Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Mechanical and Physical Characterization of Tabriz Marls, Iran

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Geotechnical and Geological Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Three types of marls can be found in the Tabriz area (Iran): yellow, green, and gray/black marls. In the present paper, strength and deformation characteristics of Tabriz marls and their stress–strain behavior are investigated by various in situ and laboratory tests. In order to study the deformation behavior of these marls, various experiments such as the pressuremeter test, plate loading test (PLT), seismic wave velocity test, uniaxial compression test, standard penetration test (SPT), and direct shear test were carried out. Ranges of strain at the elastic and failure points were determined. Young’s and shear modulus were obtained. Test results showed that the strength characteristics increase with depth. The value of deformation modulus determined by the pressuremeter test was in good agreement with those obtained from the PLT. This implies that pressuremeter is a suitable in situ test for characterizing the deformation modulus of marl. Deformation modulus obtained from pressuremeter and plate loading tests were approximately 4–5 times the results of uniaxial compressive test and the deformation modulus obtained from seismic data was about 30–50 times the static deformation modulus. Stress–strain curves showed that the maximum value of strain at the elastic and failure points and the minimum value of strength and deformation modulus are corresponding to the yellow marls while the minimum value of strain and the maximum value of strength and deformation modulus are corresponding to the gray/black marls. Some empirical relationships between different characteristics of Tabriz marls were also derived.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18
Fig. 19
Fig. 20
Fig. 21
Fig. 22
Fig. 23

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • AASHTO (1988) AASHTO Manual on subsurface investigations. American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Washington DC, USA

  • Akili W, Torrance JK (1981) The development and geotechnical problems of sabkha, with preliminary experiments on the static penetration resistance of cemented sands. Q J Eng Geol 14(2):59–73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alber M, Heiland J (2001) Investigation of a limestone Pillar failure: part 1; geology, laboratory testing and numerical modeling. Rock Mech Rock Eng 34(3):167–186

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Rawas AA, Hago AW, Al-Sarami H (2005) Effect of lime, cement and saroj (artificial pozzolan) on the swelling potential of an expansive soil from Oman. Build Environ 40:681–687

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amar S, Clark BGF, Gambin MP, Orr TLL (1991) The application of pressuremeter test result to foundation design in Europe: part 1. International society for soil mechanics and foundation engineering: European Regional Technical Committee

  • Anagnostopoulos AG, Kalteziotis N, Tsiambaos GK, Kavvadas M (1991) Geotechnical properties of the Corinth Canal marls. Geotech Geol Eng 9(1):1–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ASTM (1994) Standard test method for probed pressuremeter testing in soils, ASTM D4719. USA

  • Athanasopoulos GA (1995) Utilization of sample disturbance for dating a marl deposit. Geotech Geol Eng 13(2):93–104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Athmania D, Benaissa A, Hammadi A, Bouassida M (2010) Clay and marl formation susceptibility in Mila province, Algeria. Geotech Geol Eng 28(6):805–813

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Atkinson JH (1993) An introduction to the mechanics of soils and foundation. McGraw Hill Inc., Series in Civil Engineering

  • Behnia K, Ouhadi VR, Ghalandarzadeh A (1993) The use of sea-water in stabilization of marly soils with cement and lime. Iranian J Road Eng 26:54–62

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowles JE (1996) Foundation analysis and design, 5th edn. McGraw Hill Inc, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen FH (1988) Foundations on expansive soils. Developments in Soils Geotechnical Engineering, vol 54. Elsevier, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Corthésy R, Leite MH, Gill DE, Gaudin B (2003) Stress measurements in soft rocks. Eng Geol 69:381–397

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • El Amrani N, Lamas F, Irigaray C, Chacón J (1998) Engineering geological characterization of Neogene marls in the Southeastern Granada Basin (Granada, Spain). Eng Geol 50:165–175

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holtz RD, Kovacs WD (1981) An introduction to geotechnical engineering. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnes DE, Holtz WG (1973) Expansive soils: the hidden disaster. ASCE Civil Eng 43(8):49

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelly WE, Mares S (1993) Applied geophysics in hydrogeological and engineering practice. Elsevier, Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

  • Khamehchiyan M, Iwao Y, Amirsoleymani T (1994) Effect of carbonate content on engineering properties of marl rocks. In: Proceedings of the 7th international congress IAEG, Rotterdam, pp 597–602

  • Lamas F, Irigaray C, Chacόn J (2002) Geotechnical characterization of carbonate marls for the construction of impermeable dam cores. Eng Geol 66:283–294

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lamas F, Irigaray C, Chacón J (2005) Selection of the most appropriate method to determine the carbonate content for engineering purposes. Eng Geol 81(1):32–41

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maccarini M (1987) Laboratory studies of a weakly bonded artificial soil. PhD thesis, University of London, London, UK

  • Malandraki V (1994) The engineering behaviour of a weakly bonded artificial soil. PhD thesis, University of Durham, Durham, UK

  • Malandraki V, Toll DG (2000) Drained probing triaxial tests on a weakly bonded artificial soil. Geotechnique 50(2):141–151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malandraki V, Toll DG (2001) Triaxial tests on a weakly bonded artificial soil with changes in stress path. ASCE J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 127(3):282–291

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mohamed AMO (2000) The role of clay minerals in marly soils on its stability. Eng Geol 57:193–203

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mohamed AMO, Yong RN, Mohammed LF (1991) Soil improvement using chemical treatment. In: Proceedings of the first geotechnical engineering conference, Cairo University, Egypt, pp 1–10

  • NCEER (1997) Proceeding of the NCEER workshop on evaluation of liquefaction resistance of soils. In: Voud TL, Idris I (eds) Technical Report, NCEER-7-0022.

  • Nelson JD, Miller DJ (1992) Expansive soils problems and practice in foundation and pavement engineering. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Ouhadi VR (1997) The role of marl components and ettringite on the stability of stabilized marl. PhD Thesis, McGill University, Montreal, Canada

  • Ouhadi VR, Yong RN (2003) The role of clay fraction of marly soils on their post stabilization failure. Eng Geol 70:365–375

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ouhadi VR, Ghalandarzadeh A, Behnia K (1993) Engineering characteristics and properties of marly soils. In: Proceedings of the second international seminar on soil mechanics and foundation engineering of Iran, Tehran, Iran, pp 36–48

  • Pettijohn FJ (1975) Sedimentary rocks, 3rd edn. Harper and Row, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruwaih IA (1987) Experiences with expansive soils in Saudi Arabia. In: Proceedings of the sixth international conference on expansive soils, New Delhi, India, International Society for Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering (ISSMFE), pp 317–322

  • Sanad H, Bader B (1990) Laboratory study on leaching of calcareous soil from Kuwait. J Geotech Eng 116(12):1797–1809

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shalabi FI, Al-Qablan HA, Al-Hattamleh OH (2009) Elasto-plastic behavior of Raghadan tunnel based on RMR and Hoek–Brown classifications. Geotech Geol Eng 27(2):237–248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Toll DG, Malandraki V (1993) Triaxial testing of a weakly bonded soil. In: Proceedings of the international symposium on geotechnical engineering of hard soils-soft rocks, Balkema, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, pp 817–823

  • Trenter NA (1989) Some geotechnical problems in the Middle East. In: Proceedings of the 1st regional congress on civil engineering, University of Bahrain, Bahrain, pp 1–22

  • US Department of the Interior (1998) Earth manual, part 1. Third ed. Bureau of Reclamation, USA

  • Venkatramaiah C (1993) Geotechnical engineering. Wiley Eastern Limited, New Delhi, pp 660–666

    Google Scholar 

  • Yong RN, Ouhadi VR (1997) Reaction factors impacting on instability of bases on natural and lime-stabilized marls. Special Lecture, Keynote Paper. In: Proceeding of the international conference on foundation failures, Singapore, pp 87–100

  • Yong RN, Ouhadi VR (2007) Experimental study on instability of bases on natural and lime/cement-stabilized clayey soils. Eng Geol 35:238–249

    Google Scholar 

  • Yong RN, Ouhadi VR, Mohamed AMO (1996) Physico-chemical evaluation of failure of stabilized marl soil. In: Proceedings of the 49th Canadian geotechnical conference frontiers in geotechnology, vol 2, pp 769–776

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Pazhoohesh Omran Rahvar Consulting Engineers for their collaboration in preparing the tests data. The authors also gratefully acknowledge the useful comments of anonymous reviewers on an earlier version of this paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

    Ali Hooshmand

  2. Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

    Mohammad H. Aminfar & Hamid Ahmadi

  3. Department of Geology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

    Ebrahim Asghari

Authors
  1. Ali Hooshmand
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mohammad H. Aminfar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ebrahim Asghari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hamid Ahmadi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohammad H. Aminfar.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hooshmand, A., Aminfar, M.H., Asghari, E. et al. Mechanical and Physical Characterization of Tabriz Marls, Iran. Geotech Geol Eng 30, 219–232 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-011-9464-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-011-9464-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation