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O objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver e implementar uma metodologia envolvendo a análise de perfis de difração de raios X (X-ray Line Profile Analysis - XLPA) para o estudo e determinação do tamanho médio de cristalitos e microdeformação em materiais. Para isto houve o desenvolvimento de um programa computacional para facilitar o tratamento dos picos presentes em um difratograma e realizar a deconvolução de perfis através do Método de Stokes para se corrigir a contribuição instrumental nos perfis de difração. Os métodos de XLPA de espaço real estudados e aplicados neste trabalho foram os métodos de Scherrer, Williamson-Hall e Single-Line (ou Linha Única) e o método de Warren-Averbach de espaço de Fourier. Além disso, utilizando-se um modelamento matemático foi possível calcular a distribuição de tamanhos de cristalitos para um caso isotrópico, onde considerou-se a distribuição log-normal e cristalitos com forma esférica. Foi possível demonstrar que a teoria proposta pode ser considerada como uma boa aproximação avaliando-se uma razão de dispersão. As metodologias descritas acima foram aplicadas em dois materiais distintos: na liga metálica Zircaloy-4 e em ZnO. / The objective of this work was to develop and implement a methodology of X-ray Line Profile Analysis (XLPA) for the study and determination of the mean crystallite sizes and microstrains in materials. A computer program was developed to speed up the treatment of diffraction peaks and perform the deconvolution utilizing the Stokes method to correct the instrumental contribution in the X-ray diffraction measurements. The XLPA methods used were the Scherrer, Williamson-Hall and Single-Line methods, which can be called real space methods, and the Fourier space method of Warren-Averbach. Furthermore, considering a mathematical modelling it was possible to calculate the crystallite size distribution, considering the log-normal distribution and spherical crystallites. It was possible to demonstrate the proposed theory can provide reliable results evaluating a dispersion parameter. The methodologies described above were applied in two distinct materials: in the alloy Zircaloy-4 and in ZnO.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver e implementar uma metodologia envolvendo a análise de perfis de difração de raios X (X-ray Line Profile Analysis - XLPA) para o estudo e determinação do tamanho médio de cristalitos e microdeformação em materiais. Para isto houve o desenvolvimento de um programa computacional para facilitar o tratamento dos picos presentes em um difratograma e realizar a deconvolução de perfis através do Método de Stokes para se corrigir a contribuição instrumental nos perfis de difração. Os métodos de XLPA de espaço real estudados e aplicados neste trabalho foram os métodos de Scherrer, Williamson-Hall e Single-Line (ou Linha Única) e o método de Warren-Averbach de espaço de Fourier. Além disso, utilizando-se um modelamento matemático foi possível calcular a distribuição de tamanhos de cristalitos para um caso isotrópico, onde considerou-se a distribuição log-normal e cristalitos com forma esférica. Foi possível demonstrar que a teoria proposta pode ser considerada como uma boa aproximação avaliando-se uma razão de dispersão. As metodologias descritas acima foram aplicadas em dois materiais distintos: na liga metálica Zircaloy-4 e em ZnO. / The objective of this work was to develop and implement a methodology of X-ray Line Profile Analysis (XLPA) for the study and determination of the mean crystallite sizes and microstrains in materials. A computer program was developed to speed up the treatment of diffraction peaks and perform the deconvolution utilizing the Stokes method to correct the instrumental contribution in the X-ray diffraction measurements. The XLPA methods used were the Scherrer, Williamson-Hall and Single-Line methods, which can be called real space methods, and the Fourier space method of Warren-Averbach. Furthermore, considering a mathematical modelling it was possible to calculate the crystallite size distribution, considering the log-normal distribution and spherical crystallites. It was possible to demonstrate the proposed theory can provide reliable results evaluating a dispersion parameter. The methodologies described above were applied in two distinct materials: in the alloy Zircaloy-4 and in ZnO.

Geophysical research has long been interdisciplinary, with many phenomena on the Earth's surface involving multiple, linked processes that are best understood using a combination of techniques. This is particularly true in the case of grain flows on sand dunes, in which the sedimentary stratification with which geologists are concerned arises from the granular processes investigated by physicists and engineers, and the water permeation that interests hydrologists and soil scientists determines the seismic velocities of concern to exploration geophysicists. In this dissertation, I describe four projects conducted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, using a combination of laboratory experimentation, fieldwork, numerical simulation, and mathematical modelling to link avalanching on dunes to its effects on stratification, on the permeation of water, and on seismic surveys. Firstly, I describe experiments on erodible, unbounded, grain piles in a channel, slowly supplied with additional grains, and I demonstrate that the behaviour of the consequent, discrete avalanches alternates between two regimes, typified by their size statistics. Reconciling the `self-organised criticality' that several authors have predicted for such a system with the hysteretic behaviour that others have observed, the system exhibits quasi-periodic, system-spanning avalanches in one regime, while in the other avalanches pass at irregular intervals and have a power-law size distribution. Secondly, I link this power-law size distribution to the strata emplaced by avalanches on bounded grain piles. A low inflow rate of grains into an experimental channel develops a pile, composed of strata in which blue-dyed, coarser grains overlie finer grains. Associating stopped avalanche fronts with the `trapped kinks' described by previous authors, I show that, in sufficiently large grain piles, mean stratum width increases linearly with distance downslope. This implies the possibility of interpreting paleodune height from the strata of aeolian sandstones, and makes predictions for the structure of avalanche-associated strata within active dunes. Thirdly, I discuss investigations of these strata within active, Qatari barchan dunes, using dye-infiltration to image strata in the field and extracting samples across individual strata with sub-centimetre resolution. Downslope increases in mean stratum width are evident, while measurements of particle size distributions demonstrate preferential permeation of water along substrata composed of finer particles, explaining the strata-associated, localised regions of high water content discovered by other work on the same dunes. Finally, I consider the effect of these within-dune variations in water content on seismic surveys for oil and gas. Having used high performance computing to simulate elastic wave propagation in the vicinity of an isolated, barchan sand dune, I demonstrate that such a dune acts as a resonator, absorbing energy from Rayleigh waves and reemitting it over an extensive period of time. I derive and validate a mathematical framework that uses bulk properties of the dune to predict quantitative properties of the emitted waves, and I demonstrate the importance of internal variations in seismic velocity, resulting from variations in water content.

Les particules d'aérosol sont importantes en raison de leurs impacts directs et indirects sur le climat. Dans la couche limite (CL), ces particules ont une durée de vie relativement courte en raison de leur élimination fréquente par dépôt humide. En revanche, lorsque les aérosols sont transportés dans la troposphère libre (TL), leur durée de vie dans l'atmosphère augmente de manière significative, ce qui les rend représentatifs de vastes zones spatiales. Dans le cadre de ces travaux de thèse, nous avons utilisé une combinaison de mesures in situ effectuées à la station PUY (Puy de Dôme, 45 ° 46 'N, 2 ° 57'E, 1465 m d'altitude), ainsi que des profils LIDAR obtenus depuis Clermont-Ferrand pour identifier les conditions de TL et caractériser davantage les propriétés physiques et chimiques des aérosols dans cette zone de l'atmosphère peu documentée. Dans un premier temps, une combinaison de quatre critères a été utilisée pour déterminer le positionnement de la station PUY en TL ou en CL. Les résultats montrent que la station est située en CL avec des fréquences allant de 50% en hiver à 97% en été. Cette classification a ensuite été utilisée pour évaluer, sur un an de mesures, les différences qui existent entre la TL et la CL en termes de caractéristiques physique (distribution en taille) et chimique (fraction non réfractaire) de l’aérosol, et vis-à-vis des concentrations en carbone suie (BC). Sur la base de cette ségrégation, nous avons observé pour la plupart des saisons que les concentrations en particules des modes Aitken et accumulation ainsi que la concentration en BC sont plus élevées dans la CL que dans la TL. Cette observation est cohérente avec le fait que la majorité des sources d’aérosol sont situées dans la CL. Au contraire, des concentrations plus élevées en particules dans les modes Aitken et accumulation (notamment organiques) et en BC sont observées en TL au printemps. Ces aérosols organiques ont été identifiés comme étant âgés / moins âgés ; ils coïncident avec la présence de fortes concentrations en sulfate et en BC et sont probablement originaires de processus de combustion de biomasse, à la suite desquels ils sont directement injectés en TL sous l’effet d’une convection thermique intense. Aucune différence significative entre les concentrations de CL et de TL n'a été observée pour les particules du mode nucléation, et ce quelle que soit la saison, ce qui suggère une source supplémentaire continue de particules du mode nucléation dans la TL en hiver et en automne. Les concentrations en particules du mode grossier sont en revanche plus élevées dans la TL que dans la CL pour toutes les saisons, et en particulier en été. Cela indique un transport longue distance efficace des grosses particules dans la TL depuis des sources lointaines (marines et désertiques), probablement favorisé par les vitesses de vent accrues dans la TL par rapport à la CL. Nous avons ensuite calculé les rétro-trajectoires des masses d'air que nous avons combinées aux estimations de hauteur de couche limite du modèle ECMWF ERA-Interim pour estimer le temps passé par les masses d’air dans la TL depuis leur dernier contact avec la CL, et pour évaluer l'impact de ce paramètre sur les propriétés des aérosols. Nous avons observé que même après 75 heures sans aucun contact avec la CL, les aérosols de la TL conservent les propriétés spécifiques du type de masse d'air auquel ils appartiennent. Ce manuscrit présente également une étude des mesures simultanées au PUY et à une station urbaine à basse altitude, AtmoAura. Les résultats montrent que lorsque le PUY est en TL, les concentrations des PM1 (particules de diamètre inférieur à 1 µm) sont plus faibles au PUY qu’à AtmoAura, ce qui confirme notre classification. Lorsque le PUY est en CL, la composition en aérosol est similaire pour les deux sites, ce qui a permis de quantifier la contribution de la pollution urbaine locale issue de la ville de Clermont-Ferrand. / Aerosol particles are important due to their direct and indirect impacts on climate. Within the planetary boundary layer (BL), these particles have a relatively short lifetime due to their frequent removal process by wet deposition. When aerosols are transported into the free troposphere (FT), their atmospheric lifetime increases significantly, making them representative of large spatial areas. In this work, we use a combination of in situ measurements performed at the high altitude PUY (Puy de Dôme, 45°46’ N, 2°57’E, 1465 m asl) station, together with LIDAR profiles at Clermont-Ferrand for characterizing FT conditions, and further characterize the physical and chemical properties of aerosol in this poorly documented area of the atmosphere. First, a combination of four criteria was used to identify whether the PUY station lies within the FT or within the BL. Results show that the PUY station is located in BL with frequencies ranging from 50% during the winter, up to 97% during the summer. Then, the classification is applied to a year-long dataset of particle size distribution and NR-PM1 data’s to study the differences in particle physical and chemical characteristics and BC concentrations between the FT and the BL. Based on this segregation, we observed higher concentrations in the BL compared to FT for BC, Aitken and accumulation mode particle concentrations for most seasons, as expected from larger sources originating from the surface. However, BC, Aitken mode, accumulation mode and organic aerosols concentrations were higher in the FT compared to BL during spring. These organic aerosols were identified as aged/less aged, and were correlated with sulphate and BC and we suspect that the higher concentrations of particles observed in the FT compared to BL during spring originate from direct injection of BB aerosols in the FT through strong heat convection. No significant difference between the BL and the FT concentrations was observed for the nucleation mode particles for all seasons, suggesting a continuous additional source of nucleation mode particles in the FT during winter and autumn. Coarse mode particle concentrations were found higher in the FT than in the BL for all seasons and especially during summer. This indicates an efficient long-range transport of large particles in the FT from distant sources (marine and desert) due to higher wind speeds in the FT compared to BL. For FT air masses, we used 204-h air mass back-trajectories combined with boundary layer height estimations from ECMWF ERA-Interim to assess the time they spent in the FT since their last contact with the BL and to evaluate the impact of this parameter on the aerosol properties. We observed that even after 75 h without any contact with the BL, FT aerosols preserve specific properties of their air mass type. This manuscript is also presenting a study of simultaneous measurements at PUY and an urban low altitude station AtmoAura. Results show that when the PUY is influenced by FT air masses, the PM1 species are lower at the PUY compared to AtmoAura confirming our classification. When the PUY is predicted to lay within the BL, the aerosol composition was similar among the two sites for several species, which allowed for a quantification of the local urban pollution contribution for the species enhanced within the city of Clermont-Ferrand.

<p>Uzorci zemlji&scaron;ta iz pov&scaron;inskog sloja dubine 0 - 10 cm<br />prikupljeni su sa 121 lokacije na gradskom području Novog<br />Sada. Ispitivano područje obuhvatilo je povr&scaron;inu (4 x 5)km²,<br />koja je podeljena na mrežna polja veličine (400 x 400) m^2&nbsp;i u&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />svakom polju uzet je po jedan uzorak. Za 121 uzorak<br />gradskog zemlji&scaron;ta Novog Sada ispitana su fizičko-hemijska<br />svojstva zemlji&scaron;ta, ukupni i pristupačni sadržaj metala (As,<br />Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) i njihova prostorna raspodela.<br />Konturne mape prostorne raspodele metala u zemlji&scaron;tu<br />dobijene su kori&scaron;ćenjem interpolacijske metode običnog<br />kriginga. Za pojedine uzorke izvr&scaron;eno je razdvajanje čestica<br />po veličinama frakcionisanjem u vodi pomoću sita različitih<br />veličina i identifikovani su minerali prisutni u frakciji prah +<br />glina. Aktivnosti radionuklida &bdquo;unsupported&rdquo;²¹⁰Pb i ¹³⁷Cs<br />određene su za jedan deo uzoraka zemlji&scaron;ta u Novom Sadu i<br />za uzorke zemlji&scaron;ta pored fabrike akumulatora u Somboru.<br />Ispitana je i vertikalna distribucija stabilnog i radioaktivnog<br />Pb u zemlji&scaron;tu.</p><p>Na 14 lokacija u Novom Sadu prikupljeno je 35 uzoraka<br />snega direktno sa asfaltnih puteva i sa zemljanih povr&scaron;ina u<br />okolini puteva i na pe&scaron;ačkim ostrvima. Raspodela čestica po<br />veličinama i ukupne koncentracije metala (Al, Ca, Cu, Fe, K,<br />Na, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) određene su analizom filtriranih uzoraka,<br />a za 4 uzorka ispitana je morfologija čestica i urađena<br />semikvantitativna analiza čestica u suvoj materiji.</p><p>Prilikom obrade rezultata merenja primenjene su metode<br />deskriptivne statistike i multivarijacione statističke analize u<br />cilju identifikacije izvora zagađenja i određivanja povezanosti<br />između samih metala i drugih parametara.</p> / <p>A total of 121 surface soil samples were collected&nbsp;across the central part of Novi Sad covering a surface&nbsp;area (4 km x 5 km). The physicochemical properties,&nbsp;pseudo total and available metal concentrations (As,&nbsp;Co, Cr, Cu,&nbsp; Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) were determined.&nbsp;Contour maps of spatial distribution of the investigated&nbsp;metals were obtained using ordinary&nbsp; kriging&nbsp;interpolation method. Separation of different particle&nbsp;<br />size fractions by wet sieving&nbsp; and identification of&nbsp;minerals in the clay and silt fraction for some soil&nbsp;samples were performed.&nbsp; Specific activities of&nbsp;radionuclides &ldquo;unsupported&rdquo; ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs were&nbsp;measured in forty soil samples collected in urban area&nbsp;of Novi Sad and industrial area of Sombor (near a&nbsp;battery manufacturer).&nbsp; Vertical distribution of stable and&nbsp;radioactive&nbsp; Pb for&nbsp; two samples from the industrial soil&nbsp;was examined.</p><p>Thirty five snow samples were collected at fourteen&nbsp;locations near crossroads in Novi Sad. The samples&nbsp;were taken directly from the road surface and from the&nbsp;ground surface in the vicinity of roads and on&nbsp;pedestrian islands. Particle size distribution and &nbsp;total&nbsp;concentration of the metals (Al, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Na, Mn,&nbsp;Ni, Pb, Zn) were &nbsp;determined for filtered samples. Semi-quantitative analysis of the particles was &nbsp;conducted and&nbsp;morphology of the particles was examined for dry&nbsp;matter of four snow samples.&nbsp;</p><p>Methods of descriptive and multivariate statistics and&nbsp;geostatistics were carried out for &nbsp;the analysis and&nbsp;interpretation of the data.</p>

Cette thèse a pour objectif de fournir aux utilisateurs de SMPS (Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer) une méthodologie pour calculer les incertitudes associées à l’estimation de la granulométrie en nombre des aérosols. Le résultat de mesure est le comptage des particules de l’aérosol en fonction du temps. Estimer la granulométrie en nombre de l’aérosol à partir des mesures CNC revient à considérer un problème inverse sous incertitudes.Une revue des modèles existants est présentée dans le premier chapitre. Le modèle physique retenu fait consensus dans le domaine d’application.Dans le deuxième chapitre, un critère pour l’estimation de la granulométrie en nombre qui couple les techniques de régularisation et de la décomposition sur une base d’ondelettes est décrit.La nouveauté des travaux présentés réside dans l’estimation de granulométries présentant à la fois des variations lentes et des variations rapides. L’approche multi-échelle que nous proposons pour la définition du nouveau critère de régularisation permet d’ajuster les poids de la régularisation sur chaque échelle du signal. La méthode est alors comparée avec la régularisation classique. Les résultats montrent que les estimations proposées par la nouvelle méthode sont meilleures (au sens du MSE) que les estimations classiques.Le dernier chapitre de cette thèse traite de la propagation de l’incertitude à travers le modèle d’inversiondes données. C’est une première dans le domaine d’application car aucune incertitude n’est associée actuellement au résultat de mesure. Contrairement à l’approche classique qui utilise un modèle fixe pour l’inversion en faisant porter l’incertitude sur les entrées, nous proposons d’utiliser un modèle d’inversion aléatoire (tirage Monte-Carlo) afin d’intégrer les erreurs de modèle. Une estimation moyenne de la granulométrie en nombre de l’aérosol et une incertitude associée sous forme d’une région de confiance à 95 % est finalement présentée sur quelques mesures réelles. / This thesis aims to provide SMPS (Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer) users with a methodology to compute the uncertainties associated with the estimation of aerosol size distributions. Recovering aerosol size distribution yields to consider an inverse problem under uncertainty.The first chapter of his thesis presents a review of physical models and it shows that competitive theories exist to model the physic.A new criterion that couples regularization techniques and decomposition on a wavelet basis is described in chapter 2 to perform the estimation of the size distribution.Main improvement of this work is brought when size distributions to be estimated show both broad and sharp profiles. The multi-scale approach helps to adjust the weights of the regularization on each scale of the signal. The method is then tested against common regularization and shows better estimates (in terms of the mean square error).Last chapter of this thesis deals with the propagation of the uncertainty through the data inversion process.Results from SMPS measurements are not given with any uncertainty at this time so providing end-users with an uncertainty is already a real improvement. Common approach is to consider a fixed physical model and to model the inputs (particle count) as random. We choose to consider both the physical model as well as the inputs as random to account for the model error. The result is expressed as a mean estimate of the size distribution with a 95% coverage region. The all methodology is finally tested on real measurements.

Control and analysis of protein aggregation is an increasing challenge to biopharmaceutical research and development. Therefore it is important to understand the interactions, causes and analysis of particles in order to control protein aggregation to enable successful biopharmaceutical formulations. This work investigates the role of different non-ionic surfactants on protein conformational stability, as assessed by HSDSC, and on protein size stability as assessed by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), HIAC and MFI. BSA and IgG2 were used as model proteins. Thermal unfolding experiments indicated a very weak surfactant-immunoglobulin IgG2 interaction, compared to much stronger interactions for the BSA surfactant systems. The DLS results showed that BSA and IgG2 with different surfactants and concentration produced different levels of particle size growth. The heat treatment and aging of samples in the presence of Tween 20, Tween 80, Brij 35 and Pluronic F-68 surfactants led to an increase in the populations of larger particles for BSA samples, whereas IgG2 systems did not notably aggregate under storage conditions MFI was shown to be more sensitive than HIAC technique for measuring sub-visible particles in protein surfactant systems. Heat treatment and storage stress showed a significant effect on BSA and IgG2 protein sub-visible particle size stability. This work has demonstrated that both proteins with different Tween 20, Tween 80, Brij 35 and Pluronic F-68 concentrations, have different level of conformational and size stability. Also aging samples and heating stress bears the potential to generate particles, but this depends on surfactant type. Poor predictive correlations between the analytical methods were determined.

O solo é um importante recurso natural e a sua conservação é essencial para uma produção sustentável. A qualidade de um solo, por sua vez, pode ser definida como a capacidade deste em exercer sua função em um ecossistema e pode ser descrita por meio de parâmetros físicos, químicos e biológicos. Os atributos físicos do solo descrevem a organização de sua estrutura, de modo que esta é responsável pela movimentação e disponibilidade da solução do solo para as plantas e depende da dimensão, forma e arranjo de suas partículas sólidas e de seus poros. Portanto, a discussão dos mecanismos de movimento e retenção da água no solo é relevante na inferência da sua qualidade física. A curva de retenção da água no solo é o gráfico da umidade do solo em função do potencial mátrico da água no solo, a qual é uma ferramenta importante na avaliação da qualidade física do solo. No Brasil, os Latossolos são de grande importância, devido a sua extensão e potencial produtivo. Estes solos são muito intemperizados, com elevada estabilidade de agregados e podem ser originados a partir de materiais distintos, o que interfere na resposta física. Portanto, o objetivo geral deste trabalho foi avaliar a qualidade físico-hídrica do solo por meio da análise da curva de retenção da água em três Latossolos, verificando entre dois modelos empíricos de ajuste (BROOKS; COREY, 1964; VAN GENUCHTEN, 1980). Também foram avaliadas a frequência de distribuição do tamanho de poros e a utilização do índice S como indicador da qualidade física do solo. Foram coletadas amostras indeformadas de três áreas para confecção das curvas de retenção de água no solo: (1) Latossolo Vermelho Amarelo Distrófico típico (pousio); (2) Latossolo Vermelho Distrófico típico álico (cana-de-açúcar); (3) Latossolo Vermelho Distrófico típico (cana-de-açúcar). Os resultados mostraram que a curva de retenção de água foi influenciada pela densidade do solo, porosidade, textura e conteúdo de carbono orgânico; o ajuste da curva de retenção de água no solo pelos dois modelos utilizados foi semelhante, porém o modelo de van Genuchten (1980) apresentou-se ligeiramente melhor que o modelo de Brooks e Corey (1964), principalmente nos pontos próximos à saturação; a frequência de distribuição de poros e o índice S foram sensíveis em diferenciar a qualidade estrutural de solos devido à textura e ao manejo. / Soil is an important natural resource and its conservation is essential for sustainable production. The quality of a soil can be defined as its ability to exert its function in an ecosystem and can be described by means of physical, chemical and biological parameters. The soil physical attributes describe the organization of its structure, that is responsible for the moviment and availability of soil solution for plants and it depends on the size, shape and arrangement of its solid particles and pores. Therefore, the discussion of the mechanisms of soil water movement and retention is important in inferring its physical quality. The soil water retention curve is an important tool to evaluate soil quality, is the graph of soil water content as a function of soil water matric potential. In Brazil, the Oxisols are of great importance due to their extent and productive potential. These soils are highly weathered, with high aggregate stability and can originate from different materials, which interfer on the physical response. Therefore, the aim of this work was to evaluate the physical-hydric quality of the soil by means of the soil water retention curve of three Oxisols, by using two empirical adjustment models (BROOKS; COREY, 1964; VAN GENUCHTEN, 1980). Pore-size distribution frequency and the use of the S index as an indicator of physical soil quality were also evaluated. Undisturbed soil samples were collected from three areas to obtain the soil water retention curves: (1) Typic Hapludox (fallow land), (2) Rhodic Hapludox (sugarcane), (3) Rhodic Hapludox (sugarcane). The results showed that the soil water retention curve was influenced by the soil bulk density, soil porosity, soil texture and soil organic carbon content. The fitness of the soil water retention curve by the two models was similar, however the van Genuchten\'s model (1980) was slightly better than the model of Brooks and Corey (1964), especially in the points near saturation; the pore-size distribution frequency and the S index were sensitive in differentiating the structural quality of soil due to the texture and management.

O solo é um importante recurso natural e a sua conservação é essencial para uma produção sustentável. A qualidade de um solo, por sua vez, pode ser definida como a capacidade deste em exercer sua função em um ecossistema e pode ser descrita por meio de parâmetros físicos, químicos e biológicos. Os atributos físicos do solo descrevem a organização de sua estrutura, de modo que esta é responsável pela movimentação e disponibilidade da solução do solo para as plantas e depende da dimensão, forma e arranjo de suas partículas sólidas e de seus poros. Portanto, a discussão dos mecanismos de movimento e retenção da água no solo é relevante na inferência da sua qualidade física. A curva de retenção da água no solo é o gráfico da umidade do solo em função do potencial mátrico da água no solo, a qual é uma ferramenta importante na avaliação da qualidade física do solo. No Brasil, os Latossolos são de grande importância, devido a sua extensão e potencial produtivo. Estes solos são muito intemperizados, com elevada estabilidade de agregados e podem ser originados a partir de materiais distintos, o que interfere na resposta física. Portanto, o objetivo geral deste trabalho foi avaliar a qualidade físico-hídrica do solo por meio da análise da curva de retenção da água em três Latossolos, verificando entre dois modelos empíricos de ajuste (BROOKS; COREY, 1964; VAN GENUCHTEN, 1980). Também foram avaliadas a frequência de distribuição do tamanho de poros e a utilização do índice S como indicador da qualidade física do solo. Foram coletadas amostras indeformadas de três áreas para confecção das curvas de retenção de água no solo: (1) Latossolo Vermelho Amarelo Distrófico típico (pousio); (2) Latossolo Vermelho Distrófico típico álico (cana-de-açúcar); (3) Latossolo Vermelho Distrófico típico (cana-de-açúcar). Os resultados mostraram que a curva de retenção de água foi influenciada pela densidade do solo, porosidade, textura e conteúdo de carbono orgânico; o ajuste da curva de retenção de água no solo pelos dois modelos utilizados foi semelhante, porém o modelo de van Genuchten (1980) apresentou-se ligeiramente melhor que o modelo de Brooks e Corey (1964), principalmente nos pontos próximos à saturação; a frequência de distribuição de poros e o índice S foram sensíveis em diferenciar a qualidade estrutural de solos devido à textura e ao manejo. / Soil is an important natural resource and its conservation is essential for sustainable production. The quality of a soil can be defined as its ability to exert its function in an ecosystem and can be described by means of physical, chemical and biological parameters. The soil physical attributes describe the organization of its structure, that is responsible for the moviment and availability of soil solution for plants and it depends on the size, shape and arrangement of its solid particles and pores. Therefore, the discussion of the mechanisms of soil water movement and retention is important in inferring its physical quality. The soil water retention curve is an important tool to evaluate soil quality, is the graph of soil water content as a function of soil water matric potential. In Brazil, the Oxisols are of great importance due to their extent and productive potential. These soils are highly weathered, with high aggregate stability and can originate from different materials, which interfer on the physical response. Therefore, the aim of this work was to evaluate the physical-hydric quality of the soil by means of the soil water retention curve of three Oxisols, by using two empirical adjustment models (BROOKS; COREY, 1964; VAN GENUCHTEN, 1980). Pore-size distribution frequency and the use of the S index as an indicator of physical soil quality were also evaluated. Undisturbed soil samples were collected from three areas to obtain the soil water retention curves: (1) Typic Hapludox (fallow land), (2) Rhodic Hapludox (sugarcane), (3) Rhodic Hapludox (sugarcane). The results showed that the soil water retention curve was influenced by the soil bulk density, soil porosity, soil texture and soil organic carbon content. The fitness of the soil water retention curve by the two models was similar, however the van Genuchten\'s model (1980) was slightly better than the model of Brooks and Corey (1964), especially in the points near saturation; the pore-size distribution frequency and the S index were sensitive in differentiating the structural quality of soil due to the texture and management.