Analysis of swelling behaviour of lateritic Soil treated with Bentonite.

Abstract

In this study, the magnitudes of swell parameters namely free swell and swell pressure of a representative lateritic soil treated with 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10% bentonite and compacted with British Standard heavy effort were measured as the initial degree of saturation of soil mixtures were varied from 2% dry of optimum to 2% wet of optimum moisture content. Results indicated that soil mixtures are quantitatively classified as low to medium swelling soils (PI <35, Free swell <50) using existing classification charts in the literature. Both free swell and the swelling pressure of the soil mixtures increased approximately linearly with increase in the amount of bentonite but decrease with increasing degree of saturation of specimen. Data developed in this study will provide an understanding of the swelling capacity of soil mixtures for the most efficient placement of materials in the field.