Engineering Correlations For The Characterisation Of .

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University of Southern QueenslandFaculty of Health, Engineering & SciencesEngineering Correlations for theCharacterisation of Reactive Soil Behaviour forUse in Road DesignA dissertation submitted byPeter William Reynoldsin fulfillment of the requirements ofCourses ENG4111 and ENG4112 Research Projecttowards the degree ofBachelor of Engineering (Civil)Submitted: October 2013

AbstractIn the field of road design and construction, expansive or reactive soils areproblematic materials. Clay minerals within reactive soils are subject to large volumechanges when exposed to water, and conversely when they are exposed to prolongedperiods of drying.The surface movements resulting from the wetting or drying of a reactive soil cancause distress to structures that are founded on them.This creates safety andserviceability issues for road users and high maintenance costs to the road authoritiesand the community.Whilst there is a body of data and published information on some of the relationshipsbetween certain material parameters, a definitive engineer’s guide on the correlationsof engineering parameter for expansive soils within Queensland does not appear toexist.Currently, the primary reference for site classification in respect to the degree ofreactivity is the Australian Standard AS2870 – Residential Slabs and Footings. Withinthis standard, methods are provided to enable an estimation of the range of verticalmovement due to swelling and shrinkage. These estimates are based on the ShrinkSwell Index (Iss), which is determined by as simple soil test method on an undisturbedsoil sample taken from the site of investigation.In situations where it may be difficult to obtain undisturbed soil samples for shrinkswell testing, using an approximation of the relationship between other testparameters and the Shrink Swell Index, it may be possible to determine the siteclassification and estimate the amount of potential heave or shrinkage, as analternative to the Shrink Swell Index.i

Historical data was gathered from reported site investigations carried out onQueensland state road projects from 1995 to 2012. From this data, the relationshipsbetween the measures and indices from some of the most commonly used laboratorymethods for characterising reactive soils were examined.Some useful relationships between various parameters were identified that will assistengineers in simplifying the identification and classification process.ii

University of Southern QueenslandFaculty of Health, Engineering & SciencesENG4111/2 Research ProjectLimitations of UseThe Council of the University of Southern Queensland, its Faculty of Health,Engineering & Sciences, and the staff of the University of Southern Queensland, donot accept any responsibility for the truth, accuracy or completeness of materialcontained within or associated with this dissertation.Persons using all or any part of this material do so at their own risk, and not at the riskof the Council of the University of Southern Queensland, its Faculty of Health,Engineering & Sciences or the staff of the University of Southern Queensland.This dissertation reports an educational exercise and has no purpose or validitybeyond this exercise. The sole purpose of the course pair entitled “Research Project"is to contribute to the overall education within the student's chosen degree program.This document, the associated hardware, software, drawings, and other material setout in the associated appendices should not be used for any other purpose: if they areso used, it is entirely at the risk of the user.DeanFaculty of Health, Engineering & Sciencesiii

Certification of DissertationI certify that the ideas, designs and experimental work, results, analyses andconclusions set out in this dissertation are entirely my own effort, except whereotherwise indicated and acknowledged.I further certify that the work is original and has not been previously submitted forassessment in any other course or institution, except where specifically stated.iv

AcknowledgmentsThe author would like to thank the following people for their assistance: to Dr KazemGhabraie (University of Southern Queensland) for his technical guidance, feedbackand support during this project; to Mr Siva Sivakumar (Department of Transport andMain Roads) for his assistance in the selection of this topic of research and for hispermission in allowing access to the data resources of the Department of Transportand Main Roads; to my colleague Mr Jeremy Kirjan, for his encouragement andsupport; and to my family, for their support and patience in what has been a long waitfor the end of this chapter.Peter ReynoldsUniversity of Southern QueenslandOctober 2013v

Table of ContentsAbstract. iLimitations of Use .iiiCertification of Dissertation. ivList of Figures.viiiList of Tables . ix1Introduction. 11.1234Impacts on Road Performance . 32.1Distress on Drainage Structures – Case History. 32.2Distress on Road Embankment – Case History. 4Background and Literature Review . 63.1Properties of Reactive Soils . 63.2Mineralogy and Mechanics of Volume Change. 73.3Soil Suction . 93.4Active Depth. 133.5Applied Stress. 14Laboratory Methods for Measuring Reactivity. 144.1567Aims and Objectives of the Project . 2Laboratory Measurements. 14Predictions of Surface Movement using AS2870 . 265.1General . 265.2Instability Index. 275.3Changes in Soil Suction . 285.4Previous Assessments of Test Parameters with Shrink Swell Index. 28Analysis of Historical Data . 296.1General . 296.2Method of Analysis . 306.3Sample Population Statistics . 326.4Statistic Relationships . 33Discussion of Results . 33vi

7.1General . 337.2Correlation of Individual Parameters and Shrink Swell. 347.2.1Correlation of Shrink Swell Index and % Passing 0.075mm. 347.2.2Correlation of Shrink Swell Index and % Passing 0.002mm. 357.2.3Correlation of Shrink Swell Index and Liquid Limit . 367.2.4Correlation of Shrink Swell Index and Plasticity Index. 377.2.5Correlation of Shrink Swell Index and Linear Shrinkage . 387.2.6Correlation of Shrink Swell Index and Weighted Plasticity Index . 397.2.7Correlation of Shrink Swell Index and Weighted Linear Shrinkage . 407.2.8Correlation of Shrink Swell Index and CBR Swell . 407.2.9Correlation of Shrink Swell Index and Soil Suction. 427.2.10Correlation of Shrink Swell Index and Swelling Pressure. 437.2.11Correlation between shrink swell index and CEC . 447.37.3.1Correlation of Shrink Swell Index and (LS CBR Swell) . 457.3.2Correlation of Shrink Swell Index and “Combined Reactivity Index”. 467.3.3Correlation of Shrink Swell Index and (LS/CBR Swell) Ratio . 477.489Correlation of Combined Parameter Functions and Shrink Swell Index . 44Summary of Correlation Analysis . 48Conclusions. 488.1Major Outcomes and Key Findings. 488.2Recommendations for Further Work. 50List of References . 52Appendix AProject Specification. 60Appendix BTabulated Test Data. 62Appendix CProject Aims and Objectives . 75Appendix DProject Methodology . 77Appendix EAssessment of Consequential Effects. 81Appendix FRisk Assessment. 84Appendix GResource Analysis . 87Appendix HProject Timeline . 89vii

List of FiguresFigure 1 - Distribution of Cracking Clays within Queensland (Main Roads 2000) . 2 Figure 2 - Image of damaged abutment wall of culvert at East Warianna Creek . 4 Figure 3 - Location of distressed embankments on Bruce Highway, Yandina. 6 Figure 4 - Diagram of the structure of a montmorillonite layer (Al-Omari 2000) . 8 Figure 5 - Comparison of mineralogical structures of kaolinite and montmorillonite (Farris) . 8 Figure 6 - Phase diagram showing soil particles and water in void space. 9 Figure 7 - Diagram of soil water potential energy states (Or et al 2005) . 10 Figure 8 - Idealised water content profiles within active depth zone (Nelson et al 2001). 13 Figure 9 - CBR test specimens with swell measurement apparatus (Walters 2008) . 16 Figure 10 - Hydrometer Testing (Earl 2005) . 17 Figure 11 - Soil consistency with increasing water content (Sivakugan 2000) . 17 Figure 12 - Apparatus for Casagrande liquid test (Earl 2010). 19 Figure 13 - Apparatus for fall cone liquid limit test (TMR 2013) . 19 Figure 14 - Plastic limit test specimens adjacent to 3mm diameter guide rod (Earl 2010) . 20 Figure 15 - Soil specimen in linear shrinkage test mould (Main Roads 2008). 20 Figure 16 - Core shrinkage specimen . 23 Figure 17 - Apparatus (Oedometer) for swell tests. 24 Figure 18 - Image showing filter paper and soil specimen for suction test (Bulut 2001). 25 Figure 19 - Predicted surface movement compared to observed surface movement (Fityus2005) . 28 Figure 20 - Site locations referenced by TMR technical reports . 31 Figure 21 - Linear regression plot of % passing 0.075mm and shrink swell index. 35 Figure 22 - Linear regression plot of % passing 0.002mm and shrink swell index. 36 Figure 23 - Linear regression plot of liquid limit and shrink swell index . 37 Figure 24 - Linear regression plot of plasticity index and shrink swell index. 38 Figure 25 - Linear regression plot of linear shrinkage and shrink swell index. 39 Figure 26 - Linear regression plot of weighted plasticity index and shrink swell index . 40 Figure 27 - Linear regression plot of weighted linear shrinkage plot and shrink swell index. 41 Figure 28 - Linear regression plot of CBR swell and shrink swell index. 42 Figure 29 - Linear regression plot of soil suction and shrink swell index . 43 Figure 30 - Linear regression plot of swelling pressure and shrink swell index. 43 Figure 31 - Linear regression plot of linear shrinkage CBR Swell and shrink swell index . 45 Figure 32 - Linear regression plot of CRI and shrink swell index. 47 Figure 33 - Linear regression plot of ratio of CBR swell/LS and shrink swell index. 47 viii

List of TablesTable 1 - Suction values corresponding to certain soil states (Lopez et al 1996). 12 Table 2 - Guidelines for interpreting strength of relationships (Crewson 2006) . 32 Table 3 - Modified guidelines for interpreting strength of relationships (including R2) . 32 Table 4 - Summary of statistical properties of sample data. 33 Table 5 - Summary of correlation analysis of all parameters with shrink swell index. 49 ix

1 IntroductionIn the field of road design and construction, expansive or reactive soils areproblematic materials. The clay minerals within reactive soils are subject to largevolume changes when exposed to water, and conversely when they are exposed toprolonged periods of drying. For some clay minerals, such as montmorillonite, thevolume change due to the absorption or removal of water can be as much as 30%.This can result in resulting surface movements of up to (and sometimes greaterthan) 75mm1, causing distress to the structures founded on them resulting in safetyand serviceability issues for road users and high maintenance costs to the roadauthorities and the community.Expansive soils are widely distributed over almost all geographical locations inthe world. In Queensland, expansive or reactive soils are referred to by soilscientists as “Cracking Clays” or, more commonly, as “Black Soils” (Dept ofMain Roads Qld, 2000). The distribution of these Cracking Clays by land areacovers approximately one third of the state. Figure 1 below illustrates the extent ofthese types of soils within Queensland, based on geological soil mapping.It is important to properly characterise the properties of expansive soils prior toconstruction to minimise their impact on the long term performance ofinfrastructure.In the analysis and testing of expansive soils, there are various measures andindices used by road designers, and pavement/geotechnical engineers to predictbehaviour during the service life of road infrastructure such as pavements,embankments and culverts. Parameters such as CBR Swell, Shrink Swell Index,soil suction, weighted plasticity index, swelling pressure, weighted linearshrinkage, as well as clay content, cation exchange capacity are regularly used.1AS2870 - 19961

Figure 1 - Distribution of Cracking Clays within Queensland (Main Roads 2000)Whilst there is a body of data and published information on some of therelationships between certain material parameters, a definitive engineer’s guide onthe correlations of engineering parameter for Queensland soils and climaticconditions does not appear to exist. Whilst it is acknowledged that tocomprehensively characterise the expansive behaviour of all Queensland soiltypes is beyond the scope of this project, it is hoped that some useful relationshipsmay be identified during the course of the research.1.1 Aims and Objectives of the ProjectThe aim of this project is to identify and quantify the relationships that existbetween key measures of reactive soil behaviour. The study will focus on the mostcommon methods of laboratory testing used for identifying and characterisingreactive soils within Australia for the purposes of the field of road construction.Historical data gathered from investigations and testing undertaken since the mid1990s, by the Department of Transport and Main Roads, Queensland, will be usedto carry out parametric studies. Any linkages or correlations that may exist2

between the key indicators of reactive soil behaviour will be identified andquantified for future use as guides in the design of roads using these materials.The objectives of this project can be summarised as follows: To understand the nature of expansive soils and their properties To identify by research, the key measures of reactive soil behaviour used byengineers in road construction. To investigate and quantify any relationships that may exist between the keymeasures. To establish a ranking of reliability for the key measures of reactive soilbehaviour. To develop guidelines to assist road designers in the identification andcharacterisation of reactive soils during the site investigation phase of roadconstruction projects.2 Impacts on Road PerformanceThe key elements of a road that are at most risk of damage due to reactive soilsare primarily structures on shallow foundations, such as culverts, and pavementlayers. The use of reactive soil as fill materials in embankment construction alsoposes a significant risk for long term performance, if adequate controls are notimplemented.The following section of this report will illustrate by case history, the damagingeffects of reactive soil, if the designs do not adequately account for the propertiesof these materials.2.1 Distress on Drainage Structures – Case HistoryDuring a routine inspection of drainage structures in western Queensland in 2011,the Department of Main

this standard, methods are provided to enable an estimation of the range of vertical movement due to swelling and shrinkage. These estimates are based on the Shrink . 7.2.8 Correlation of Shrink Swell Index and CBR Swell .40 7.2.9 Correlation of Shrink Swell Index and Soil Suction.42 7.2.10 Correlation of Shrink Swell Index and .

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