shrinkage soil and cracking soils, etc. Expansive or swelling soils are soils that swell when absorb water and shrink when they loose water. Only certain clays are expansive, mainly those containing montmorillonite. Clay Minerals Plates Structure Expansion Mechanism
Expansive clays are made up of small, negatively
charged plates. When water is added to these expansive clays, the water molecules are pulled into gaps between the clay plates. As more water is absorbed, the plates are forced further apart, leading to an increase in soil pressure or an expansion of the soil's volume. Expansion Mechanism Appearance
Soils containing expansive clays become very
sticky when wet. Usually are characterized by surface cracks or a "popcorn" texture when dry. the presence of surface cracks is usually an indication of an expansive soil. Expansive soil showing Expansive soil with "popcorn" cracks texture Measurements Swelling potential and swelling pressure The swelling potential : 1. Free Swell 2. Swell Percent . Direct Methods : Odometer test . Indirect Methods : Equations Classifications Probable Colloidal Degree of Expansion Content Plasticity Shrinkage Expansion (percent less Index Limit (%) than 1m)
2) Amount of clay 3) Soil structure and fabric 4) Moisture content 5) Soil density 6) Surcharge pressure 7) Depth of active zone Engineering problems . Swelling and shrinking of soil
at edges NPEG - Geotechnical Engineering - Problem Soils Slide 16 Road way damaged by expansive soils Road surface damaged Cracks in walls caused by upward soil expansion Major cracks in walls at doors and windows