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Prediction of expansive soil swelling based on four micro-scale properties

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Abstract

A comprehensive study of expansive soil behavior includes understanding the surface phenomena of clay particles within the soil matrix. This research studies four micro-scale properties of four remolded expansive soils––matric suction, pH, surface conductance and percentage of montmorillonite––in order to predict soil swelling. An approach to approximate surface conductance is presented. Linear regression analyses were undertaken in an attempt to predict percent swell and swell pressure based on each of these micro-scale properties. Matric suction was found to be the most accurate predictor of the swelling behavior of the studied soils, which were initially compacted at optimum moisture content. Surface conductance, which is a combination of specific surface area, cation exchange capacity and cation mobility, also gave good predictions, except for one soil with high acidity.

Résumé

Une étude approfondie du comportement des sols gonflants inclut la compréhension des phénomènes de surface concernant les particules argileuses au sein de la matrice du sol. Cette recherche s’intéresse à quatre propriétés de micro-échelle de quatre sols gonflants remaniés : succion matricielle, pH, conductivité de surface et pourcentage de montmorillonite, afin de prévoir le gonflement du sol. Une méthode permettant d’approcher la valeur de conductivité de surface est présentée. Des analyses de régression linéaire ont été réalisées, basées sur chacune des propriétés de micro-échelle, afin de prévoir le potentiel de gonflement et la pression de gonflement. La succion matricielle a été identifiée comme le meilleur paramètre pour prévoir le comportement gonflant des sols étudiés qui avaient été initialement compactés à la teneur en eau optimum. La conductivité de surface, qui intègre la valeur de surface spécifique, la capacité d’échange de cations et la mobilité cationique a donné également de bonnes prévisions, sauf pour l’un des sols de forte acidité.

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Acknowledgments

Financial support for this research was provided by the National Science Foundation (Grant No. 0746980). The support is greatly appreciated. The authors are also thankful to Dr. Madden at the University of Oklahoma for his help on the XRD tests.

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  1. University of Oklahoma, 202 W. Boyd Street, Room 334, Norman, OK, 73019, USA

    Botao Lin & Amy B. Cerato

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  1. Botao Lin
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  2. Amy B. Cerato
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Correspondence to Amy B. Cerato.

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Lin, B., Cerato, A.B. Prediction of expansive soil swelling based on four micro-scale properties. Bull Eng Geol Environ 71, 71–78 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-011-0410-7

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