Experimental study of copper contamination in mechanical properties of residual soil under different concentration

Abstract

Abstract Industrialization in modern society comes along with soil degradation and heavy metal pollution. The presence of heavy metals changes the geotechnical properties of soils, risking the sites with the possibility of contaminated soil. Heavy metal contaminants might alter the mechanical properties and soil behaviour leading to the effects on the structural integrity. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the mechanical properties of residual soil samples contaminated with different concentrations of copper. Disturbed residual soils were induced with copper in controlled environment. Six samples were prepared, including a control sample consisting of a CuSO4 solution with a spectrum of concentrations ranging from 0 mg/L to 4000 mg/L, with interval 500 mg/L. The results of the experiment revealed that increasing the concentration led to an increase in the maximum dry density, while the optimum moisture content showed an opposite response. The increase in copper concentration resulted in a dynamic shift in the plastic limit, a decrease in the liquid limit and pH, making the soil naturally acidic. The output shows aid in the development of appropriate soil management strategies and remediation techniques to mitigate the adverse effects of copper contamination on soil quality and environmental sustainability.