Abstract
This paper describes key research on expansive soils and the methods employed to characterize them; fallacies in the current characterization of expansive soils are also explained. Novel swell characterization models that account for hydro, chemical, and mechanical behaviors of soils are introduced and used to demonstrate in case studies to improve expansive soil stabilization practices. The first two case studies present the results of expansive soils stabilized by incorporating clay mineralogy and soluble soil sulfate measurements. An innovative design method for successful stabilization of expansive soil is introduced in the first case study, which incorporated both basic clay mineralogy and unsaturated soil behaviors as well as performance-based durability studies. Sulfate soil stabilization works on medium-to-high sulfate soils, including rigorous laboratory and field validation studies, are presented in the second case study. The third case study, which involves a steep earthen embankment built with expansive clayey soils and experiencing recurring surficial slope failures and maintenance issues, is also discussed. Forensic studies explaining the causes of slope failures and their mitigation methods are also included. All case studies reveal the need for detailed data about soil chemistry, including clay mineralogy and sulfate studies, to improve the current field stabilization and infrastructure design on expansive soils. The last section summarizes recent innovations for better health monitoring and management of civil infrastructure built on expansive soils using unmanned aerial vehicle platforms and visualization tools, which will be valuable for validating the application of new materials, designs, and construction processes.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the published article.
Acknowledgments
Dr. Puppala would like to thank ASCE GeoInstitute’s Board of Governors, Awards Committee, Embankment, Dams, and Slopes (EDS) Committee, and GI staff for selecting me with this esteemed 2020 Ralph B. Peck Award and also for the honor of delivering the lecture at the 2020 GeoCongress in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Many agencies, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), the Fort Worth District of the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD), US Department of Transportation (USDOT), National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) and IDEA program, two USDOT UTCs, including “Tran-SET” at Louisiana State University, and “CTEDD” from the University of Texas at Arlington, and many industries have provided valuable support for sponsoring my research works, and I would like to acknowledge their support. The research behind this award and paper is primarily due to the participation of my UTA research team, including many Ph.D. and master’s students, postdoctoral fellows, undergraduate researchers, and others. Without their hard work and involvement in the research activities, this award would not have been possible. Several of the research team members including Drs. Congress, Chittoori, Bheemasetti, Chakraborty, Caballeros, Pedarla, Banerjee, Patil, Taylor, Leila, Rinu, Witherspoon, Cai, Talluri, Saride, Williammee, Dronamraju, Madhyannapu, Potturi, Pathivada, Thomey, Boluk, Gailey, Ali, Danny, and many current students, who provided valuable support and help for this research. Dr. Puppala would like to thank his wife and children, parents, and family members for their love, affection, and encouragement. He also would like to acknowledge his research mentors, Professors Tumay and Acar (late) of LSU, UTA faculty colleagues Hoyos, Yu, and many others, Tamu Civil Engineering Faculty colleagues, and several friends from the United States, India, China, and other places who have encouraged the research pursuits and have provided invaluable support. A mere acknowledgment and thank you do not adequately express my sincere appreciation.
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Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 147 • Issue 8 • August 2021
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© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Aug 10, 2020
Accepted: Jan 20, 2021
Published online: May 17, 2021
Published in print: Aug 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Oct 17, 2021
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