settlement potentiality analysis of clay soils, north jeddah, saudi arabia

Abdulelah A. Bahabri

http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 55 [email protected]

International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET)

Volume 6, Issue 11, Nov 2015, pp. 55-70, Article ID: IJCIET_06_11_007

Available online at

http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=6&IType=11

ISSN Print: 0976-6308 and ISSN Online: 0976-6316

© IAEME Publication

___________________________________________________________________________

SETTLEMENT POTENTIALITY ANALYSIS

OF CLAY SOILS, NORTH JEDDAH, SAUDI

ARABIA

Dr. Abdulelah A. Bahabri

Faculty of Earth Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

Usually, constructors built on clay-rich soils are subjected to settlement

due to compressive deformation as a result of decreasing in void space that

due to rearrangement of clayey-sized grain. Settlement of the clay-rich soil

leads to damage in constructions owing to decreasing in ground stability. The

settlement potentiality of clay soils was increasing with increasing of both

clayey-sized material content and plasticity index. The studied clay soil

samples are classified as high plasticity clays (CH) and inorganic silts of high

compressibility (MH). The mV-values of the studied soil samples are ranging

from 0.00305cm2/gm and 0.02cm

2/gm and from 0.00263cm

2/gm to 0.08389

cm2/gm for clay-soil samples and silty soil samples respectively. The

expansion index of the studied samples ranges from 0.000041 to 0.00509 and from 0.000038 to 0.001187 for clay soil samples and silty soil samples. The

compression index of the studied samples ranges from 0.10426 to 0.3547 and

from 0.13386 to 0.40062 for clay-rich soil samples and silty soil samples

respectively.

Key words: Consolidation, Compression Index, Void Ratio, Clay-Rich Soils,

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Cite this Article: Dr. Abdulelah A. Bahabri. Settlement Potentiality Analysis

of Clay Soils, North Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Civil

Engineering and Technology, 6(11), 2015, pp. 55-70.

http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=6&IType=11

1. INTRODUCTION

The ground heave that results from fine-grained clay-rich soils settlement was

considered as a multi-factor soil problem that controlled by combination of material

type, amount and type of clay mineral species, microstructure, moisture water content,

dry density and void ratio. Clay minerals generate cohesion while clay sizes can be

cohesionless.

Most mechanical characteristics of clay-rich soil depends mainly on the type and

percent of clay mineral species, the interactions between clay mineral surfaces and



pore water, the sedimentary history (marine or freshwater depositional environment)

and the consolidation history (normally consolidated or over-consolidated).

The colloidal size of clay mineral particles and their electrical charge make them

hydrate and interact so that their hydraulic conductivity and stress/strain properties are

quite different from those of sandy soils. Concerning clay mineral–water interactions,

kaolinite and smectite represent the extremes of hydration and gel-forming capacity

potentials, while illite and chlorite are intermediate in these respects (Wagner, 2013).

On the contrary, silty soils are on the border between clayey and sandy soils. They are

fine-grained like clays but cohesionless like sands. Silty soils possess undesirable

engineering properties. They exhibit high capillarity and susceptibility to frost action,

yet they have low permeabilities and low densities.

Usually, the structures which built on fine-grained soil exposed to settlement,

some types of settlements can be predictable and others are tolerable. In any event,

knowledge of the causes of settlement and a means of computing (or predicting)

settlement quantitatively are important to the geotechnical engineer.

In the case of dry state, the void species of fine-grained soils are filled with air;

and because air is compressible, rearrangement of soil grains can occur rapidly.

Whereas, saturated fine-grained soil its voids are filled with incompressible water

which must be extruded from the soil mass before soil grains can rearrange

themselves (McCarthy and David, 2006).

Settlement of fine-grained soils represents one of the most regular causes for

foundation failure. So that, it is very important to identifying the settlement

mechanism. When loads will be occurred on the ground, the elastic deformation of

ground will be happened at once and therefore can be easily to correct. The

consolidation of clay-rich soils in the long-term may be taken many years to be

completed.

The compressibility of fine-grained soils was mainly owing to one or more with

respect to one another of mechanical deformations, particles rearrangement, particle

sliding, removal of pore water and physicochemical reasons. The physicochemical

reasons have an effective task in compressibility of fine-grained soils based upon the

composition of clay mineral species and potentiality of exchangeable cations (Olson

and Mesri 1970; Mitchell 1993).

Settlement of the subsoil causes damage to the structures due to ground instability

problems (Osman, 2006; Sohail et. al., 2012). Fine-grained soils show a high grade of

deformation under load or stress because a higher settlement and damages can occur

late after construction termination (Pusch, 2006). The engineering properties of

common soils depend to a large extent upon the amount and characteristics of the

clay-size material contained in the soils. In general, higher clay contents in a soil

causes higher plasticity, greater shrinkage and swell potential, lower hydraulic

conductivity, higher compressibility (Prinz and Strauß, 2006). The purpose of this

work is to present the fundamental concepts regarding settlement analysis for clay-

rich soils, north Jeddah, Saudi Arabia as well as the estimation of foundation

settlements will be described.

2. LOCATION, SOIL EXPLORATION AND METHODOLOGY

After collection preliminary information for the studied area, the actual subsurface

soil explorations were done by drilling more than twenty boreholes covering the area

(Fig. 1). The drilling was straight rotary using 5 inches steel casing. Drilling and

Settlement Potentiality Analysis Of Clay Soils, North Jeddah, Saudi Arabia


sampling were collected up to a depth ranging from 35m to 40m. Twenty four

undisturbed samples were selected.

The initial moisture water content was estimated according to ASTM D 2216

(2005). The specific gravity was determined according to ASTM 854 (2006).

Similarly, the consistency limits (liquid limit and plastic limit) were done according

to ASTM D4318 (2005). The Unified Soil Classification System (USCS) was used for

classifying these soils samples.

The consolidation tests of the studied clay-rich soil samples were done according

to (ASTM D 2435-96) by cutting it by mechanical saw machine from a hard soil

block to pieces of 6.35cm diameter and 1.9cm high. Then, these samples were placed

carefully in the mould of oedometer. Initial pressures (P) 0.1, 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4,

8, 16 and 32 kg/cm2 were applied on each sample.

The initial reading of the dial gauge was taken at zero time, then the valve water

was opened and allowed the water to be imbibed the soil sample until it saturated and

corresponding time observations are made and recorded until deformation has nearly

ceased. Normally, this is done over a 24 hour period. Then, a graph is prepared using

these data, with time along the abscissa on a logarithmic scale and dial readings along

the ordinate on an arithmetic scale. From each graph of time versus dial readings, the

void ratio (e) and coefficient of consolidation (CV) that correspond to the specific

applied pressure (P). For each loading, the void ratio (∆e) was evaluated by

subtracting the changing in void ratio from the initial void ratio (e0). All test results

were tabulated (Tables 1 and 2).

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Physical as well as settlement properties of fine-graind soils of the studied area will be

discussed as follows:

3.1. Grain size

The grain size distribution of clayey sediments plays a vital factor effecting on their

engineering behavior. The amount of swelling as well as plasticity of clayey-

sediments increases by increasing the amount of clay-size (< 0.002 mm) materials,

that due to increasing the specific surface area of these materials. The studied soil

samples are predominantly by more or less smoothed grading curves that produce a

considerable amount of voids between their particles (Fig. 2). Furthermore, according

to the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS), the studied clay soil samples were

classified into high plasticity clays (CH), and high inorganic silts (MH, Table 1 and

Fig. 3).



Figure 1 Geological map (modified after Alqahtani and Abu Seif, 2013) and

subsurface profile of some selected boreholes

Figure 2 Grain size distribution curves of representative samples



3.2. Initial moisture content

The variation in moisture water content nearly considered as one of the most

controlling parameters affecting volume change of clay-rich soil. Generally, the

thickness of the unit cell structure of clay mineral species is very small but when

water molecules were absorbed into clay structures, its thickness will be increased and

leads to swelling. The moisture water content of fine-grained soils plays a vital role in

their swelling capability. When, the fine-grained soil sample has higher ability to be

compressed and highly swell or shrink it will be considered as a detrimental impact on

the stability of the ground (Muntohar, 2002). When the clay-rich soils are wet, the

surfaces of negative charged of 2:1 clay mineral species will attract water molecules

of positive charge and allows the water molecules to penetrate within the sheeted

layers of clay minerals and then clay structure will be expanded. The initial moisture

water content of the studied fine-grained soils varies from 17.22% to 40.83%. (Table

1)

3.3. Specific Gravity

The specific gravity of any clay soil sample affects volume changes. In dense fine-

grained soils, more clay particles are captured into unit volume than in loose ones,

therefore, when the clay-rich soil is wetted greater movement will occur in dense one

than in another loose sample. The specific gravity of the soil samples fluctuated from

2.62 gm/cm3 to 2.76 gm/cm

3 (Table 1).

3.4. Consistency limits

From geotechnical point of view, the consistency limits are considered as basic

characteristics that extensively used in classification of fine-grained soil and indirect

quantification of fine-grained soil swell potentiality. When clayey rich sedimentary

rocks having a high plasticity index values, that considered to have the capacity for

swelling behavior (Abdullah et al., 1999). The plasticity index (PI) is generally used

as a good indicator of swelling potentiality (Seed et. al., 1962), whereas swelling clay

mineral species give PI greater than 50% (Grim, 1962). The liquid limit of the studied

fine-grained soil samples is higher than 65% (ranging from 72 to 88, Table 1), so that

these soil samples are considered as very high swelling potentialities (Chen (1988).

The plasticity chart (Fig. 3) shows that the silty soil samples plot below the A-line.

That means these materials have a considerable percentages of active clay mineral

species such as montmorillonite (Holtz and Kovacs, 1981). Further, both materials

(clay-rich and silt-rich soil samples) are very highly and extremely high plastic and

swelling potential respectively.

Williams (1980) used the clay content and values of plasticity index as a

successful technique to identify clayey-rich sediments volume change where the

plasticity index values increase proportionally with the clay-sized material content

(%). Consequently, depend upon the value of plasticity index and the percent of clay-

sized materials, the expansion level of the studied fine-grained soil samples were

ranging from low for silty soil samples and from high to very high for clay soil

samples (Fig. 4).



Figure 3 Plasticity chart of the studied samples

Figure 4 Swelling potential classification of the studied samples (after Williams,

1980)

3.7. Compressibility and Settlement Characteristics

The void ratio (e) was plotted after consolidation against pressure (P) on a logarithmic

scale. The plots showed an initial compression followed by expansion. During

compression, some vital changes will be happened in the structure of fine-grained and

the clay does not relate the initial structure within expansion. These changes during

compressibility state of the studied fine-grained soil samples can be represented by

one of the following measured coefficients.



3.7.1. Coefficient of volume change (mv)

The coefficient of volume change (mv) of the clay soils can be definite as changes in

volume per increasing in the effective stress. The units of mv are the inverse of

pressure (cm2/kg). The changes in soil volume can be defined as terms of either void

ratio or specimen thickness. For an increase in pressure (P) from Po- to P1 the void

ratio decreases from eo to e1, then:

01

10

001

10

0

v

1

1

1m

HH

H

ee

e (1)

Δ

1

e1

Δem

Ο

v

(2)

The mV values are mainly depending upon the pressure values over which it is

determined. The value of mV values of the studied samples fluctuated between

0.00305cm2/gm and 0.02cm

2/gm and from 0.00263cm

2/gm and 0.08389cm

2/gm for

clay-rich soil samples and silty soil samples respectively (Table 2).

3.7.2. The compression index (Cc)

In Figure (6), the upper curve (compression curve) exhibits the relationship between

void ratio and pressure as the pressure is increased. The lower one shown (expansion

curve) was obtained by unloading the soil sample during the consolidation test after

the maximum pressure has been reached where the fine-grained soils tend to swell

causing movement and associated dial readings to reverse direction. The compression

index is defined as the linear portion slope of the e-log P plot and is dimensionless.

For any two points on the linear portion of the plot:

0

1

10c

log

C

ee (3)

The compression index of the studied samples ranges from 0.10426 to 0.3547 and

from 0.13386 to 0.40062 for clay-rich soil samples and silty soil samples respectively

(Table 2).

3.7.3. The expansion index (Cv)

The expansion index is dimensionless and can be determined from the linear portion

slope of the e-log P, in the case of expansion part of the curve plot. For any two points

on the linear portion of the plot:

0

1

10V

log

C

ee (4)

The expansion index of the studied samples ranges from 0.000041 to 0.00509 and

from 0.000038 to 0.001187 for clay-rich soil samples and silty soil samples

respectively (Table 2).



Table 1 Physical property of the studied samples (*)

Sample

No

Depth

(m) Soil Type

Size Fraction (%)

Mo

isture W

ater (%)

Sp

ecific Grav

ity

(g/cm

3)

Consistency Limits

Activ

ity R

atio (A

)

Water Content Dry Unit Weigh

(g/cm3)

Grav

els

San

d

Silt

Clay

LL PL PI Initial Final Initial Final

1 8-8.5

CL

AY

(CH

)

F-CLAY 0 13 22 65 27.17 2.639 87 41 46 0.71 27.17 32.0 1.37 1.43

2 8-8.5 L-CLAY(S) 6 11 20 63 17.48 2.625 82 29 53 0.84 17.48 24.06 1.61 1.61

3 11-11.5 SL-CLAY 11 18 24 47 32.82 2.779 79 32 47 1.00 32.82 40.39 1.24 1.31

4 11-11.5 SF-CLAY 5 26 15 54 20.52 2.641 86 32 54 1.00 20.52 22.45 1.64 1.47

5 12.-13 SF-CLAY 7 24 16 53 27.34 2.619 88 31 57 1.08 27.34 26.8 1.45 1.54

6 12.3-13 F-CLAY 0 11 22 67 28.11 2.632 87 42 45 0.67 28.11 31.26 1.4 1.44

7 12.5-13 F-CLAY 0 12 24 64 20.38 2.641 88 40 48 0.75 20.38 27.88 1.42 1.52

8 15.5-16 SF-CLAY 8 23 14 55 22.11 2.661 87 32 55 1.00 22.11 26.45 1.53 1.56

9 17-17.4 F-CLAY 0 11 27 62 18.55 2.653 86 41 45 0.73 18.55 20.65 1.63 1.71

10 29-29.5 L-CLAY (S) 7 12 24 57 31.27 2.653 88 29 59 1.04 31.27 33.95 1.35 1.4

11 9.5-10

SIL

T (M

H)

SILT 0 13 74 13 40.83 2.648 75 58 17 1.31 40.83 32.42 1.27 1.43

12 10.9-11.2 SILT 0 12 73 15 36.26 2.629 78 61 17 1.13 36.26 38.14 1.27 1.32

13 13-13.5 SILT 0 14 70 16 22.89 2.704 77 61 16 1.00 22.89 30.36 1.49 1.49

14 14-14.5 SILT 0 9 74 17 31.85 2.662 75 60 15 0.88 31.85 31.23 1.37 1.46

15 14-15.5 SILT (S) 7 17 68 8 26.93 2.631 73 60 13 1.63 26.93 29.11 1.94 1.49

16 15.5-16 SILT (G) 14 9 68 9 33.39 2.647 73 61 12 1.33 33.39 30.45 1.32 1.47

17 16-16.5 S-SILT 9 27 57 7 25.9 2.627 75 58 17 2.43 25.9 24.42 1.54 1.60

18 18.5-19 SILT 0 10 78 12 28.25 2.633 72 61 11 0.92 28.25 30.92 1.38 1.45

19 20-20.3 SILT 0 13 79 8 28.13 2.620 72 60 12 1.50 28.13 30.71 1.42 1.45

20 21.5-23 SILT 0 11 77 12 17.22 2.631 74 62 12 1.00 17.22 21.81 1.64 1.67

21 26-26.5 SILT (S) 6 18 67 9 25.71 2.651 76 61 15 1.67 25.71 31.22 1.39 1.45

22 26-26.5 SILT (S) 7 17 68 8 21.1 2.647 74 61 13 1.63 21.1 27.38 1.54 1.54

23 27.5-28 S-SILT 5 28 59 8 21.38 2.643 74 60 14 1.75 21.38 27.37 1.49 1.53

24 30.5-31 SILT 0 12 74 14 34.83 2.638 73 59 14 1.00 34.83 36.63 1.27 1.34

25 33.5-34 SILT 0 11 76 13 24.57 2.657 73 60 13 1.00 24.57 23.32 1.54 1.64

* SILT: Silt, SILT (G): Silt with Gravel, SILT (S): Silt with Sand, F-CLAY: Fat Clay, L-CLAY (S): Lean Clay with Sand, S-SILT: Sandy Silt and SF-CLAY: Sandy Fat Clay, LL: Liquid limit, PL: Plastic limit and PI: Plasticity index



Table 2 Consolidation characteristics of the studied samples (*)

Sample

No

Depth

(m)

Soil Type Void Ratio

Degree of

Saturation (S)

Volume of Sample

(cm3) CV CC mv

(cm2/kg) T50

PC

(Kg/cm2) OCR

Initial Final Initial Final Initial Final

1 8-8.5

CL

AY

(CH

)

F-CLAY 0.8947 0.8419 80 100 38.81 37.73 0.000395 0.22179 0.01211 6 3.2 3.7647

2 8-8.5 L-CLAY (S) 0.6949 0.6316 66 100 40.55 38.84 0.00509 0.14402 0.00463 5 4.5 5.2941

3 11-11.5 SL-CLAY 1.22 1.124 75 100 37.31 35.69 0.000229 0.3547 0.0166 10 1.96 1.95

4 11-11.5 SF-CLAY 0.6117 0.5825 89 100 40.66 39.93 0.001052 0.10426 0.00737 25 2.45 2.333

5 12.-13 SF-CLAY 0.7561 0.7014 95 100 40.66 39.39 0.000253 0.15966 0.01035 10 4.2 2.8

6 12.3-13 F-CLAY 0.9475 0.8245 78 100 37.31 34.95 0.000041 0.30916 0.02 50 2.6 2.1667

7 12.5-13 F-CLAY 0.8607 0.7334 63 100 37.31 34.75 0.000105 0.292 0.01421 22 2.6 2.3337

8 15.5-16 SF-CLAY 0.7380 0.7032 80 100 37.31 36.56 0.00042 0.23093 0.00305 6 7.2 4.8

9 17-17.4 F-CLAY 0.6303 0.5471 78 100 38.81 36.83 0.0016 0.15336 0.00642 15 5 2.907

10 29-29.5 L-CLAY (S) 0.9664 0.8985 86 100 40.35 38.96 0.00011 0.29774 0.0061 22 6.5 3

11 9.5-10

SIL

T (M

H)

SILT 1.1099 0.8545 97 100 37.31 32.70 0.000015 0.40062 0.0264 35 2.2 2.316

12 10.9-11.2 SILT 1.063 0.998 90 100 40.35 39.08 0.000484 0.2251 0.00747 5 4.5 4.1013

13 13-13.5 SILT 0.8486 0.8184 73 100 37.31 36.70 0.000097 0.14996 0.08389 27 5.2 4

14 14-14.5 SILT 0.9431 0.8285 90 100 37.31 35.11 0.000067 0.3635 0.0311 30 2 1.575

15 14-15.5 SILT (S) 0.831 0.7645 85 100 40.35 38.89 0.00135 0.2685 0.00536 20 6 4.1379

16 15.5-16 SILT (G) 0.9051 0.8046 98 100 38.81 36.77 0.000728 0.3031 0.0387 2.9 1.5 1.0714

17 16-16.5 S-SILT 0.6973 0.6414 98 100 37.31 36.08 0.001187 0.21188 0.01621 2 2.4 1.411

18 18.5-19 SILT 0.8834 0.8130 84 100 40.35 38.84 0.000048 0.2417 0.00415 50 9 4.8649

19 20-20.3 SILT 0.8438 0.8040 87 100 38.06 37.19 0.000234 0.15942 0.00377 11 6.1 2.9048

20 21.5-23 SILT 0.6049 0.5719 75 100 37.31 36.54 0.000234 0.13386 0.00263 12 7.5 3.75

21 26-26.5 SILT (S) 0.9070 0.8267 75 100 37.31 35.74 0.000566 0.23806 0.0175 4 2.8 1.273

22 26-26.5 SILT (S) 0.7482 0.7242 75 100 38.81 38.28 0.000363 0.19072 0.00489 7 6 2.7273

23 27.5-28 S-SILT 0.7769 0.7255 73 100 37.31 36.23 0.000499 0.1665 0.00553 5 4.9 1.96

24 30.5-31 SILT 1.0717 0.9653 86 100 40.35 38.28 0.000157 0.2624 0.00474 15 7.23 2.419

25 33.5-34 SILT 0.7244 0.6155 90 100 40.66 38.09 0.000038 0.2858 0.00463 60 8.5 3.1

* CC: Compression Index, CV: Expansion Index, mv: Coefficient of Volume compressibility, OCR: Over Consolidation Ratio, PC: Pre-Consolidation Pressure and T50: Time–deformation



3.7.4. The pre-consolidation pressure

Pre-consolidation pressure usually illustrates the historical state of stress and

effectively influences the performance of cohesive soils and presented as one of very

significant geotechnical parameter in civil engineering. Generally, it is estimated

graphically from experimental data of e and log P plot (Senol and Ahmet, 2000)

Figure 5 shows the presentation of void ratio vs. log of pressure (P) of some

representative curves where these curves are characterized by generally curves with

smooth slopes, followed by more or less steep slopes. In soil mechanics, while the

former are called the recompression curves, the latter are called the virgin

compression curves (Cetin, 2004). The pre-consolidation pressure the studied samples

ranges from 1.96 to 7.2 (Kg/cm2) and from 1.5 to 9 (Kg/cm

2) for clay-rich soil

samples and silty soil samples respectively (Table 2).

3.7.5 Settlement types

The experimental curves were achieved by drawing the readings of dial gauge of the

consolidation test against time in minutes of logarithmic scale (Fig. 6). Each curve

can be subdivided into three distinguished parts. The uppermost part (initial

compression) represents a parabolic relationship between time and compression as

well as shows a small compression of air and soil.

The lowermost part usually represents a linear (but not horizontal) and followed

by the middle part of the curve which called primary consolidation. Beyond the point

of intersection, compression of the soil continues at a very slow rate of an indefinite

period of time and is called secondary compression (Craig, 1979).

The above classification of settlement types has done only to facilitate

understanding and modeling of phenomena. However, the three types may occur

simultaneously. In most cases, secondary consolidation has little influences on the

behavior of a structure, because their magnitude is considerable smaller than the other

settlement types. The classification of fine-grained soils mostly was done according to

the secondary settlement which can be significant. Usually, the designers allow 5 to

10% of the estimated total settlement for secondary settlement (Nunes, 1971).

4. CORRELATION BETWEEN SOME PHYSICAL AND

MECHANICAL PROPERTIES

In the last decay, many researchers were performed to correlate the physical

properties with the mechanical properties of soils (Abdel-Rahman, 1982;

Khamehchiyan and Iwao, 1994; Yilmaz, 2000; USDA, 2004; Al-Busoda, 2009; Al-

Kahdaar and Al-Ameri, 2010). This approach was adopted from the earlier researcher

in the field of soil mechanics and foundation engineering. Strong relationships have

been distinguished between coefficient of volume change (mv), compression index

and specific gravity of the studied samples (Fig. 7) as well as final void ration and

compression index (Fig. 8) and over consolidation ratio (OCR) and pre-consolidation

pressure (PC, Fig. 9).



Figure 5 Void ratio versus logarithm of loaded pressure (P) of the studied fine-

grained soil samples



Figure 6 Illustrates three phases of settlement of fine-grained soil: immediate

settlement, primary consolidation settlement and compression settlement.



Figure 7 Correlation of coefficient of volume change (mv) and compression index and

specific gravity of the studied samples respectively

Figure 8 Correlation of final void ration and compression index and specific gravity

of the studied samples respectively



Figure 9 Correlation between over consolidation ratio (OCR) and pre-consolidation

pressure (PC) of the studied samples respectively

5. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

The present work can be considered as a model for the settlement behavior of clay

soil Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The outputs experimental results were allowing to reaches

the followings:

1. The constructions which built on clay-rich soil are subject to settlement results from

rearrangement of clayey-sized grains and decreasing in void ratio.

2. The studied soil samples are predominantly by more or less smoothed grading curves

that produce a considerable amount of voids between their particles and were

classified into clays of high plasticity (CH) and inorganic silts (MH).

3. The settlement potentiality of the studied soil was increasing with increasing of clay-

sized materials content and the plasticity index of these soils.

4. The physical parameters and mechanical properties of the clay-rich soil must be

integrated to better understand their behavior when subjected to loads of

constructions.

5. Through matching correlation data among these parameters, it was clearly indicated

that, clay-sized material content, void ration and plasticity had been considered as the

major parameters influencing other physical and mechanical properties of the studied

soil.

6. An adequate safety factor must be put in mined of designers of any construction on

this type of fine-grained soils of high ability to be compressed.

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