scholarly journals A Framework for Interpreting Lateral Swelling Pressure in Unsaturated Expansive Soils

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Mingyu Li ◽  
Yanqing Wei ◽  
Yunlong Liu ◽  
Junwei Jin
Keyword(s):  
Expansive Soils ◽  
Soil Mechanics ◽  
Expansive Soil ◽  
Swelling Pressure ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Water Infiltration ◽  
Civil Infrastructure ◽  
Unsaturated Soil Mechanics ◽  
Unsaturated Expansive Soils

Lateral swelling pressure (LSP) develops when expansive soil volume increment associated with water infiltration is restrained in a confined domain, for example, due to construction of civil infrastructure. In this paper, initially a flowchart is developed to highlight various key factors that influence the LSP mobilization according to lab and field studies collected from previous literature studies. Then extending unsaturated soil mechanics, a theoretical framework is proposed for illustrating the LSP mobilization in the field against retaining structures and pile foundations under different boundary conditions, respectively. An example problem for a basement wall and a pile foundation constructed in a typical expansive soil from Regina, Canada, is presented to illustrate the proposed theoretical framework. The framework and corresponding analysis presented in this paper can facilitate to provide rational designs of geotechnical infrastructures in expansive soils.

Effect of the Grain Size of Sand on Expansive Soil

2020 ◽  
Vol 857 ◽  
pp. 367-373
Author(s):  
Yahya K. Atemimi
Keyword(s):  
Expansive Soils ◽  
Soil Mechanics ◽  
Expansive Soil ◽  
Swelling Pressure ◽  
Liquid Limit ◽  
Dry Density ◽  
Sieve Analysis ◽  
Maximum Dry Density ◽  
Sand Mixture ◽  
New Phase

The interest in expansive soils goes as far as they were considered as a new phase of soil mechanics. Problems associated with potential volume change of soils occur worldwide, mainly in the arid and semi-arid climatic region, as is the case of the country of this research. These problems are particularly existed in regions where the variation in the moisture content can cause a potential expansiveness of the soil. In fact, Bentonite/Sand mixture represents one of the available answers for the geotechnical engineering problems such as heaves, cracks and other damages caused by swelling and shrinkage. This mixture may be used to 1) reduce the settlement time of structures, and 2) increase the permeability of soils. The main target of the present work is to demonstrate the influence of adding sand on an expansive soil (bentonite) behavior. This includes an investigation to the effect of the amount and the particles size of sand on the physical properties of the expansive soil. The reduction in swelling and swelling pressure of the expansive soil by the addition of different percentages and different particles size of sand and the consequent effect on strength characteristic were also studied. Thirteen samples of Bentonite/sand mixture were used in this study to evaluate the effect of the sand percentages on the swelling behavior. To implement the laboratory program, many tests were used which were sieve analysis, Atterberg’s limits, compaction, and free swelling test with swelling pressure test. The results indicated a reduction in the liquid limit of around 55% and in the plastic limit of around 54%, where the increase in the maximum dry density was 46%. On the other hand, the reduction in the swelling pressure was 87.5%.

Increasing pull-out capacity of granular pile anchors in expansive soils using base geosynthetics

2000 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 870-881 ◽  
Author(s):  
B R. Phani Kumar ◽  
N Ramachandra Rao
Keyword(s):  
Expansive Soils ◽  
Expansive Soil ◽  
Swelling Pressure ◽  
Ground Movement ◽  
Anchor Plate ◽  
Pull Out ◽  
Swelling Soil ◽  
Granular Pile ◽  
Load Rate ◽  
Uplift Load

Granular pile anchors are innovative and effective in resisting the uplift pressure exerted on the foundation by a swelling expansive soil. In a granular pile anchor, the foundation is anchored at the bottom of the granular pile to an anchor plate with the help of a mild steel rod. This renders the granular pile tension-resistant and enables it to offer resistance to the uplift force exerted on the foundation by the swelling soil. This resistance to uplift or pull-out load depends mainly upon the shear parameters of the pile-soil interface and the lateral swelling pressure of the soil, which confines the pile radially and prevents it from being uplifted. The resistance to uplift can be increased by placing a base geosynthetic above the anchor plate so that it forms an integral part of the granular pile anchor. The increase in resistance is due to the friction mobilized between the geosynthetic and the confining media when the uplift load acts on the pile and the geosynthetic moves along with the pile. Hence it depends on the friction between the geosynthetic and the confining media and the area and stiffness of the geosynthetic. This paper discusses the effects of these parameters on pull-out load, rate of heave, and relative ground movement near the pile surface.Key words: expansive soil, granular pile anchor, base geosynthetic, ground movement, rate of heave, pull-out load.

scholarly journals The mechanical behavior of an expansive soil due to long-term seasonal rainfalls

2020 ◽  
Vol 195 ◽  
pp. 02019
Author(s):  
Kai LI ◽  
Liang Kong ◽  
Hossein Nowamooz ◽  
Cyrille Chazallon
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Behavior ◽  
Expansive Soils ◽  
Expansive Soil ◽  
Direct Determination ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Continuous Change ◽  
Step Method ◽  
Steady Solutions ◽  
Unsaturated Expansive Soils

Expansive soils, susceptible to be affected by the environmental conditions, expand when water is added and shrink when they dry out. This continuous change in soil volume is able to cause structures built on them to move unevenly and crack. To investigate the hydro-mechanical behavior of unsaturated expansive soils, many laboratory tests on these materials have been carried on and numerous models have also been proposed with a relatively large number of parameters. In this study, a simplified model based on Zarka method has been developed for unsaturated expansive soils. The direct determination of the steady solutions in Zarka analysis is able to replace classic step-by-step method and needs less model parameters. In this context, this paper presents a Zarka-based model to predict the volume change in unsaturated expansive soils under seasonal drought and rainfall cycles and the proposed model is implemented in the finite element code to simulate long-term behavior of a 2D structure consisting of expansive soils and subjected to successive drought and rainfall cycles. Finally, the numerical calculation defines the plastic strain field and the inelastic displacement field of the studied structure.

Challenges to modelling heave in expansive soils

2006 ◽  
Vol 43 (12) ◽  
pp. 1249-1272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hung Q Vu ◽  
Delwyn G Fredlund
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Modelling ◽  
Volume Change ◽  
Void Ratio ◽  
Expansive Soils ◽  
Ground Surface ◽  
Expansive Soil ◽  
Coupled Analysis ◽  
Coupled Equations ◽  
Mathematical Equations ◽  
Unsaturated Expansive Soils

There are challenges associated with the numerical modelling of unsaturated expansive soils. The challenges are primarily related to the quantification of the void ratio constitutive surface, the characterization of the void ratio constitutive surface at low stresses and (or) suction, and the solution of coupled equations with several nonlinear unsaturated soil property functions. This study suggests that the void ratio constitutive surface of an expansive soil subject to a monotonic wetting path can be estimated from volume change indices obtained from conventional laboratory tests. The constitutive surfaces for both the soil structure and the water phase can be described using mathematical equations that allow net normal stress and suction to be reduced to zero. The solutions for two typical volume change problems are presented using both a coupled approach and an uncoupled approach. The first example problem simulates water leakage from a pipe under a flexible cover. The second example problem simulates the infiltration of water at ground surface. The results of the analyses are in accordance with anticipated behaviour. The results also show that the answers from an uncoupled analysis compared well with those from a coupled analysis. It is suggested that an uncoupled analysis may be adequate for most prediction of heave problems involving unsaturated expansive soils.Key words: heave prediction, numerical modelling, expansive soil, constitutive surface, uncoupled analysis, matric suction.

scholarly journals Development of Some Novel Suction-Based Correlations for Swell Behavior of Expansive Soils

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Bakht Zamin ◽  
Hassan Nasir ◽  
Khalid Mehmood ◽  
Qaiser Iqbal ◽  
M. Tariq Bashir ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pore Water Pressure ◽  
Expansive Soils ◽  
Water Pressure ◽  
Expansive Soil ◽  
Field Testing ◽  
Published Data ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Field Instrumentation ◽  
Swell Potential ◽  
Unsaturated Expansive Soils

Swelling and shrinkage are the two distinctive characteristics of expansive soils, and due to this behavior, these soils are considered a natural hazard for infrastructure. Many structures in different regions have been impaired due to the swell/shrink behavior of the expansive soil. Most of the severe distress is impeded because of the inherent suction (negative pore water pressure) present in expansive soils. Both suction and swelling parameters are greatly affected by the surrounding moisture content. Due to this feature of expansive soil, geotechnical engineers are interested in utilizing the suction-based correlations for the assessment of unsaturated expansive soils. The current investigation was carried out to develop novel correlations incorporating lab testing and field instrumentation. To fulfill the objectives, eight sites of the local expansive soil in Pakistan were selected for samples collection and field testing. Conventional odometer testing was conducted to measure the swell pressure (Sp) and swell potential (S) of the fabricated/remolded specimens. Gypsum block (G-block) sensors were additionally utilized for estimating the matric suction in the field. To expand the database, the previously published data of the same nature was also incorporated. Based on the results, the power form of the novel correlations (suction-based) is highly significant for estimating (Sp), while for swell potential, the logarithmic correlation with R2 = 0.6551 is more significant than other forms of correlations. The proposed suction-based correlation can be equally utilized for the estimation of field suction as well as for swell behavior of expansive soil having a plasticity index (PI) ≥ 22%.

scholarly journals An Experimental Study on the Effect of Micro-Metakaolin on the Strength and Swelling Characteristics of Expansive Soils

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Sakr ◽  
Waseim Azzam ◽  
Mohamed Meguid ◽  
Hebatalla Ghoneim
Keyword(s):  
Expansive Soils ◽  
Expansive Soil ◽  
Swelling Pressure ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Arid Areas ◽  
Continuous Increase ◽  
Swell Index ◽  
The World ◽  
Swelling Characteristics ◽  
The Government

Abstract Expansive soils are found in many parts of the world, especially in arid areas and dry weather regions. Urbanization and development of new cities around the world resulted in construction in areas of challenging subsurface soil conditions. For example, in the Middle East, the Government of Egypt is building several new cities to accommodate the continuous increase in the country’s population. Most of these new cities are located in areas underlain by expansive soils. In this study, a series of laboratory tests were carried out to investigate the effect of introducing micro-metakaolin into the matrix of an expansive soil to improve the swelling potential as a new stabilizing material. Test results showed that micro-metakaolin can considerably decrease the free swell index of the soil by 37% and 54% at micro-metakaolin content of 15% and 25%, respectively. In addition, the shear strength of the soil was found to also increase as a result of the introduction of the micro-metakaolin material. Adding 25% micro-metakaolin content reduced the swelling pressure of the soil by about 33%. The results suggest that the proposed method is efficient in stabilizing and improving the properties of expansive soils found in arid areas. This is important to control excessive swelling and prevent possible damage to the supported structures.

scholarly journals Prediction of final settlements of buildings constructed on expansive soils

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 424
Author(s):  
María-de-la-Luz Pérez-Rea ◽  
Tania Ayala ◽  
Victor Castano
Keyword(s):  
Soil Structure ◽  
Expansive Soils ◽  
Volumetric Strain ◽  
Expansive Soil ◽  
Swelling Pressure ◽  
Soil Structure Interaction ◽  
Soil Behavior ◽  
Building Conditions ◽  
Structure Interaction ◽  
Strain Coefficient

Because the action of the swelling pressure, the settlements caused by the transmitted load from the structure on expansive soils, and the settlements calculated by classic theories of soils mechanics are different. This swelling pressure acts in opposite direction to the weight of the building. In this paper, the authors propose the use of a volumetric strain coefficient by settlements exp, in a soil-structure interaction algorithm taking into account the expansive soil behavior in the reduction of the settlement magnitude when a building is placed above soil. It’s necessary to know the initial properties of the expansive unsaturated soil and the load building conditions. A laboratory process is described for determining the aexpcoefficient.

Model for the simulation of swelling-pressure measurements on expansive soils

1998 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 96-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fangsheng Shuai ◽  
D G Fredlund
Keyword(s):  
Pore Water ◽  
Volume Change ◽  
Unsaturated Soil ◽  
Pore Water Pressure ◽  
Expansive Soils ◽  
Water Pressure ◽  
Expansive Soil ◽  
Swelling Pressure ◽  
Oedometer Test ◽  
Free Swell

Numerous laboratory swelling tests have been reported for the measurement of swelling pressure and the amount of swell of an expansive soil. These test methods generally involve the use of a conventional one-dimensional oedometer apparatus. Few attempts, however, have been made to formulate a theoretical framework to simulate the testing procedures or to visualize the different stress paths followed when using the various methods. The simulation of the oedometer tests on expansive soils is required to fully understand the prediction of heave. The correct measurement of swelling pressure is required for an accurate prediction of heave. It is further anticipated that some information on unsaturated soils property functions may be approximated from the back-analysis of the data. A theoretical model is proposed to describe the pore-water pressures with time and depth in a specimen as well as the volume changes during various oedometer swell tests. The model is formulated based on equilibrium considerations, constitutive equations for an unsaturated soil, and the continuity requirement for the pore fluid phases. The transient water flow process is coupled with the soil volume change process. The model can be used to describe the volume-change behaviour, pore-water pressure, and vertical total stress development in an unsaturated soil during an oedometer test performed by any one of several test procedures. The model has been put into a finite element formulation using the Galerkin technique. All the parameters required to run the model can be obtained by performing independent, common laboratory tests. The proposed model was used to simulate the results from free-swell, constant-volume, constant water content, and loaded-swell oedometer tests. Computed values of volume change, vertical total stress, and pore-water pressure are in good agreement with measured values.Key words: unsaturated soil, expansive soil, swelling pressure, theoretical simulation, constant-volume oedometer test, free-swell oedometer test, loaded-swell oedometer test.

scholarly journals Factors affecting the swelling pressure for Jerash expansive soil

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 44-51
Author(s):  
Talal Masoud ◽  
Abdulrazzaq Jawish Alkherret
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Expansive Soils ◽  
Expansive Soil ◽  
Swelling Pressure ◽  
Dry Density ◽  
Initial Water Content ◽  
Content Increase ◽  
Initial Water ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Water Content Increase

  In this study for factors effecting the swelling pressure of jerash expansive soils were investigated in this study, effect of initial dry density and effect of initial water content on the jerash expansive soil were investigated.It show that as the initial dry density decrease from 1.85 gm/cm3  to1.25 gm/cm3 , the swelling pressure also decrease are from 3.1  to 0.25gm/cm2   also it show that as the initial water content increase from 0%to 15% , the swelling pressure of jerash expansive soil decrease from 2.65 gm/cm2  to 1.35 gm/cm2  .  

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