Determination of Swell Potential of Soils using Cole in Panyam, North – Central Nigeria

Abstract

Swell potential of soils from parts of Panyam, North – Central Nigeria were investigated covering 72 square kilometres within latitudes N9021′ and N9026′ and longitudes 9011′E and 9015′30″E. With the increase of civil engineering constructions and the scramble for limited portions of competent soils for such constructions, there is an urgent need in a developing nation to study and characterize such soils based on its geotechnical properties. The geotechnical studies include twenty soil samples taken within the 1.5m depth with the aim of determining the swell potential in order to give appropriate guide to any civil engineering design and construction. The direct method of soil analysis which is the coefficient of linear extensibility (COLE), which ranges from 0.02–0.17 was used for the study. COLE Values greater than 0.06, were considered to be critical for most civil engineering design and constructions. Most of the samples studied were considered not safe for bungalows and some infrastructure without proper safety measures carried out to improve upon it.