Investigation on The Engineering Properties of Soil Found in Burayu Town
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Date
2015-11
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Soil is the ultimate foundation material which supports the structure. The proper functioning of the structure will, therefore, depend on the engineering properties of the underlying soil.
The objectives of this research is to investigate the engineering properties of soils found in the town by conducting different types of laboratory tests and to prepare soil map of Burayu town.This research is useful in providing necessary data or information that can be used in designing civil engineering structures in Burayu town.
Laboratory tests carried out on disturbed and undisturbed samples revealed that the natural moisture content ranges from 30.8-33.7%,specific gravity of the soils ranges from 2.70-2.82%.
Results of Atterberg limits tests show that of soils of Burayu town have liquid limits ranging from 66.1-72.1%, plastic limit ranges from 30.6–34.1 % and plastic index from 35.5–39.8%.This indicate that soils of the study area is highly plastic.
The grain size distribution indicates all soil samples have clay material more than 50%. Therefore clay type of soil is dominantly located in the study area.
The free swell test result indicates that soils of the study area are nonexpansive which means degree of swell of the soils is non-swelling. The degrees of activity of most of the study area soils are Inactive with maximum Activity index of 0.74.
Soils of the study area are classified according to USCS and AASHTO.USCS indicates one main type of soils, which is highly plastic clay soil (CH). According to AASHTO classification soils of the study area is A-7-5, which means clay soil with poor quality as a subgrade material.
The Compaction test result showed that maximum dry density (MDD) of the study area ranges from 1.31 to 1.38 g/cm3 and the optimum moisture content (OMC) ranges 30.4 to 35.0%.
The unconfined compressive strength test result and liquidity index indicates the soil consistency of the study area fall in hard state.
Finally the consolidation test result shows that the soil exists naturally in a condition of over-consolidated, which has O.C.R >1, therefore the soil had been subjected to a pressure in excess of the present pressure.
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Geotechnical Engineering