The purpose of this work was to verify the effect of hidroretentive polymers on the physical and hydraulic properties of two porous media. The experiments were carried out at the Soil Physics Laboratory at the Federal University of Paraná from 03/18 to 10/30/97. The research was developed using a Belgium type of retentive polymer incorporated in two porous media with their different physico-chemical properties; a Dark Red Oxisol and Marine Quartzous sand. The polymers were applied as dried grains at the following concentrations: 0, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 kg m-3. Water retention curves were elaborated for the tensions of 0.00; 0.025; 0.045; 0.10; 0.20; 0.60; 1.50 and 3.00 mH2O. The values of the saturated hydraulic conductivity were measured and the mean diameter of the pores estimated. The process of water evaporation from soil was considered for numeric simulation. Water retention curves and the moisture profiles by simulated evaporation were considerably different from reference points after the addition of polymers, particularly in the Marine Quartzous sand. The mean diameter of pores progressively increased with increasing polymer concentration. It was also verified that at the concentrations of 8 kg m-3, the physical and hydraulic properties of the soil did not present their natural effects and were overcome by the action of the polymers.
hydroretentive polymers; hydrogels; water retention