Addis Ababa University

Department of Civil Engineering

Research Method (CEN-G6902)

Mini-Research proposal

Investigation on the Relationship between Index Property and

Engineering behavior of expansive soils in Addis Ababa

By: Atsbeha Nerea

August, 2010

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1. Abstract
The engineering properly of a soil is highly depends up on their index properties.
Obtaining these engineering properties of soils requires relatively elaborated
laboratory procedures, time and money. Thus it is very important to obtain the index
property parameters, that involve simpler and quicker method of testing, and the
engineering properties can be predicted satisfactorily, from empirical correlations.
Therefore this investigation will be farther carried out to correlate the index properties
and their indices (such as liquid limit, plastic limit, shrinkage limit, plasticity index and
shrinkage index) with their engineering properties (such as compressibility, swelling,
strength, permeability and compaction) characteristics. In addition, attempts will be
made to delineate/ demarcate the soils in Addis Ababa in deferent zones according to
its index properties soils. This delineation will be resulted in detail soil zoned map that
may be very important to assess the suitability of the soil for any specific objective,
especially for preliminary design purpose.

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Table of Contents
1. Abstract.............................................................................................................................................................2
2. Introduction......................................................................................................................................................3
3. Statement of the Problem.................................................................................................................................3
4. Literature Review..............................................................................................................................................3
4.1. Origin of expansive soils.............................................................................................................................3
4.2. Mineralogy of Expansive Soils....................................................................................................................3
4.3 Identification of expansive soils..................................................................................................................4
4.4 Classification of Expansive Soils...................................................................................................................4
4.4 Index Property of Expansive Soils................................................................................................................5
4.6 Engineering Properties of Expansive Soils...................................................................................................5
4.7 Geotechnical Mapping techniques according to index properties..............................................................5
5. Research Question............................................................................................................................................5
6. Objective...........................................................................................................................................................6
6.1 General Objective:.......................................................................................................................................6
6.2 Specific Objective:.......................................................................................................................................6
7. Research materials and methodology...............................................................................................................6
7.1 Research Material.......................................................................................................................................6
8. Work Plan:.........................................................................................................................................................7
9. Budget...............................................................................................................................................................7
List of References..................................................................................................................................................8

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2. Introduction
Every man made structure resting on the ground needs stable foundations, to attain this stable
foundation the engineering property of the soil beneath the foundation must be identified.
However, this engineering property of the soil (especially expansive soil) is highly affected by its index
property. On the other hand investigating the index property of a soil is much easier than
investigating engineering property; in terms of time, money, knowledge, and effort. Thus, study on
the index property of expansive soil is vital task in order to determine its engineering properties.

3. Statement of the Problem

The engineering characteristic of expansive soil is highly affected by its index property.
Thus, study on the index property of expansive soil is vital task in order to determine
its engineering properties.

4. Literature Review
4.1. Origin of expansive soils
According to the parent materials when the expansive soils are formed, the expansive soil can be
classified in to two groups. The first comprises of basic igneous rocks such as basalts, dolerites, and
gabbros; which are decomposed to for monmorillonite. The second group comprises the sedimentary
rocks that contain montmorillonite which breaks dawn to form expansive soil.

Expansive soils are found in many parts of the world such as Ethiopia, South Africa, Ghana, USA,
Cuba, Canada, India, Turkey, and Spain. The expansive soil found in Ethiopia is derived from both
groups of expansive soil minerals. [1]

4.2. Mineralogy of Expansive Soils

Expansive soils have a very high clay content that consists of clay minerals. These minerals form three
important structural groups of clay minerals for the purpose of engineering applications. These are

 Kaolinite: non expansive (low degree of expansion). This structure is formed as one silica
sheet and one alumina sheet bounded together in to a layer by force of hydrogen bond.
 Illites: have moderate degree of expansion, but it does not have significance effect on
engineering structures. The mineral structure is formed as one layer of alumina with two
silicate sheets on the top and bottom. The potassium ion held each layer together.

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  Montmorillonite: Have highly expansive soil that creates major engineering problems. The
mineral structure is similar to illites but each layer is bond to gather by weak Vander Waals
force, that water can easily inter the bond and create swelling. [7]

4.3 Identification of expansive soils

The common methods of identification of expansive soils are: [2] X-ray diffraction Differential
thermal Analysis and Electron-microscope Resolution: they are used for important research only, due
to high investment cost in equipments.

1. Index Property Test: the common and applied methods are Grain size analysis, Consistency
tests (atterberg Limits tests), Free swell, Swell Potential, Activity test, and Sensitivity test.
2. Field identification: Color (Usually black of Gray), Visual (Observed deep shrinkage cracks),
high dry strength but low wet strength, shiny appearance at cut sections, stick behavior when
wet)

4.4 Classification of Expansive Soils

The classification systems used for expansive soils are based on indirect and direct prediction of
swell potential particle size, and clay content and combinations [5]
1. Classification Using General Methods: this method includes (Unified Soil Classification System
(USCS), the American Association of State High way and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and
Soil textural classification System.

2. Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC): The CEC is the quantity of exchangeable cations required to
balance the negative charge on the surface of the clay particles

3. Classification Using Soil Index Properties: Prediction of swelling potential using Atterberg limits
is the most popular approach.

4. Method of Chen: Chen (1988) presented a single index method for identifying expansive soils
using only plasticity index ( he categorize the swelling potential as very High, high, medium, and
low)

5. Method of Seed et al: After an extensive study on swelling characteristics of remolded,

artificially prepared and compacted clays, Seed et al, have developed a chart based on activity
and percent clay sizes.

6. The Van Der Merwe Method: The Van Der Merwe method, also called the South African
method, gives a very practical approach to classify and estimate heave of expansive soils. The
method starts by classifying the swell potential of soil in to very high to low categories then
assign potential expansive (P.E.) expressed in in./ft.

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4.4 Index Property of Expansive Soils
1. Grain Size Analysis: Grain size analysis is a process in which the proportion of material of
each grain size present in a given soil is determined. The grain-size distribution of mixed soils is
determined by combined sieve and hydrometer analyses [4].

2. The Atterberg Limits: The Atterberg limits are a basic measure of the nature of a fine-
grained soil. Depending on the water content of the soil, it may appear in four states: solid, semi-
solid, plastic and liquid. In each state the consistency and behavior of a soil is different and thus so
are its engineering properties.

3. Free swell: The free swell of an expansive soil also termed as free swell index, is the increase in
volume of a soil without any external constraint when subjected to submergence in water.[3]

4. Activity: The activity (A) of a soil is the PI divided by the percent of clay-sized particles (less
than 0.075mm size) present. From the activity one can predict the dominant clay type present in a soil
sample. High activity signifies large volume change when wetted and large shrinkage when dried. [3]

5. Sensitivity Test: The consistency of soils is the ability to disturbance when subjected to external
disturbing agents. It is the ratio of the undisturbed strength to remolded strength of soil sample. High
sensitivity value indicates the soil can be easily disturbed when subjected to small degree of
disturbance. [3]

4.6 Engineering Properties of Expansive Soils

With the advancement in the knowledge of the engineering behavior of fine-grained soils, it is often
necessary for the geotechnical engineer to quickly characterize the soil and determine their
engineering properties, so as to assess the suitability of the soil for any specific purpose. These
engineering behavior of expansive soils (such as compressibility, swelling, strength, permeability and
compaction), can be predicted from their corresponding index properties with empirical correlations.

4.7 Geotechnical Mapping techniques according to index properties

The following methods are the most common method of map making techniques [6]

1. The shading Method: it is the method of expressing as percentage areal distribution covered
by the soil. Such method is very useful for showing different types of soil on the map as
percentage area.
2. The contouring method: Lines on the map made up of by joining the sampling points points
that have same/similar index properties.

5. Research Question
1. How can swelling potential, plasticity index and shrinkage index of expansive soil vary within Addis
Ababa?

2. Does the index property of an expansive soil affect its engineering property?

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3. Is there any valid correlation between index property and Engineering property of expansive soils
in Addis Ababa?

6. Objective
6.1 General Objective:
To investigate index property of expansive soils and to correlate with their engineering behaviors

6.2 Specific Objective:

1. To identify variation of index properties and Engineering behavior of expansive soil in Addis Ababa.

2. To study the index property of expansive soil and to estimate the effect up on its engineering
characteristics, so that to describe valid correlation between index property and Engineering
behavior of expansive soils.

3. To identify the location of expansive soils within Addis Ababa, and to make detail geotechnical
zonation mapping.

7. Research materials and methodology

7.1 Research Material
The laboratory materials that will be used during the study are:

 Grain size distribution Apparatus (Set of sieve and Hydrometric with all their accessories
 The Casagrande Apparatus ( for determination of liquid limit and plastic limits
 Free swell measurement apparatus
 Consolidation Device with all accessories
 Compaction Device, oven dry, Sampling Equipment
 Shear strength determination device (Direct shear, Trixie and Unconfined compression testing
equipments with all accessories

7.2 Research Mythology.

A wide variety of laboratory tests can be performed on soils to measure a wide variety of soil
properties. Some soil tests measure direct properties of the soil, while others measure "index
properties" which provide useful information about the soil without directly measuring the property
desired. In this research most the laboratory testing procedures will be carried out according to the
AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MATERIALS (ASTM). However in some cases the British
Standard (BS) and the American Associations Standards for Highway and Transportation Officials
(AASHTO) will be used whenever they are found to be better than the ASTM.

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 8. Work Plan:
The activities to be done, and the corresponding time required during the study is expressed by Gantt chart.

September, 2010 October, 2010 November,2010 December,2010 January,2011

S/N Activities W1 W2 W3 W4 W1 W2 W3 W4 W1 W2 W3 W4 W1 W2 W3 W4 W1 W2 W3 W4
1 Literature Review
Field identification of soil
2 Sample
Sampling and Sample
3 Transportation
Laboratory Soil testing,
4 and Data Collection
Data Analysis, Results,
5 and interpretations
6 Report writing

Report, Editing, Compiling

7 and Submitting

W = Week

9. Budget
The financial plan during the study will be allocated as:

Unit Price Total Price

S/No. Description Unit Quaty (Birr) (Birr)
1 Stationary
1.1 Photocopy (estimated 3 books) Page 2000 0.5 1000.00
1.2 Flash Disk 2GB No. 1 200 200.00
1.3 Blank CD (WR) No. 20 20 400.00
1.4 Typing and printing page 800 3 2400.00
2 Sampling and Transportation
Daily laborer for test pit excavation
Width*length*depth (1.5*1.5*2.5)
2.1 # 20 pits m3 112.5 30 3375.00
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2.2 Sample transportation m 2 500 1000.00
Sample preparation in laboratory
2.3 for 30 workman day wmd 1 1500 1500
3 Transportation and Perdium days 20 120 2400
4 Others 1000
Total 13275.00

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List of References

1. Alemayehu T. 1986.Investigation on the Expansive soil of Addis Ababa. Journal of

Ethiopian Association of Engineers and Architects. Vol.7, PP.1-2.
2. Alemayehu, T. and L. Mesfin.2009. Soil Mechanics. AAU press, 2nd ed. Addis Ababa
3. Arora, K.R. 2004. Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering. NAI SARAK, 6th
ed. New Delhi
4. Daniel T., 2010.Laboratory soil testing. Lecture note, CENG6212, Field exploration
and Soil Testing, Addis Ababa University.
5. Kibrom G. 2005. Investigation into Engineering Properties of Mekelle Soils with
Emphasis on Expansive Soils. MSc. Thesis, Addis Ababa University.
6. KHIZAR H.2003. Geotechnical Zonation and their relation to Geology of Pakistan.
PhD Thesis, University of Punjab.
7. Messele H. 2009. Properties of tropical soils lecture note, CENG6206, Clay
Mineralogy, Addis Ababa University.