Assessment of Selected Earth Dam Fill Materials for Construction and Sustainable Development

Abstract

This study presents assessment of some geotechnical properties of selected fill materials around Minna, Niger State for earth dam construction. Standard tests were carried out on 27 lateritic soil samples collected. Particle size analysis revealed that ten of the lateritic samples were gap-graded, while six were poorly graded. The compaction characteristics, MDD ranged between 1.65 to 1.99 g/cm3, with the OMC range of 9.8 – 21.2%. The hydraulic conductivity (k) ranged from 10-5-10-9 cm/s. The work further revealed average values of confined compressive strength (CCS), Cohesion (C), angle of internal friction (ϕ) as 397.7 kN/m2, 99.49 kN/m2 and 20.60 respectively. These range of values are within the threshold for soil suitable as fill materials for earth dam construction. Knowing the properties and sources of good materials for dam construction, will not only check the rising flood menace but also contribute to sustainable socio-economic development of the nation and enhances green infrastructure..