Expansive soils : recent advances in characterization and treatment

Expansive Soils

BALKEMA - Proceedings and Monographs

in Engineering, Water and Earth Sciences

Expansive Soils

Recent advances in characterization

and treatment

Editors

Amer Ali Al-Rawas

Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering,

College of Engineering, Sultan Qaboos University,

Sultanate of Oman

Mattheus F.A. Goosen

School of Science and Technology, University of Turabo,

Puerto Rico, USA

LONDON / LEIDEN / NEW YORK / PHILADELPHIA / SINGAPORE

© 2006 Taylor & Francis Group, London, UK

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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Expansive soils: recent advances in characterization and treatment /

editors: Amer Ali Al-Rawas, Mattheus F. A. Goosen.

p. cm.

Includes index.

1. Soil consolidation. 2. Swelling soils. I. Al-Rawas, Amer Ali.

II. Goosen, Mattheus F.A.

TE210.4.E96 2006

624.1'5136–dc22 2005035532

ISBN10 0–415–39681–6 ISBN13 978–0–415–39681–3

This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2006.

“To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s

collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.”

Contents

List of contributors ix

Preface xi

PART 1

Nature, identification, and classification of

expansive soils 1

1 Geology, classification, and distribution of expansive soils and

rocks: a case study from the Arabian Gulf 3

AMER A. AL-RAWAS, MATTHEUS F.A. GOOSEN, AND GHAZI A. AL-RAWAS

2 Identification and classification of expansive soils 15

SUDHAKAR M. RAO

3 Prediction and classification of expansive clay soils 25

AGUS SETYO MUNTOHAR

4 Overview of mineralogy of bentonites: genesis, physicochemical

properties, industrial uses, and world production 37

RICHARD PRˇ IKRYL

5 Swelling in non-vertisolic soils: its causes and importance 55

MIGUEL ANGEL TABOADA AND RAÚL SILVIO LAVADO

PART 2

Volume change characteristics 79

6 ESEM study of structural modifications of argillite during

hydration/dehydration cycles 81

JOËLLE DUPLAY, GERMAN MONTES-HERNANDEZ, AND LUIS MARTINEZ

7 Large-scale odometer for assessing swelling and consolidation

behavior of Al-Qatif clay 85

SHAHID AZAM

8 Water sorption and dilatation of bentonites and

montmorillonite-rich clays 101

RADEK HANUS, IRENA KOLARÍKOVÁ, AND RICHARD P ˇ RIKRYL ˇ

PART 3

Swelling potential measurement 115

9 ESEM–DIA method to estimate swelling–shrinkage of raw

and cation-saturated bentonite 117

GERMAN MONTES-HERNANDEZ

10 Effect of remolding techniques on soil swelling and shear

strength properties 127

MOUSA F. ATTOM, MAJED M. ABU-ZREIG, AND

MOHAMMED TALEB OBAIDAT

11 Swelling rate of expansive clay soils 139

ROSLAN HASHIM AND AGUS SETYO MUNTOHAR

12 Swelling behavior of Ankara Clay: predictive techniques,

damage details, and swelling maps 149

ZEYNAL ABIDDIN ERGULER AND RESAT ULUSAY

13 Prediction of swelling characteristics with free swell index 173

BHYRAVAJJULA R. PHANIKUMAR

PART 4

Advanced techniques for swelling potential assessment 185

14 Remote sensing of expansive soils: use of hyperspectral methodology

for clay mapping and hazard assessment 187

SABINE CHABRILLAT AND ALEXANDER F.H. GOETZ

15 Spectroscopy as a tool for studying swelling soils 211

PATRICK CHEGE KARIUKI, KEITH SHEPHERD, AND

FREEK VAN DER MEER

16 Finite element analysis of piers in expansive soils 231

YAHIA E.-A. MOHAMEDZEIN

vi Contents

17 Prediction of swelling pressure of expansive soils using

Neural Networks 245

YAHIA E.-A. MOHAMEDZEIN, RABAB IBRAHIM, AND ASSIM ALSANOSI

18 Shrinkage strain characterization of expansive soils using

digital imaging technology 257

ANAND J. PUPPALA, SIVA PATHIVADA, VENKAT BHADRIRAJU, AND

LAUREANO R. HOYOS

PART 5

Site characterization 271

19 Swelling behavior of expansive shale: a case study from

Saudi Arabia 273

ABDULLAH I. AL-MHAIDIB

20 Volume change characteristics of compacted Ankara clay 289

ERDAL COKCA AND OZLEM CORA

21 Influence of trees on expansive soils in southern Australia 295

DONALD A. CAMERON, MARK B. JAKSA, WAYNE POTTER, AND

AARON O’MALLEY

PART 6

Lime stabilization 315

22 Stabilization of expansive Ankara Clay with lime 317

MEHMET CELAL TONOZ, CANDAN GOKCEOGLU, AND RESAT ULUSAY

23 Lime stabilization of expansive clay 341

ZALIHE NALBANTOGLU

24 Combined lime and polypropylene fiber stabilization for

modification of expansive soils 349

ANAND J. PUPPALA, EKARIN WATTANASANTICHAROEN, AND ALI PORBAHA

PART 7

Cement-stabilization 369

25 Assessment of anisotropic behavior of swelling soils on

ground and construction work 371

EVANGELOS I. STAVRIDAKIS

Contents vii

viii Contents

26 Stabilization of problematic soils using cement and lime 385

EVANGELOS I. STAVRIDAKIS

27 Influence of sand content on strength and durability of

cement-acrylic resin treated soil 399

COSTAS A. ANAGNOSTOPOULOS

28 Physical and engineering properties of cement stabilized

soft soil treated with acrylic resin additive 405

COSTAS A. ANAGNOSTOPOULOS

PART 8

Other treatment methods 417

29 Pozzolanic stabilization of expansive soils 419

P.V. SIVAPULLAIAH

30 Swelling characteristics and improvement of expansive soil

with rice husk ash 435

AGUS SETYO MUNTOHAR

31 Effects of addition of fly ash on swell potential of

an expansive soil 453

DEVRIM TURKER AND ERDAL COKCA

32 Dynamic characterization of chemically modified expansive soil 465

LAUREANO R. HOYOS, PHONLAWUT CHAINUWAT, AND ANAND J. PUPPALA

33 Assessment of seasonal effects on engineering behavior of

chemically treated sulfate-rich expansive clay 483

LAUREANO R. HOYOS, ARTHIT LAIKRAM, AND ANAND J. PUPPALA

PART 9

Construction techniques and remedial measures 505

34 Granular pile-anchors: an innovative foundation technique for

expansive soils 507

BHYRAVAJJULA R. PHANIKUMAR AND RADHEY S. SHARMA

Index 523

Contributors

Majed M. Abuzreig, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan

Abdullah I. Al-Mhaidib, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Amer Ali Al-Rawas, Sultan Qaboos University, Al-Khoud, Sultanate of Oman

Ghazi A. Al-Rawas, Sultan Qaboos University, Sultanate of Oman

Assim Alsanosi, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan

Costas A. Anagnostopoulos, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessalonica, Greece

Mousa F. Attom, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan

Shahid Azam, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

Venkat Bhadriraju, University of Texas at Arlington, USA

Donald A. Cameron, University of South Australia, Australia

Sabine Chabrillat, GeoForschungsZentrum (GFZ) Potsdam, Germany

Phonlawut Chainuwat, PSA Engineering, Texas, USA

Erdal Cokca, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

Ozlem Cora, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

Joelle Duplay, Centre de Géochimie de la Surface, Strasbourg, France

Zeynal Abiddin Erguler, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey

Alexander F.H. Goetz, University of Colorado, USA

Candan Gokceoglu, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey

Mattheus F.A. Goosen, University of Turabo, Gurabo, Puerto Rico

Radek Hanus, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic

Roslan Hashim, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Laureano R. Hoyos, University of Texas at Arlington, USA

Rabab Ibrahim, Al-Amin Engineering Company, Khartoum, Sudan

Mark B. Jaksa, University of Adelaide, Australia

x Contributors

Patrick Chege Kariuki, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Kenya

Irena Kolaˇríková, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic

Arthit Laikram, University of Texas at Arlington, USA

Raúl Silvio Lavado, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina

Luis Martinez, Universite Henri Poincare, Nancy, France

Freek van der Meer, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands

Yahia E.-A. Mohamedzein, Sultan Qaboos University, Al-Khoud, Sultanate of Oman

German Montes-Hernandez, Centre de Géochimie de la Surface, Strasbourg, France

Agus Setyo Muntohar, Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Zalihe Nalbantoglu, Eastern Mediterranean University, Gazimagusa, Mersin 10, Turkey

Mohammed T. Obaidat, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan

Aaron O’Malley, University of South Australia, Australia

Siva Pathivada, University of Texas at Arlington, USA

Bhyravajjula R. Phanikumar, GMR Institute of Technology, India

Ali Porbaha, California Department of Transportation, USA

Wayne Potter, University of South Australia, Australia

Richard Pˇrikryl, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic

Anand J. Puppala, University of Texas at Arlington, USA

Sudhakar M. Rao, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India

Radhey S. Sharma, Louisiana State University, USA

Keith Shepherd, World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), Kenya

P.V. Sivapullaiah, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India

Evangelos I. Stavridakis, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

Miguel Angel Taboada, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina

Mehmet Celal Tonoz, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey

Devrim Turker, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

Resat Ulusay, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey

Ekarin Wattanasanticharoen, University of Texas at Arlington, USA

Preface

Expansive soils are a worldwide problem. The estimated damage to buildings, roads, and

other structures built on expansive soils, for example, exceeds 15 billion dollars in the US

annually. Such soils are considered natural hazards that pose challenges to civil engineers,

construction firms, and owners. In some underdeveloped countries, buildings were

constructed without any knowledge of the presence of expansive soils. This was in part

due to a lack of historical evidence. With the rapid development in urban infrastructure,

expansive soil problems have become more evident. There is therefore a need to address the

problems associated with these soils.

Expansive soils occur in many parts of the world but particularly in arid and semi-arid

regions. In these regions, evaporation rates are higher than the annual rainfall so that there

is almost always a moisture deficiency in the soil. The addition of water will cause ground

heave in soils possessing swelling potential. Semi-arid regions are characterized by short

periods of rainfall followed by long periods of draught causing cyclic swelling and shrinking

phenomena. The ground heave that results from soil swelling potential is a multifactorial

phenomenon that involves a combination of the type of material, type and amount of clay

minerals, microfabric, initial moisture content, and initial dry density.

Considerable research has been reported on expansive soils over the past three decades.

The last international conference on expansive soils was held in Dallas, Texas, USA in

1992. The 6th International Conference on Expansive Soils was held in New Delhi in

January 1988. Several textbooks on expansive soils are also available: Foundations on

Expansive Soils by Chen, F.H., Elsevier 1988; Expansive Soils: Problems and Practice in

Foundation and Pavement Engineering by Nelson, J.D. and Miller, D.J., John Wiley &

Sons, Inc. 1992; Construction of Buildings on Expansive Soils by Sorochan, E.A.,

Aa Balkema January 1991; and Behaviour of Saturated Expansive Soil and Control

Methods – Revised and Enlarged Edition by Katti, R.K./Katti, D.R./Katti, A.R., Routledge

2002. Since the most recent comprehensive publication is several years old, a book is now

needed that updates the state-of-the-art knowledge in this area.

This book provides a broad coverage of recent advances in the characteristics and treat￾ment of expansive soils. There are nine parts each with specific chapters. It starts with an

overview section (Part 1) on the nature, identification, and classification of expansive soils.

Parts 2 and 3 deal with volume change characteristics and swelling potential measurements,

respectively. Part 4 covers advanced techniques for swelling potential assessment. Such tests

are important for assessing the actual swelling potential of the soil and estimating ground

heave. Part 5 on site characterization presents field measurements of soil swelling potential

and suction. The next three parts deal with lime stabilization, cement stabilization, and

xii Preface

other treatment methods. Chemical stabilization, for example, has gained wide attention as

a successful technique for treating expansive soils. In the final section (Part 9), the performance

of engineering structures built on expansive soils such as buildings, houses, embankments,

and roads, is evaluated. Remedial measures used to address soil swelling problems are also

described.

The intended audience for this book includes researchers, practicing engineers, contractors,

postgraduate and undergraduate students, and others working in expansive soils. The authors

hope that the information provided in this book will help to promote a better understanding

of expansive soils, contribute toward their treatment, and thereby reducing or minimizing

their effects. The views expressed in the chapters of this book are those of the authors and

do not necessarily reflect those of their respective institutions. The authors hope that this

book will contribute to the advancement in research in expansive soils and help engineers

in the development of practical solutions to expansive soil problems.

Amer Ali Al-Rawas

Sultan Qaboos University, Al-Khoud, Sultanate of Oman

Mattheus F.A. Goosen

University of Turabo, Gurabo, Puerto Rico

2005

Part 1

Nature, identification, and

classification of expansive

soils