64 WATER FLOW IN SOIL [CHAP.

Fig. 3-1. Elemental soil volume.

from which it can be seen that

v nv,. (3-3)

Because of the convenience of using gross cross-sectional areas, most calcula

tions involving the velocity of fluid flow in soil make use of the superficial
velocity v, which will be employed in future developments (unless otherwise
stated).
Another question arises at this point. If the soil is not completely saturated,
does the gas constitute part of the soil structure, being thereby immobile,
or do gas bubbles move with the pore fluid as it passes through the soil?
There is little doubt that, in all probability, some gas bubbles remain attached
to the soil skeleton while others move with the pore water, and in practice
it is difficult to assess the proportions of the gas content which may be
assigned to either process. If the bubbles do not move, they can be considered
to constitute an especially compressible structural component, taking part
in the process of change of fluid storage in the element but not in the flow
mechanism. It seems possible that the major part of the gas in unsaturated
soils performs this function, which is a convenient one to assume for the
development of descriptive equations. If gas moves with the pore fluid, the
equation of state of the fluid requires modification. In either eventuality
the mass quantity of static or mobile gas must be assumed to be constant.
Here we shall consider the gas, if present, to be attached to the soil structure.
Continuity condition. Figure 3-1 represents an element within a mass of
soil through which fluid flow is taking place. The discussion may be con
fined to the consideration of flow of water, which is the fluid of most interest
in soil engineering. We set up arbitrary boundaries to the element at right
angles to each other, outline it by points A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H and obtain
a small prism of dimensions dx, dy, and dz aligned according to the convenient
axes x, y, and z, which may have any orientation in space. Water may flow
into or out of the element through each of its faces, and we must also take
into account the possibility that water may be stored (positively or negatively)
within the element during a time interval, for various reasons. Among these
are : compressibility of the water, compressibility of any gas bubbles present
in the soil, compressibility of the soil solids and of the soil structure.