Changes in Clay Swelling and Shear Strength Properties with Different Sample Preparation Techniques

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents the effect of compaction methods on soil swell pressure, unconfined compressive strength, and swell potential of three types of soils in Jordan. Undisturbed and disturbed soil samples were collected from the field and used for this study. Compacted soil specimens were prepared using dynamic compaction, static compaction, and kneading compaction. Swell potential test, swelling pressure test, and unconfined compression test were conducted on identical samples compacted by different methods, and having similar initial conditions to the undisturbed samples. Other sets of experiments were also conducted to examine the influence of initial water content on swell pressure and unconfined compressive strength under different compaction techniques. Results indicated that the undisturbed samples have the highest swelling pressure and swell potential values followed by dynamic compaction, while kneading compaction gave the lowest values for the three soils. For the same soil, it has been found that the swelling pressures of the undisturbed samples were 1.5, 1.96, and 3.07 times of that for the dynamic, static, and kneading compaction, respectively. Similar trends were obtained with regard to unconfined compressive strength and swell potential. The unconfined compressive strengths of the undisturbed samples were 1.35, 1.6, and 2.53 times higher than that of the soil specimen compacted according to the dynamic, static, and kneading procedures, respectively.