Engineering Properties Of Soil Research Articles

Characteristic of soil with seasonal change and their effects on slope stability

The slope stability affected by wetting and drying of the soil is investigated in Zuangtui Local Council Area, Aizawl, and the study was performed by determining soil mechanical properties for two cycles of wetting and drying. Engineering properties of soil like liquid limit, plastic limit, plasticity index, liquidity index, consistency index, and shear strength are used for comparing the behaviour of soil. Samples were collected during the dry season from two locations (L1 and L2). The second sampling was done during the wet season after completing two wet-dry cycles. Slope stability analysis of the investigated area was carried out to compare the Factor of Safety in two complete cycles. Based on the analysis, the parameters of Atterberg’s limit except for the liquidity index decrease during the wet season after completing the cycle in both locations. Cohesion and angle of internal friction reduce in the wet season. The Factor of Safety is below unity in both locations during the wet season and above unity in the dry season.

A Study on Stabilization of Black Cotton Soil using Fly Ash and Rice Husk Ash

Stabilization of soil is important to enhance the engineering properties of expansive soil like strength, volume stability and durability the black cotton soil has very low bearing capacity and high swelling and shrinkage characteristics due it has very poor foundation material for civil engineering construction .The main objective of the work is to upgrade the expansive soil as a construction materials by using fly ash and rice husk ash which are waste materials to be used in black cotton soil to stable the soil and to resists from shrinkage or swelling . It can test by using some laboratory test like liquid limit , plastic limit and standard proctor test ( light compaction) , CBR test , Soil sample is mixing of fly ash as percentage of 5% , 10% , 15% , 20%and rice husk ash of 10%, 15% ,20% ,25% and the study of the work was to evaluate the effect of fly ash and rice husk ash to improve the performances of black cotton soil .

Mechanism and Engineering Characteristics of Expansive Soil Reinforced by Industrial Solid Waste: A Review

Expansive soils exhibit detrimental swelling and shrinking characteristics in response to variations in water content, posing a threat to engineering safety. Utilizing industrial solid waste for improving the engineering properties of expansive soil presents a promising solution due to its low pollution and high recoverability. This paper reviews the progress of research on various industrial solid wastes in stabilizing expansive soil. The review comprehensively discusses the microscopic characteristics and mechanism of industrial solid waste-stabilized soils, as well as their impact on the compressive strength, shear, compaction characteristics, consistency, swelling and shrinkage properties, and durability of expansive soils. The addition of appropriate curing agents or the combination with other stabilizing materials can enhance the strength of expansive soil, mitigate volume changes, and improve the durability and stability of expansive soils. The mechanisms of stabilization of expansive soils by industrial solid waste involve cation exchange, flocculation-agglomeration, pozzolanic reaction, and carbonation. Additionally, microscopic characterization analysis reveals that the formation of C-S-H and C-A-H is the primary contributor to the improvement of soil geotechnical properties.

Behavior of electrical resistivity against different soil properties

Any construction must be designed and built after the subsurface soil has been determined. The subsurface qualities of the soil are rendered by expensive, time-consuming, and risky operations, which on the other hand, raise the project's capital expenditure while also getting the engineering properties of distinct soil materials. Standard sampling techniques for boreholes are used for the assessment of the engineering properties of soil. But it is pretty costly, intrusive, and takes too much time. Therefore, a different method of determining the subsurface soil parameters is required. An alternate strategy for borehole sampling is to use geo-electrical techniques, such as electrical resistivity (ER). This research aims to ascertain the relationship between the electrical resistivity of various soils and their engineering characteristics. Without using the borehole sample method, appropriate correlations will aid in determining the subsurface soil parameters. Good correlations are obtained for the relationship of electrical resistivity against friction angle, cohesion and moisture content with an R2 value of 0.79, 0.41 and 0.66, respectively. The correlation of resistivity with unit weight showed a weak relationship due to typical soil behavior.

Effect of Electric Arc Furnace Slag on the Engineering Properties of Lateritic Soil

It is imperative for geotechnical engineers to harness ways of improving lateritic soil with industrial waste materials in other to satisfy the required highway pavement construction. This work investigated the effect of Electric Arc Furnace Slag (EAFS) on the engineering properties of Lateritic soil. Tests to determine the X-Ray Florescence (XRF), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), grain size analysis and specific gravity of the soil sample and EAFS and the lateritic soil stabilization with varying percentages (0%, 4%, 8%, 12% and 16%) of EAFS using Atterberg limits, Compaction and Shear Strength were carried out. The soil sample was classified as A-7-5 (6) and ML according to American Association of State Highway Transportation Official (AASHTO) and Unified soil classification system while the silica-sesquioxide ratio and mineral contents showed that the soil is a lateritic soil as they contain both swelling and non-swelling clay minerals. The stabilized soil sample revealed that EAFS increases the maximum dry density (20.0KN/m3 to 25.0KN/m3) and decreases the optimum moisture content (18.50% to 13.00%) which could be attributed to the lower affinity of EAFS to water thus, improving the compaction properties. Also, the EAFS has significant effect on the strength parameters of the lateritic soil as it increases the shear strength from 551.11KN/m2 at virgin state to 974.44KN/m2 at 16% EAFS. Conclusively, electric arc furnace slag has positive influence on the geotechnical properties of the lateritic soil as it will not only solve the waste disposal problem but can be used as additive to improve the engineering properties of lateritic soil.

Wood ash as a stabilizer for pavement subgrade

Soil stabilization techniques have been widely accepted as a measure for enhancing the soil engineering properties. Use of conventional additives such as lime, cement, etc. has been found to have long-term environmental and economic limitations. In this study, wood ash has been experimented as a subgrade stabilizer for sodium bentonite clay, which is a weak pavement subgrade. Chemical composition and index properties of wood ash and bentonite were determined. Bentonite was replaced with 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% of wood ash to determine the changes in the engineering properties. Experimental results showed that the maximum values of Optimum Moisture Content (OMC), Maximum Dry Density (MDD), and Unconfined Compressive (UCC) Strength, lie between 20% and 30% dosages of wood ash. Further experiments were conducted with 22%, 24%, 26% and 28% dosages of wood ash in bentonite, which showed optimum strength properties at 24% mix percentage. UCC strength at optimum wood ash dosage at 0 days and 7 days of curing were 122 kPa and 148 kPa respectively. CBR value for soaked specimen at optimum dosage was found as 7.3%. Substantial results prove that wood ash is a successful stabilizer for sodium bentonite as pavement subgrade. This also provides a sustainable solution for disposal of wood ash.

Assessment of lime stabilization of black cotton soil for roads construction projects

The design foundation (i.e., pavements) on black cotton soil has always been a difficult task for the engineers as the structure resting on black cotton soil cracks without any warning. This research evaluates the effect of lime (anhydrous sodium sulphate) on engineering properties of black cotton soil which are considered highly problematic to civil engineering works. Black cotton soil brings about significant geotechnical and structural engineering challenges to property and infrastructure development around the world. The objective of the study is to investigate the use of lime-stabilized black cotton soil as subbase material in flexible pavements. Black cotton soil procured from the local area in Gaborone, Botswana, tested for suitability as subbase material, turned out to be unsuitable as it resulted in very less CBR value (4.8%). The black cotton soil-lime mix was checked for consistency limits, compaction, CBR for different proportions of lime (i.e., 0, 5, 10 and 15%). It was observed that the plasticity index of the soil shows a substantial decrease upon addition of the lime whereas CBR values show a marked increase with unsoaked CBR. The addition of 5%, 10% and 15% of lime produced some desirable soil properties. It can be concluded lime could be one of the best alternative stabilizer materials for highly expansive clayey.

Effect of Varying Curing Conditions on the Strength of Biopolymer Modified Sand.

Recently, the improvement of the engineering properties of soil has been centered on using sustainable and eco-friendly materials. This study investigates the efficacy of three biopolymers: Acacia, sodium alginate, and pectin, on the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of dune sand. The UCS test measured the effects of the biopolymer type and concentration, curing intervals and temperature, and moisture loss. The changes in the morphology caused by the biopolymer addition were examined via scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results indicate that the UCS of the biopolymer-modified sand increased with biopolymer concentration and curing intervals. Varying the curing temperature from 25-110 °C, slightly affected the strength of the acacia-modified sand specimen, increased that of the sodium alginate-modified sand specimen up to a temperature of 85 °C, and continued to decrease that of the pectin-modified sand specimen as the temperature was increased from 25 to 110 °C. The SEM images indicated that the biopolymer's presence within the sand pores significantly contributed to the strength. Bond decomposition occurs at temperatures greater than 110 °C for sodium alginate and pectin-modified sands, whereas bonds remain stable at higher temperatures for the acacia-modified sand. In conclusion, all three biopolymers show potential as robust and economic dune stabilisers.

Enhancement of Muscat’s Expansive Soil Using Waste Gypsum

Expansive soils are known to show significant volumetric changes in response to changes in the moisture content. Such soils swell when the moisture content is increased and shrink when the moisture content is decreased, thereby causing distress and damages to structures founded on them. Construction developments on naturally occurring expansive soils are usually problematic. This study examines the properties of expansive soil obtained from the city of Muscat in Oman. The expansive soil samples were further treated with gypsum, which was obtained from waste plasterboards, at varying quantities of 3%, 6%, 9% and 12% by mass in an attempt to stabilize the soil. Based on USCS classification system, the expansive soil was identified a poorly clay with high plasticity (CH) with AASHTO classification of A-6. The pH test confirms the reaction between expansive and gypsum, while both the compaction and unconfined compression strength (UCS) tests revealed the optimum percentage of gypsum required to enhance the properties of expansive soil to be 9% by mass. The unconfined compression strength (UCS) test yielded a 37.7% increase over that of untreated expansive soil at 28 days of curing. The California Bearing Ratio (CBR) test of the treated soil yielded a 57% increase in CBR value for expansive soil treated with 9% of waste gypsum over untreated expansive at the unsoaked state and 70% at soaked state. Overall, a solid understanding of the physical and engineering properties of expansive soil, and the confirmation of the potential use of gypsum for its stabilization, was achieved in this study.

Using water treatment sludge to Improve Geotechnical Engineering Properties of Soils: A Review

Water treatment sludge (WTS) is a byproduct generated during the treatment of wastewater. In recent years, researchers have explored the potential of using WTS as a soil stabilizer to improve the geotechnical properties of soils. In this review, we will examine the current state of knowledge on the use of WTS for this purpose. The organic matter content of WTS is usually high and can range from 30% to 60%. The high organic matter content makes WTS a potential source of nutrients for plants, and it can also enhance soil structure and water retention. Another important consideration is the environmental impact of using WTS. The use of WTS can be an eco-friendly alternative to chemical stabilizers, which can have adverse effects on the environment. However, there are concerns about the potential for heavy metal contamination in WTS. To mitigate this risk, it is recommended to conduct thorough testing of WTS before using it as a soil stabilizer. Finally, the use of WTS as a soil stabilizer has the potential to improve the geotechnical properties of soils. However, it is essential to consider factors such as the type and dosage of WTS, the soil type, and the environmental impact before using it. Further research is also needed to explore the potential of using WTS in different soil types and environmental conditions.

Micro–composition evolution of the undisturbed saline soil undergoing different freeze–thaw cycles

The micro–composition of the soil is closely related to its engineering properties. In Northeast China, seasonal freezing and thawing can induce deterioration of the physicomechanical characteristics of saline soil, which can ultimately lead to engineering failures and geological disasters. To investigate the micro composition evolution including the microstructure and grain size distribution of saline soil under the influence of freeze–thaw cycles, mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) and laser particle size analysis (LPSA) were used to test undisturbed saline soil specimens undergoing different freeze–thaw cycles. The pore size distribution curves showed a double–peak shape and the grain size distribution curves showed a bidirectional change. Overall, the pores >0.4 μm increased while the pores smaller than 0.4 μm decreased with increasing freeze–thaw cycles. Moreover, the grain size distribution showed a different changing trend at a pore diameter of approximately 10 μm. During the whole freeze–thaw cycle process, the fragmentation of coarse particles (> 10 μm) and the aggregation of fine particles (< 10 μm) were evident, causing the transformation of different pore sizes, and the bidirectional change existed synchronously in the whole process. The freeze–thaw cycles for saline soil caused the lyotropic salt precipitation and dissolution and the ice volumetric expansion and ice segregation to change the grain size distribution leading to the evolution of pore distribution, ultimately changing the soil micro–composition and resulting in the change of macro engineering characteristics. The study is useful for understanding the change in the engineering properties of saline soil under freeze–thaw cycles from a microscale perspective.

Effects Of Fines Content On The Strength And Stiffness Of Biopolymer Treated Low-Plasticity Soils

The use of biopolymers to enhance the engineering properties of soil has received increasing attention in recent years, however, the interactive role that biopolymers and the fines content of the soil play in governing the geotechnical parameters still requires insightful investigation, in relation to chemical soil treatment that can be ecologically detrimental. This paper examines the combined effects of Xanthan Gum (XG) derived from specific bacterial strains and the presence of clay fines content (kaolin) on the strength and stiffness of low plasticity soils, with special reference of cyclic traffic (road and rail) loading. In this study, fine sand is mixed with different contents of kaolin, whereby laboratory compression and tensile tests were conducted on natural (untreated) and XG-treated soil specimens. The results indicate that soil strength can be enhanced significantly when XG is added, however the effectiveness is a function of the kaolin content (KC). At an optimum XG content of 2% and a fines content increasing from 5% to 30%, split tensile strength increases from 230 to 750 kPa,while the unconfined compressive strength rises from 1.4 to 7.9 MPa, respectively. For XG content between 0.5% and 2%, the small strain stiffness of treated soil increases fourfold from 206 to 854 MPa.

Engineering Properties of Laterite soil Stabilized with Heavy Fuel Oil for Use as a Road Sub-base Material

Engineering Properties of Laterite soil Stabilized with Heavy Fuel Oil for Use as a Road Sub-base Material

Modeling the application of steel slag in stabilizing expansive soil

The objective of this study was to evaluate the suitability of steel slag as an additive to the engineering properties of weak clay soil. Different geotechnical laboratory tests were conducted on both stabilized and natural soils. Steel slag (SS) was added at a rate of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25% to the soil. Specific gravity, grain size analysis, Atterberg limit test, compaction test, free swell, California bearing ratio (CBR), and unconfined compression strength (UCS) are among the tests that were performed. The Atterberg limit test result shows that the liquid limit decreases from 90.8 to 65.2%, the plastic limit decreases from 60.3 to 42.5%, and the plasticity index decreases from 30.5 to 22.7% as the steel slag of 25% was added to the expansive soil. With 25% steel slag content, the specific gravity increases from 2.67 to 3.05. The free swell value decreased from 104.6 to 58.2%. In the Standard Proctor compaction test, the maximum dry density rises from 1.504 to 1.692 g/cm3, while optimum moisture content falls from 19.77 to 12.09%. From the UCS test, mixing 25% steel slag into the soil increases the unconfined compressive strength from 64.3 to 170.6 kPa. Additionally, the CBR value increases from 3.64 to 6.82% as 25% of steel slag is mixed with the soil. As a result, steel slag has been found to improve expansive soil properties for geotechnical applications.

A Comparative Study on the Stabilization of Soft Soil Using Agricultural Wastes (Baggase Ash (BA) And Rice Husk Ash (RHA)

Soft soils are expansive soils, also referred to as tropical clay. Soft soil may cause instability to foundations thereby reducing their service life, this necessitates the adoption of a suitable soil stabilization method in order to improve the engineering properties of soft soils. This research work aims at comparing the strength properties of soft soil stabilized using two different agricultural wastes- Bagasse Ash (BA) and Rice Husk Ash (RHA). The studies were conducted to determine the properties of the natural and treated soft soils, the oxide composition of BA and RHA and the evaluation of the effect of BA and RHA (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 % by dry weight of the soil) on the index and strength properties of soft soil, the determination of strength characteristics (proctor compaction , unconfined compressive strength (UCS), and California bearing ratio, (CBR) under soaked and unsoaked conditions) of soft soil with BA and RHA mixtures, the optimum blend of both BA and RHA needed for the stabilization of clay soil, the comparison of BA and RHA as stabilizing agents on the performance of clay soil. From the test results, it was observed of the natural moisture content of the clay soil was to be 18.02%, indicating that the soil material is a relatively high water holding material with very low porosity and specific gravities of 2.66. The maximum dry density (MDD) of BA treated soil increased with higher BA content to an optimum BA content lying between 8-10% of dry clay soil and MDD of RHA treated soil continuously decreased with addition of RHA to the clay soil. OMC of BA and RHA treated soils continuously increase, the BA treated clay soil increase with increase in BA content with a possible percentage increment of 11.20% and RHA treated clay soil increases continuously with addition of RHA to a percentage increment of 16.2%. BA content leads to a consequent increase in CBR to an optimum value of 9%. The optimum value of RHA content was obtained as 10% with a maximum CBR value of 28.72%. BA treated clay soil increase both CBR and UCS to percentage increment change of 630% and 91.41% respectively while percentage increments of 619.8% and 85.23% were recorded for RHA treated clay soil. BA thus improved the strength properties better in comparison to RHA although in smaller optimum percentage addition.

Comparison of the Number of Compactor Passes and the Constrained Modulus of a Compacted Volcanic Soil

Volcanic soil is often used as fill material in road embankment construction in Java island-Indonesia. An understanding of the engineering properties of compacted volcanic soils is needed, especially during the preliminary design phase and during the detailed design phase of the road embankment. Carrying out a field compaction trial test will significantly assist in the design of the compaction process of the road embankment construction. Selecting the correct number of passes from the compactor and the engineering properties of compacted volcanic soils can be obtained from field compaction trial tests. Constrained modulus is one of the engineering properties that can indicate the stiffness of the fill material used in a road embankment. This study aims to determine the constrained modulus of compacted volcanic soil and compare it to the number of passes of a compactor from the field compaction trial test. The volcanic soil used in this study is classified as pumiceous tuff, which is derived from older volcanic rocks. The highest value of the oedometer modulus of compacted volcanic soils is 10.38 MPa which comes from eight (8) times passes of smooth drum roller conducted on field compaction trial test.

Sedimentary facies characterization through CPTU profiles: An effective tool for subsurface investigation of modern alluvial and coastal plains

ABSTRACTCone penetration tests, a method that is typically used to determine the engineering properties of soils, can be used as an effective tool for refined subsurface stratigraphic investigations of alluvial and coastal plains, aside from the geographic location. High‐resolution calibration of piezocone penetration tests (CPTU) with 20 sediment cores enabled the detailed characterization of alluvial, deltaic and coastal depositional systems of the Po Plain. Twelve cored facies associations, typical of alluvial and coastal plain environments, were characterized based on four distinct CPTU profiles: basic cone resistance (Qc), sleeve friction (Fs), water pore pressure (U) and friction ratio (FR). Sandy facies associations (fluvial/distributary channel, bay‐head delta, transgressive barrier, delta‐front/beach‐ridge) typically have high (&gt;4 MPa) Qc, low‐to‐negative U and low (&lt;2%) FR. Muddy deposits (well‐drained/poorly‐drained floodplain, swamp, lagoon and prodelta) exhibit opposite trends. Heterolithic facies associations (crevasse‐levée, offshore/delta‐front transition) display characteristic seesaw profiles. Plotting of late Quaternary deposits onto the latest version of the cone penetration test typical soil behaviour chart (Robertson, 2010) enables the identification of distinctive facies associations reflecting distinctive grain size. CPTU interpretation leads to sedimentary facies recognition well beyond the simple lithological differentiation and, in particular, allows the refined characterization of clay‐rich and silt‐rich depositional units (swamp clays and peats, central‐inner and outer lagoon, proximal/distal prodelta deposits) that exhibit only subtle differences in lithology. CPTU data can also serve for the accurate detection of key stratigraphic surfaces with potential engineering applications, such as the Pleistocene–Holocene boundary. This latter, a common feature of several alluvial and coastal plain successions, is commonly marked by an abrupt upward decrease of basic cone resistance and sleeve friction from Late Pleistocene, pedogenized, stiff strata to overlying Holocene, organic‐rich, soft deposits. This study offers an updated CPTU‐facies characterization method that could be suitable for subsurface investigations of modern alluvial and coastal plains worldwide.

Characteristics of Clayey Soil for the Subggrade of Flexible Pavement

Clayey soil is typically firm when they are evaporated and gave its firmness as it looks right on soaked. Delicate clays are related with little compressive strength and beyond preposterous arrangement. This decrease in strength because of dampness prompts serious harm to the structures and substructures. The nature of the soil can experiment with the originator fabricating foundation intent on clayey sediments. This paper is based on the study of the engineering properties of clayey soil. This experimental study depicts the basic attributes of the clayey soil; which further leads to improving the nature or engineering properties of the clayey soil for the subgrade of the flexible pavement. Different tests are to be performed in the laboratory and conduct the desired results.

Pengaruh Rembesan Pada Kuat Geser Tanah Jenuh Sebagian

This study aims to understand the interaction of engineering properties of unsaturated soil subjected to rainfall infiltration. It influences the variable of soil shear strength along with the alter of soil water content. A series of suction test was subjected to the silty sand layer, then the result was correlated with the change of soul degree saturation. The correlation then was implemented in soil water characteristic curve. A Bishop method was applied in this study to predict soil shear strength (τff) in variance of soil water content. Meanwhile, other samples from exiting condition were prepared. The samples were taken in rainy season and subjected shear strength test. The results then compared with the calculation of shear strength prediction by soil water characteristic curve. The research shows any high similarity between the prediction and the shear strength test value. Any change of shear strength value in prediction approach particularly was affected by the change of φb and X. The change of both parameters impacted to internal shear angle (φ’) thus, the infiltration mainly affected to the soil with low shear strength internal angle. This study is applicable for an area with unstable slope affected by rainfall infiltration such as landslide area

Investigating Mechanical Properties of Cemented Soil under Static and Dynamic Loading after a Freeze-Thaw Cycle

Grouting and artificial ground freezing (AGF) methods are usually adopted to reinforce stratum, and they are occasionally implemented concurrently to stabilize the stratum under the influence of tunnel construction for crucial projects. When the structural construction is completed, the stratum is followed by a natural thawing process. The freeze-thaw cycle can lead to significant variation in the engineering properties of cemented soils. In this paper, strength, dynamic elastic modulus, and dynamic damping ratio of cemented soils after a freeze-thaw cycle were investigated through static and dynamic triaxial tests. To better understand the behavior of cemented soils, the Duncan-Chang model was adopted and the model parameters were calibrated based on results from the triaxial test under static loads. In addition, empirical models were established to characterize the dynamic elastic modulus and dynamic damping ratio of cemented soils. Test results from the static load triaxial tests indicated a strong correlation between cement content and confining pressure and soil strength. The cumulative plastic strain under dynamic loading depended on several factors, including the cement content and loading frequency. The number of loading cycles, cement content, and loading frequency all had a significant impact on the dynamic elastic modulus and damping ratio. The results and findings presented in this study are beneficial for the design of underground structures subjected to cyclic loading.