Soil Swell Accommodation by Compressible Inclusions
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 23, Issue 6
Abstract
This manuscript documents an exploratory study aimed towards the development of a mix-less technique to reduce heave caused by soil swell. The technique involves the placement of compressible inclusions in the soil mass, such that the swell deformation that would otherwise displace or distort a proximate structure is accommodated by the inclusions (i.e., is consumed in compressing them). Experimental results have confirmed that the swell-induced displacements of a free boundary in the vicinity of an inclusion are reduced in proportion to the extent to which the soil compresses the inclusion and in proportion to the inclusion’s compressibility. Simulation results have indicated that swell accommodation can produce stress reductions on fixed boundaries and reductions in the heave experienced by a slab resting on an expansive soil layer that houses compressible inclusions. Stress arching around inclusions emerges as a potential contributor to the minimization of settlements incurred by susceptible structures upon the retrofitting of their foundation soils with inclusions horizontally trenched at depth.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge the suggestions offered by Matt Evans, Robert Hawk, and George Youssef.
Notation
The following symbols are used in this paper:
- A
- area of oedometric body;
- Asp
- area of specimen;
- Cinc
- relative compressibility ratio = kn/kn,inc;
- Cu
- coefficient of uniformity;
- d
- particle or disc diameter;
- d100
- maximum particle diameter;
- dinc
- inclusion disc diameter;
- dns
- nonswelling disc diameter;
- ds
- swelling disc diameter;
- F
- contact force;
- Fave
- average contact force;
- f
- friction coefficient;
- Gs
- specific gravity of solids;
- H
- height;
- Hi
- specimen thickness prior to wetting or layer thickness prior to slab placement;
- Hps
- layer thickness preswell;
- Hps,1
- layer thickness preswell for simulation with Cinc = 1;
- Is
- layer’s swell index;
- kn
- normal stiffness;
- kn,inc
- normal stiffness of inclusion discs;
- ks
- shear stiffness;
- ks,inc
- shear stiffness of inclusion discs;
- L
- length;
- Ri
- specimen radius prior to wetting;
- W
- width;
- δh
- slab heave;
- δh,1
- slab heave for simulation with Cinc = 1;
- δr
- radial swell deformation;
- δs
- slab settlement;
- δv
- vertical swell deformation;
- ɛinc
- inclusion strain;
- ɛr
- radial swell strain;
- ɛv
- vertical swell strain;
- ɛv,ni
- vertical swell strain for specimen with no inclusion;
- ɛvol
- volumetric swell strain;
- ρ
- soil or disc density;
- σsh
- horizontal swell stress;
- σsh,1
- horizontal swell stress for simulation with Cinc = 1;
- σsv
- vertical swell stress;
- σsv,1
- vertical swell stress for simulation with Cinc = 1;
- σv
- vertical stress; and
- σv,sp
- vertical stress carried by specimen.
References
ASTM. Standard test methods for one-dimensional swell or collapse of soils. ASTM D4546. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Volume 04.08. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
Ayetkin, M. 1997. “Numerical modeling of EPS geofoam used with swelling soil.” Geotext. Geomembr. 15: 133–146. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0266-1144(97)00010-1.
Bolt, G. H. 1956. “Physico-chemical analysis of the compressibility of pure clays.” Géotechnique 6 (2): 86–93. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.1956.6.2.86.
Chen, F. H. 1988. Foundations on expansive soils, developments in geotechnical engineering. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier.
Clare, K. E., and A. E. Cruchley. 1957. “Laboratory experiments in the stabilization of clays with hydrated lime.” Géotechnique 7 (1): 97–111. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.1957.7.2.97.
Cundall, P. A., and O. D. L. Strack. 1979. “A discrete numerical model for granular assemblies.” Géotechnique 29 (6): 47–65. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.1979.29.1.47.
Dancygier, A. N., and D. Z. Yankelevsky. 1996. “A soft layer to control soil arching above a buried structure.” Eng. Struct. 18 (5): 378–386. https://doi.org/10.1016/0141-0296(95)00063-1.
Dimitriadi, M., C. Ureña, C. Fenton, W. Sim, C. Cheeseman, and J. M. Azañon. 2015. “Sustainable improvement of an expansive soil using recycled materials.” Geotech. Eng. Infrastruct. Dev. 1 (1): 2529–2534.
Evans, R. P., and K. J. Mcmanus. 1999. “Construction of vertical moisture barriers to reduce expansive soil subgrade movement.” Transp. Res. Rec. 1652 (1): 108. https://doi.org/10.3141/1652-48.
Fityus, S. G., D. A. Cameron, and P. F. Walsh. 2005. “The shrink swell test.” Geotech. Test. J. 28 (1): 1–10.
Gromko, G. J. 1974. “Review of expansive soils.” ASCE J. Geotech. Eng. 100 (6): 667–687.
Handy, R. L. 1985. “The arch in soil arching.” J. Geotech. Eng. 111 (3): 302–318. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9410(1985)111:3(302).
Hensen, E. J. M., and B. Smit. 2002. “Why clays swell.” J. Phys. Chem. B 106 (49): 12664–12667. https://doi.org/10.1021/jp0264883.
Hernandez, J., S. Vargas, M. Estevez, G. Vázquez, A. Zepeda, and R. Rodríguez. 2005. “Hydrophobic modification of an expansive soil using polymers and organic compounds: A comparative study with lime.” Géotechnique 55 (8): 613–616. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.2005.55.8.613.
Holtz, W. G., and H. J. Gibbs. 1956. “Engineering properties of expansive clays.” Trans. Am. Soc. Civ. Eng. 121 (1): 641–663. https://doi.org/10.1061/TACEAT.0007325.
Horvath, J. 1997. “The compressible inclusion function of EPS geofoam.” Geotext. Geomembr. 15 (1–3): 77–120. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0266-1144(97)00008-3.
Horvath, J. S. 2008. “Extended Veletsos-Younan model for geofoam compressible inclusions behind rigid, non-yielding earth-retaining structures.” Geotech. Earthquake Eng. Soil Dyn. IV 1–10.
ICC (International Code Council, Inc). 2019. 2019 California building code. California Code of Regulations, Title 24, 2(2). Washington, DC: ICC.
Ikizler, S. B., M. Ayetkin, and E. Nas. 2008. “Laboratory study of expanded polystyrene (EPS) geofoam used with expansive soils.” Geotext. Geomembr. 26 (2): 189–195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geotexmem.2007.05.005.
Jacobson, D. E., J. R. Valdes, and T. M. Evans. 2007. “A numerical view into direct shear specimen size effects.” ASTM Geotech. Test. J. 30 (6): 512–516.
Johnson, L. D. 1969. Review of literature on expansive clay soils. Miscellaneous Paper S-69 24. Vicksburg, VA: U.S. Army Waterways Experiments Station, Corps of Engineers.
Jones, D. E., and W. G. Holtz. 1973. “Expansive soils – the hidden disaster.” Civ. Eng. 43 (8): 49–51.
Jones, D. E., and K. A. Jones. 1987. “Treating expansive soils.” Civ. Eng. 57 (8): 62–65.
Jones, L. D., and I. Jefferson. 2012. “Expansive soils.” Inst. Civ. Eng. Manual Geotech. Eng. 1: 413–441.
Kerr, P. F. 1952. “Formation and occurrence of clay minerals.” Clays Clay Miner. 1 (1): 19–32. https://doi.org/10.1346/CCMN.1952.0010104.
Kim, H., B. Choi, and J. Kim. 2010. “Reduction of earth pressure on buried pipes by EPS geofoam inclusions.” Geotech. Test. J. 33 (4): 304–313.
Lee, C., H. Shin, and J. S. Lee. 2014. “Behavior of sand–rubber particle mixtures: Experimental observations and numerical simulations.” Int. J. Numer. Anal. Methods Geomech. 38 (16): 1651–1663. https://doi.org/10.1002/nag.2264.
Lytton, R. L., and J. A. Woodburn. 1973. “Design and performance of mat foundation on expansive clay.” In Proc., 3rd Int. Conf., on Expansive Soils, 301–308. Haifa, Israel: Society of Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering.
Madhyannapu, R. S., and A. J. Puppala. 2014. “Design and construction guidelines for deep soil mixing to stabilize expansive soils.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 140 (9): 04014051. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001149.
Marston, A. 1930. The theory of external loads on closed conduits in the light of the latest experiments. Bulletin 96, Iowa Engineering Experiment Station. Ames, IA: Iowa State College.
McAffee, R. P., and A. J. Valsangkar. 2005. Performance of an induced trench installation, 230–237. Transportation Research Record 1936. Washington, DC: Transportation Research Board.
McGown, A., K. Z. Andrawes, and R. T. Murray. 1988. “Controlled yielding of the lateral boundaries of soil retaining structures.” In Proc., Symp. on Geosynthetics for Soil Improvement at the ASCE Convention, edited by R. D. Holtz, 193–211. Reston. VA: ASCE.
Mokhtari, M., and D. Masoud. 2012. “Swell-shrink behavior of expansive soils, damage and control.” Electron. J. Geotech. Eng. 17: 2673–2682.
Nelson, D. J., K. C. Chao, D. D. Overton, and E. J. Nelson. 2015. Foundation engineering for expansive soils. Chichester, UK: Wiley. ISBN 978-0-470-58152-0.
Ni, P., X. Qin, and Y. Yi. 2018. “Numerical study of earth pressures on rigid pipes with tire-derived aggregate inclusions.” Geosynth. Int. 25 (5): 494–506. https://doi.org/10.1680/jgein.18.00013.
Noorany, I., and C. Scheyhing. 2015. “Lateral extension of compacted-fill slopes in expansive soils.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 141 (1): 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001190.
NRC (National Research Council). 1968. Criteria for selection and design of residential slabs-on-ground. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
O’Neill, M. W., and N. Poormoayed. 1980. “Methodology for foundations on expansive clays.” J. Geotech. Eng. Div. 106 (12): 1345–1367. https://doi.org/10.1061/AJGEB6.0001080.
Pardo, G. S., and E. Sáez. 2014. “Experimental and numerical study of arching soil effect in coarse sand.” Comput. Geotech. 57: 75–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2014.01.005.
Partos, A. M., and P. M. Kazaniwsky. 1987. “Geoboard reduces lateral earth pressures.” In Proc. of Geosynthetics, 628–639. St. Paul, MN: Industrial Fabrics Association International.
Patil, U., J. R. Valdes, and T. M. Evans. 2011. “Swell mitigation with granulated tire rubber.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 23 (5): 721–727. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0000229.
Phanikumar, B. R., and R. Singla. 2016. “Swell-consolidation characteristics of fibre-reinforced expansive soils.” Soils Found. 56 (1): 138–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sandf.2016.01.011.
Pooni, J., D. Robert, C. Gunasekara, F. Giustozzi, and S. Setunge. 2021. “Mechanism of enzyme stabilization for expansive soils using mechanical and microstructural investigation.” Int. J. Geomech. 21 (10): 04021191–1-15. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0002164.
Puppala, A. J., and A. Pedarla. 2017. “Innovative ground improvement techniques for expansive soils.” Innovative Infrastruct. Solutions 2: 24. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41062-017-0079-2.
Seda, J. H., J. C. Lee, and J. A. H. Carraro. 2007. “Beneficial use of waste tire rubber for swelling potential mitigation in expansive soils.” In Proc. of Soil Improvement, V. R. Schaefer, G. M. Filz, P. M. Gallagher, A. L. Sehn, and K. J. Wissmann. Geotechnical Special Publication 172. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Seed, H. B., J. K. Mitchell, and C. K. Chan. 1962. “Studies of swell and swell pressure characteristics of compacted clays.” Highway Res. Board Bull. 313: 12–39.
Selvakumar, S., and B. Soundara. 2019. “Swelling behaviour of expansive soils with recycled geofoam granules column inclusion.” Geotext. Geomembr. 47 (1): 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geotexmem.2018.08.007.
Sharma, R. S., and B. R. Phanikumar. 2005. “Laboratory study of heave behavior of expansive clay reinforced with geopiles.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 131 (4): 512–520. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1090-0241(2005)131:4(512).
Sridharan, A., A. Rao, and P. Sivapullaiah. 1986. “Swelling pressure of clays.” Geotech. Test. J. 9 (1): 24–33. https://doi.org/10.1520/GTJ10608J.
van der Merwe, D. H., F. Hugo, and A. P. Steyn. 1980. “The pretreatment of clay soils for road construction.” In Proc., 4th Int. Conf. on Expansive Soils, 361–382.
Zornberg, J. G., M. Azevedo, M. Sikkema, and B. Odgers. 2017. “Geosynthetics with enhanced lateral drainage capabilities in roadway systems.” Transp. Geotech. 12: 85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trgeo.2017.08.008.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 23 • Issue 6 • June 2023
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jul 15, 2022
Accepted: Jan 8, 2023
Published online: Apr 11, 2023
Published in print: Jun 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Sep 11, 2023
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Continuum mechanics
- Deformation (mechanics)
- Degrees of freedom
- Displacement (mechanics)
- Domain boundary
- Engineering fundamentals
- Engineering mechanics
- Expansive soils
- Fine-grained soils
- Foundation construction
- Foundations
- Geomechanics
- Geotechnical engineering
- Heave
- Material mechanics
- Material properties
- Materials engineering
- Mathematics
- Soil compression
- Soil deformation
- Soil dynamics
- Soil mechanics
- Soil mixing
- Soil settlement
- Soils (by type)
- Solid mechanics
- Structural mechanics
- Swelling (material)
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.