Determination of Hydrocarbon Contaminated Soil Properties and Behaviour as Predicted by Critical State Model

Abstract

The petroleum industry effluents and oil spills cause a serious threat to the ecology and to the soil properties leaving it to be of limited and no use. Bioremediation is done for such hydrocarbon contaminated soils. However, for determining their alternative usage in reference to construction industry, it is essential to analyze their properties. In this study, hydrocarbon contaminated soil properties were determined by triaxial tests under consolidated drained and consolidated undrained condition for both normally consolidated and over consolidated soil in conjunction with the soil behaviour as predicted by the critical state model. Due to the tension between the hydrocarbon in the pores of soil and water, complete saturation could not be achieved and the sample also disintegrated upon application of back pressure. Under near saturation condition the tests were performed, however, the contaminated soil didn’t not show soil softening even in case of over consolidated soils.