferentially flowing laterally above the biomat zones. Saturated hydraulic conductivity