BXAPANSIVR SOILS-I : CHARACTERSTICS AND BBHAVIOUR

DR. Y.s. GOLAIT

professor of Civil Engg., Ramdeobaba K.N, Engg. College, Nagpur

INTRODUCTION

very large area of our country is covered by expansive

so1ls which are notorious as problematic deposits for
construction Works. In this and the following texts a brief
review of expansive soil technology in presented.

2. BLACK COTTON SOILS

The expansive soils of India, popularly known as black
foundations as well as
Cotton solls are very poor material for
constructions. Black cotton soils are essentially clay deposits
possesSlng high plasticity and compressibility, Small Shear
Strengtr. when saturated and exhibiting very high volumetric
have worldwide
changes during drying-wetting. Expansive so1ls Australia,
India, Burma,
OCcurance, viz in South Africa, Israel,
Canada, Southern America, Spain, Venezuela,
Indonesia etc
Black cotton soils cover nearly 20% of the Indian subcontinent.
These deposits predomiate in the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat
northern
Southern U.P., eastern Rajasthan, Southern and western M.P.,
Karnataka and parts of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu (Fig. 1). They
which a r e derived by mechanical and
Occur IOStly as residual deposits rocks. Such
dhemical weathering of basaltic trap and gneissic usually
upto a depth of about 4 m, have
deposits, extending charecterstics. Whenever these soilS OCcur as
Undeveloped profile
transported deposits in valleys etc., their Black depth may be upto 8 m o r
colour of the soil1
more with distinct profile charecterstics. in small
i s due to presence of Titanium and Iron quantities. In a
majority of the cases the underlyingThe yellow o r red material is also
found to be expansive in character. clay fraction of b.c. soil is
10-15 with only 20-25 of
very rich in silica 50-60 hard and iron saturation
in drY state; however, on
alumina. 'The soils a r e very
and have very less shearing resistance. During
Ehey swell excessively
cracks (quite often up to 10 cm
rying in summer. severe shrinkage The cracks have hexagonal columner
wide and 2-3 m depth) are formed.soils a r e generally over-consolidated
Ftructure. The Indian expansive and desiccation.
hich may be due to water table fluctuations
of swelling in soil is mainly the
The basic cause
in soil. This
Dredominance of montmorillonite clay mineral
Tnaneral has high specific surface (200-300 sq.cm/gm). Als0 due
electro-chemical
EO 1arge Scale isomorphic substitutions, i t s the lattice
activity is significantly large. In adition,
montmorillonite clay mineral has expanding n a t u r e .
SEructure of
comtact with water, thhe
Aa result, when this clay soil comes in The water
clapole water molecules are adsorbed on the particles.
into the 1attice structure through
molecules also enter
terplanes between various unit layers, thereby increasing tne
in sOll
danensiions of particles and causing high volume expansion
ua ss.
9
, T.&.AIT

3 GENERAL PROPBRTIES OF BLACK COTTON S01LS

There 18 a considerable amount of knowledge now availabie
regarding the nature and behaviour of black cotton B01ls as a
result OL numerous field and laboratory investigations carried
out by many Institutes and researchers in the country, O n
onpilat1on
Com ot the property data on various black cotton eoil8
from difierent parts of the country, the general range ot the
nroperty values are given in Table 1
Table 1: Properties of Indian Black Cotton
Soi Is
Property Range of Property Range of
values values
$11t&CTay () >50 8 15
(-2u) fraction () . Iron Oxide, Feg0g
*
25 75
(40-60)
Alumina, Al203 13 22
. Liquid 1imit (M) 45 95
* (50-60)

Plasticity Index (Ip) 20 60 .Specificgravity, G 2.7 2.9

*
(25 40) Base Exchange Capacity 80 130
meq/ 100 gm)
Shrinkage Limit (Ws 9 18 Free swel1ing (%) 30 100

Hygroscopic moisture 7 15 % Std.Proctor,compaction

MDD(t/m 6
PH value 8 -9 - OMC (X) 20 30
(alkaline)
Organic matter (%) 0.5 3.5 Undrained Strength
Cu (Kg /sq.cm) 0.2 1.0
Carbonates (CO%) (8 5 15 -

u degree) 10 18
Compression index,C 0.25 0.50
Silica Si0, () 50 55
.Swellin9 pressure 0.5 10
(* denote values of common ranges) (Kg/cm)
Dinesh Mohan has found that for black cotton soils.

W 1.33 W 21
1.91.C -
34.5 (where, C Clay content in &)
W.=

of this soil in remoulded

The shear strength (s in kg/sq.cm)
water content less than plastic limit
a t e at Proctor density & at
1ine relationship with the liquidity
o u n d to bear a straight as
ndex (I,) which can be expressed
og (s)= [ - 0.053 2.45 (L)
index Cc and
empirical correlation between compression takes the
The consol1dated black cotton soil
a Limit , for normal]y
Fform :

Cc = 0.007 (W, - 10)

10
 ,3

SASONAI CYCLIC vOLUMIRTRIc cHANGKa, GHOUND HBAVE & ACTIVB Z0NE

on abeorpt ion of moiature by 1nsitu expansive noil, swelling

tends to take place in al1 the directions because of random
orientation of clay part iclen. The net volume change is assumed
to occur primarily in a diroction normal to the ground surface in
the fornm of ground heave as the lateral øwell 18 prevented by
adjacent soil1, However, lateral swelling may ocCur in the cagee
of () expansive soil that undergo severe fiasuring ,on drying,
(i 8oils on glopes and cute, and (1ii) retaining wall
gtructures subjected to lateral displacementø.
The cyclic shrinkage and field deposit take
gwelling in
place because of reduction and increase in moisture during dry
The environmental
and wet s0asons of a year respectivelY
ConditlOns ot a particular area, 6uch as frequency oE rainfall,

rate o! Cvaporation and evapotranspiration, depth and activity of

change Denaviour
clay etc., aL80 play an important role in volume
of soil deposit.

ThetYp1cal water content profiles of black cotton s01

deposit for summers and rainy seasons are shown in F19.. As is
surface the water
seen, i t is obvious that near the ground
Qontent changes (Aw) during a cycle of seasons are the largest.
depth the water
With depth, Aw decreases and after a particular the time. Tne
content rema ins more r less the same a l l
4W, a r e thus large
volumetric changes, being proportional to Belowa level of
in upper layers and reduce as depth increases.
stable water Content the soil, though
expansive in nature, does
seasons of years. This
not exhibit. volumetric changes during called as 'acttive
take place is
depth within which volume changes zone
zone and the underlying stratum
is designated as in stable
active zone,
about 1 to 1.5 m thickness
The upper layer of movements (fig.3),and i t
appreciable ground
however, experiences s e v e r e shrinkage
cracks are observed in
s this depth upto which soils.
cotton
most of the a r e a s of black
geomorphology of the
zone depends on
of active
The depth rainfall Conditions. It varies a over

andthe climatic, in Israel and

rea to 4.5 to 5.0 m
from 1:0 m in England 1978) and
Wide range to be 1.5 m in Pune (Katti,
is found
USA. In India i t Pradesh, However, the field data
Madhya the
5 t o 5.0 m in i n d i c a t e that for majority of
dollected by CBRI & others is mostly within
the country the depth
cotton soil a r e a s in design of bored pile
ack 3.8 m. Satisfactory
of depth
to
e range of 3.0
d e t e r m i n a tion

c o t t o n soils requires
oundations in black site.
active zone at each
COTTON SOILS
CHARACTERISTICS
OF BLACK
SWELLING the
wetting-drying cycles and
volume Av on
S o i l s on
in in b l a c k
cotton
The change developed characterising
welling p r e s s u r e s
pa important
features
are "the two
Dsorption of water are
interrelated.

V and pa
pansive soils.

11
s.1 Svelling Potent ial
Swelling potent ial of clayey Boil is a measure of the
ability and degree to which such a Boil night swell if its
environnents were changed in a definite way. This term i8 not
precisely defined. However, in the present 1iterature, one
definition of swell ing potenti al is the axial strain of laterally
confined soil, with its initial condition corresponding to
maximum dry density (standard Proctor) and optimum moisture
cont ent,, produced by soil on swell ing under a surcharge pressure
of 1 psi (0.7 t/m). This axial strain Ahf/h) is obtained
from oedometer tests on soil samples of dia.=10.0 cm & height h =
2.5 cm.

In order to incorporate the whole range of the physical1

states of soil (from fuily shrunken dry state in summer to ully
swollen condition in rainy season) within which field 80i
deposits exhibit volume changes, Golait & Khanzode (1995)
redefined the term swelling potential and introduced a parameteT
unit swell potential Psui. It is defined as the percent
volumetric strain (Ah£/h) exhibited by soil per unit change in
water content (i.e. for Aw = 18) under a surcharge pressure Po
of 1 psi, when an initially fully shrunken dry soil gampie 18
allowed to swell fully by imbibing water.

Ahf
Thus, Psu = X 100
hAw
where =
initial thickness of shrunken dry sample
Ahf
Aw
Change i n height of swollen,
change in water content from shrunken dryY
saturated sample

state to fully swollen state.

52 Swelling Pressure
When an expansive soil imbibes water from outside, pressure
builds up inside the soil. If free swell1ing of Soil during
Metting is restrained by construction of a structure on the soil,
s pressure called 'swelling pressure i s exterted by the soil
on the overlying structure in vertical upward direction.
Development of swelling pressure is a function of time; maximam
Ruessure being developed after a certain period of time. The
e l l i n g prssure is defined as the maximum internally induced
oressure the soil develops when it i s prevented from undergoing
ny volume change during increase of water from initial condition
f u l l y saturated state. Or, in other words, it is the maximum
oad per unit area that needs to be placed over a swelling soil
EO prevent volume increase. Swelling pressure is in fact a real
dndex of 'truble potential' of an expansive soil, The swelling
Pressure of less than about 20 kN/m° (02 kg/cm) may not be
egarded as of much significance. From the laboratory tests, the
black cotton soils are found to develop swelling pressures of 1
in-situ conditions the
under field
EO 16 kg/cm. However,
Indian black
esgures upto 2.7 -3.5 kg/cm2 a r e reported for
oLOn soils. The values of swelling pressur s for Texas s01ls
gerian soils are said to be 3.5 kg/cm and 12.5 kg/cm
respectively.
12
 7-96, 1.S.GIT

5.3 FACTORS APPRCTING SWBLLING BRHAVIOUR OP SOIL

Swelling behaviour of soil is controlled by various factore

related to prevalent situation of deposit Some of the important
factors affect ing its volume change behaviour and swelling pressure
development are discus8ed below.

(i) Type and amount of clay :

Swelling in soil is due to the nature of lattice structure

of clay mineral and the electro-chemical activity of clay
particles. As such, the degree of swellability of soil depends on
the type and extent of clay minerals (i.e. montmorillonite,
illite, kaolinite etc.) present in a particular soil deposit. The
overall swelling characteristics is indicated bY physical
properties like percent clay content (C), 1iquid limit (Wz
plasticity index (Ip), shrinkage 1imit (wg), shrinkage index (1s)
etc. With increasing C, Ip, Is the soil1 exhibits higher
WIwhereas
degree of volume change; with increasing Wg Ot Bo1l,
volume change decreases (Fig. 4 a, b, C, d & e)

(ii) Initial placement conditions:

Initial placement Conditions with respect to unit weight
Tdi and water content w; have pronounced effect on volume change
the soil is 1ikely to exhibit on saturation. At l0w initial dry
unit weights upto about 1.5 gm/cm3, the volume change Av is
SmalleT. However, beyond this density, soils show higher degree
of volume changes (Fig. 4f). This result has an important field
application that in areas where swelling soil is likely to get
completely dehydrated, it may not be advisable to compact it to
higher densities with an object of attaining increased load
bearing capacity.
Similarly, 1ow initial water content in soil upto about its
shrinkage limit, causes enormous volume changes. Increase in W
beyond this, creates drastic reduction in swelling magnitude
Fig. 4.g). More or less similar trends of variation in Av with
i s usually observed for Ydi values of soil. I t is thus
realised that as long as field moisture variation (AW) of black
cotton soil i within their shrinkage 1imits, no significant
5welling pressures & volume changes will develop and beyond that
these will depend on the difference between the field moisture
ontent and the moisture content .on saturation. As regards the
Dper 1imit, it is reported that( Sowers, 1961) there is 1ittle
no swelling of a highly plastiC clay if its initial water
Contént corresponds to a liquidity index of 0.2 or more. It is
obcerved that the relation between the logarithm of swelling
pressure (log Pew and the relative plastticity index Rw( =(w
p)/Ip) is linear; with a general trend of swelling pressure
ecreasing with increased Rw (or higher initial water contents).

(iii) Surcharge pressure:

The surcharge pressures, which may be due to structural
odde or overburden pressure on soil, prohibit the volume change
501l. Hence, near ground surtace, the insitu soil shows more
volume changes; which gradually decrease with depth. The
aLation of volume change with surcharge pressure is shown in

13
 IST 99, Y.S.00AT

ie found to be linear
(Ranjan G. 1991)
(iv) Thickneso of expansive soil layer
Tests conducted on Bamplee of
total heave and swelli.ng varying height showed that the
presgure, which in fact the
cumulative effect of expansion of each
1ayer, bears a linear
relationship with sample height. (Pig. 4.i). It is to be realiøed
from this result
that the depth and thicknesB of expansive soil
Btratum shuld be duly
and swelling congidered, while estimating Boil movement
pressureg in field problema.
(v) Stress hintory (OCR) of soil
doposit:
Experiment by Seed et al (1962) showed that svelling of soil
depends on its past loading history. This past loading effect ie
indicated by over consolidation ratio
clay with oCR near about 1, Bhows (oCR) NormallY consolidated
higher swellability whereas the
Overconsolidated clay with larger value of OCR exihibits lesger
swelling (Fig. 4.j).
(vi) State of 'soi l
degree of disturbance
or

Remoulding, compacting etc. destroyes the original soil

structure of natural soil deposit. This causes reduction inn
Swelling of 5oil. With increased degree of disturbance volume
changes and swelling pressures decrease.
Compacted by static loading are found to (Fig.
Swell
4.k). Also, Clays
more than s01)s
Compacted by dynamic impact type
equipment8.
(vii) Time effects

Swelling and development of swel1ling

dependant (Fig. 4.L). The time required for soil pressure is time
volume change and maximum to show maximum
Bwelling pressure
depends on the thickriess of expansive in a give field case
initial water content of soil, and layer, permeability and
layers above and/or below the presence of free draining
expansive stratum.
(viii) Nature of pore fluid:
High electrolyte concentration and
pore fluid high valence cations in
decreases the swelling of soils. The
pore water gives
30ils exhibiting
rise to maximum electrolyte-free
swelling. Of the various clay
Show enormous swelling-shrinking character, the bentonites
swellability. There too, sodium bentonite
extremely large swelling nature than calcium or possesses
bentonites. hydrogen
(ix) Temperature
Temprature of soil and pore fluid has small effect on
8welling behaviour. It is seen that degree of
wLth
increasing temperature to certain swelling decreases
exttent.

14
EST-98, T.8.0IAIT

() Area of co'f inement

The 1oad transmitting area of structure on soil has effect

on volume change capacity of soil as well as on development of
Bwelling presBures. The extent of these properties increases with
increa8ing area of confinement. As Compared to i80lated footing
on expansive Boile, the construction of raft foundation therefore
needs careful consideration of increased swelling pressures in
their design.

(xi) Permitted volume change

Under zero volume change situation the soil exerts maximum
pressure on the substructures. However, if gome volume change
occurs due to l oading and deformation condition in a soii-
foundat ion system, the swelling pressures are relieved to
establish the balance between foundation pressure intensities&
the swelling pressures.

5.4 Determination of Swelling Pressuree

The swelling pressure value of soil as determined i n the
laboratory, varies to a certain extent with the testing method
used. There is always eome difference between laboratory-
determined swelling pressure and that actually exhibited by
natural deposit in field. Out of many techaniques, the following
two ethods are usually used in laboratory to determine_the
Swelling pressure i ) Const ant volume method & (ii) Method of
surcharge. In the f i r s t method, a sample small sample 1n
Consol1dometer ring or large size sample in proctor mould) 1s
made to Swell on imbibing water, but swelling (vertical
expansion) is prevented by applying axial force & thus
maintaining no-volume change condition. The maximum load applied
per unit cross-sectional area of sample is swelling pressure. In
Ehe second method, 4 to 6 identical samples are subjectéd to
different surcharge pressures in seperate consolidometer rings
and the final change in thickness of sample on full saturation is
ecorded. A graph for surcharge pressure p on logscale and change
in soil sample thickness (Ahf) is plotted. Pressure corresponding
to Ahf = 0 is determined which gives svelling pressure.

cORRELAT1ONS OP SELLING PARAMETERS WITH PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

The degree of expansivity as indicated by swelling

potential (SP) is empirically correlated, by many investigators,
With other physical property parameters 1ike consistency limits
&
ndices (i.e. liquid 1imit WTplasticity index I,shrinkage
ndex I), void ratio e, water content w, initial drý unit weight
etc. Some of the relations reported
percent clay content C
n literature are given below

5
EST-96, Y.S.GOIAIT
Investigator Bquation
1. Seed et al (1962) SP 0. 00216 (Ip) 2.44
Also, SP = 0.22x10*3. A2.44 c3.44
where, A = Activity of clay
= I p / ( C - 5 ) . . .For soils compacted
at OMC.
0.2558,e,08381 Tr
2. Chen (1975) SP =
3. Weston (1980) w2.33
SP= 0.000195 (wr) . L .
4 Schneider &
0 . 9 . (Tp/w) -1.19]
Poor (1974) SP = 0.66 x 10
. - --
0.274 W
5. Komornik et al SP = 2.27 + 0.1313 W
(1969)
-
6. Nayak & SP 0.02291.45. (C/w) * 6.38
=
Christian (1971) Sw2.5x 10 1 2 (c/w)2+0.25
& Psw2
c/w)2+0.25
(kg/cm MDD& OMC)
(For a r t i f i c i a l soils compacted to
1010.0833 (0.4 wL-w+5.55)1
U
7. Vijayverghia & SP = 1.1 x
Gazzaly (1973) logSP: (or4 - 4 + 5.5s)/12 O logSP: (t4 to:6s o-130
8 Komornik & log Psw 1.868+0.0208 W+0.000665.rdi
David (1969) 2132 0.0269.Wi)
Psw (kg/cm ), wz (8), Yai (kg/m*), wi (8)
. from natural soil samples]
9. Ranganatham &
2
SP = 41.13 x 10"2.(I40 where Is=-Wg
Satyanarayana
(1965) (for natural soils)
3.44
or SP mo (SA) 2.67. (c)
where, SA = Swell activity
As
Ac
mo Constant of soil
10. Satyanarayana PSw e
-0.0501 0.1015 ad
& Ranganatham where, m = [-7.4566 .w+
9.09 q + 0.067.7d.gl
(1969)
Contd.
16.
ST S. . . .

11. Golait & PBw 24.2(Psu) 6.2

for
Khanzode max swelling pressure in kg/cm
(1995) initially shrunken dry soil))
svell potential,
(PBu)= Limiting unit

The abovementioned relations may help to make preliminary

I t 18, however,
estimation of the swelling potential of soil. identical results
1ikely that no two o r all relations may give character with
which may even be different from real swellability
these
certain degree of error. Rather than for design purpOses, qualitatively the
quide to evaluate
equati ons may serve ag
expansivity property.
An another view is algo quite logical that instead of

working out potential and swelling pressure trom various

swelling
phys1cal property parameters & placement condition,can the bedirect
done
testing of soil sample, simulating field conditions anomolies and
by oedometer test, thereby eliminating various
1imitations associated with such empirical relati0ns.

It is also to be realised that in the present day

geotechnology, the Swelling character and properties tor Iield
sO1ls are evaluated from tests on undisturbed samples, 11 sych
in which Case
Bampl irng 1s possible, o r from remoulded samples soil samples.
mostiy -425 J fraction only is taken for preparing CoarseI
AS the t i e l d S0il in many instances may contain particles
than this size, the correlations need to be modified considering
due to
the effect of dilution in swelling characteristics
This aspect appears
presence of coarse inactive material in soil.
soil mechanics.
to be inadequately investigated in the expansive

IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF EXPANSIVE SOILS

7.
which expansive soils can be identified are
Various ways by
Summarisedbelow
(i Field Observations
Appearance of large scale shrinkage
cracks atground surface
summer and formation of cracks of different patterns in light
n8tructures (buildings, pavements, walls) that are improperly
indication and
designed and constructed usually give the f i r s t
existance of swelling 80il stratum.
possibility of the
in Soil
12) Detection of Montmorillonite Clay Mineral
montmorillonite clay
due to presence of
Swelling in soil is minerals in a
m1.neral, and hence if the tYpe and amount of clay
i d e n t i f i c a t i o n and classification of
9ven soil is determined, done. The d i f f e r e n t i a l thermal
pansive soil is precisely method & electron micrography
analysis (DTA), X- ray diffraction d e t e c t i o n of
for clay minerals in
are the available techniques and instrumentation to be used in
However, the equipments and costly for their general
too sophisticated
nese methods a r eengineering
u8e in civil practice. Availability of Such
facilities is also rare.
17
ST-98, .S.GAIT

Determination of Index
(iii) S2mple baborat.ory Testinq for
Properties
Since the swelling characteristics and the physical operty
oarameters iike NL, Ip, Is, C (clay percent), A(activity) etc. are
interrelated, it is possible to ident ify the swelling Boil and

classitY Them by knowing these parameters. properties

These index
carrying out grain
can be easily determined in the laboratory by
size distribution test, consistency 1imits etc.
(iv) Free Swell Tests
for
the simplest and the most
useful method
This 1s probably soils. It has been
identif1cation and classification of expansive accompanied wlth.
test
Wideiy accepted that the free Swell s a t i s f a c t o r y tool for
Atterberg imit tests can provide
s01l.
qualitative understanding of the expansivity of

this test in which

Gibbs (1956) oriainally proposed
and
10 CCHOLtz soil powder (-425 U fraction in so1l) is poured
ot dry
i n 100 cc distilled water contained
in graduated 91ass
gradually
cylinder. The volume of soil after 24 hours of tt
swelling in
as
water 1s observed and the free swell value
(FSV) is calculated

initial volume of 10
cC
Swollen soil volume -

x 100
FSV =

initial volume (10 cc)

swelling soil,
free swell value for bentonites (hignly
The
of volcanic ash & weathering
derived from chemical decomposition used extensively in civil
arid regions & which is
mud & thixotropic fluid) is of the
constructions as drilling have FSV of 30-
&. Illites and kaolinites
order of 1200 to 2000 However, the method
suffers
80 and 20-50 & respectively.
mass of Soil in 10 cC
soil volume may differ
drawback, that the
on the pulverisation
of soil sample
n various trials depending thus giving no consistency in the
nd the method of pouring ,

test results.
soil with FSV> 50 $ may show
According to Holtz & Gibbs, loads when wetted and
iderable volume change under light
Cons viewed with caution,
Soil having FSV < 50 are

pence should be even under 1ight

to present any problems
o r noImally expected
occharges.
modified considering the
The free swell t e s t is subsequentlyto free-Swell condition
no-swell condition
OIume changes from swell. in polar 1iquids,
volume of soil
do not
C l a y particles one imiting state of
no-swel1

kerosine is considered as a method in

I.S. Code (1977) specifies each weighing
tuation. Accordingly -425 u soil fraction,
hich 2 identical samples of taken. One sample is poured
g m o f dry pulverised
powder, a r e and the other in
kerosine in glass cYlinder
after
9adually in 100 cc The sedimented volumes
in cylinder. are
C C distilled water in kerosine &
Vs= vol. in water)
i.e. Vk vol.
4 nours (
=

recordeed
 The 1ee swell index (PS) ag per this 1S ion
cOmputed a
VB Vk
FSI (1S) - x 100
Vk

The method has a serious drawback. It is observed (ridharan

et al 1985that for clays with mostly kaolinite mineral e
soil Containns
ative values of FSI are obtained. the
negat Also, if value oof
mixture of montmorillonite and inite the measured
of Soil.
FSI 1S Suppressed as compared to the real FSI
swell index
A.Sridhar (1985) has therefore
aran d e f i n e d the
free

and acCOralngY the test is carried out by pouring 10 gl Oa

The free swel1
aoil pOvder 1n distilled water (100 cc) oniy. per unit
volume (cm°)
ndex-(FSI (AS) 1s worked out as swollen
ma5s of soil particles (gm)

FSI (AS) 10
10
Cc/gm.

be that the above mentioned

realised
laboratory
It may
the swelling characteristCs do o
techn1gues oI evaluating in sO1l during
conditions of volume change
gimulate the Eield in the field, 1n ary
water watent changes. Soil
Beasonal cycl1c state and then
swells treely
15 under fully shrunken dry of determining
season,
season. This is simulated in an approach (1990).
án rainy Golait & Kishore
free Swell index, suggested by fraction in soil is
shrunken pat of -425 1s
Accordingly, a dry volume Va
shrinkage dish & its specific
formed in a
first
found out as

vol. of dry shrunken pat

cc/gm
Va mass of dry pat
distilled water in a
in 100 cc
imersed hours is
The pat is then swollen volume a f t e r 24
and sedimented
swollen soil V is
glass cylinder volume of freely
The specific
reCoded.
obtained as
swollen soil
vol. of
cc/gm
particles
mass of soil 1s
FSI (GK) o
Swell index,
redefined
free
The value of
calulated as:

Vs x 100 *
FSI (GK)o
indicate
the degree
to
is supposed of v o l u m e
obtained range
value so to the whole of dry
The FSI swelling
pertaining
sinulating
the s t a t e
s i m u l ating
differential state condition
shrunken
Swollen
from fully the fully
geS to
eposit in summer) in wet season)
expansion
restrained

9
 The dilution in FSI
Bence ofby Golait
Coarne
fieldto iepre
value
rticles larger than 425 Siize in due suggested
Kishore 1990as
FS (GK) FST (GK)o 2.10.1I

in 601.
Hhere, I percent coarse part icles (+425 fract ion
It is to be realised that the values of free swel or tree
ices discussed above are onl
swell indio indicative of degree of
vity of 8oil and may be
expansivi sed for indentifying and

classifying
Buch
the soils with respect to theirsoil
entification and
indent
swellability
i8 found to be of
classification,
highly BWeLllng type, caution in the design and construction or
structures 1n soils is needed: and the detailed laboratorY
the
nvest igations should be one to quantitatively eva.ua
design of
desigii parameters needed in the analysis and
structures.

)Determination of swelling Potential

Swelling test in oedometer apparatus may be carried out 2.n
the 1aboratory to find the swel1ing potential as described
to identiry anda
earlier. The value of svelling potential enables
classifY the epansive soils.

CLASSIFICATION OF SNELLING SOILs

for their
Kxpansive soils a r e qualitatively classified
degree of expansivitY based on various criteria viz. consistency
Swelling
properties, activity, clay content, free swell indices,
potential etc.
A) Classification Based on Consistency Properties and Clay
Content
Av from air dry to
Criteria (i): Volume change
saturation (for natural soils)

Property Approximate ranges Remarks/References

25 Taken as single
Colloidal Content (X) 0 15 | 10
10 25| 20 35
35 criteria
Plasticity Index
Shrinkage limit 15 8 18 12 10 (Holtz& Gibbs.
1956)
Vol.change,AV ( ) 0 -10 10 20 20 30 30

LOW MEDIUM HIGH VERY

EXpansivity HIGH
lassification

20

r
B-.S.GOLATT

Criteria (ii)
Swelling
Tor
Potential SP
soils compacted at OMC & MDD)
Property
Approximate ranges Remarks/References
Plasticity Index 15 10 25 20 -35 |>35 | Seed et al (1962)
Shrinkage Index 0 20 20 30 30 60>60 Ranganatham&
Satyanarayana
(1965)

Swelling Potential,SP(% <1.5| 1.5- 5 5

2525
Expansivity LOW MEDIUM HIGH VERY
Classification
HIGH

R Classification Based on Free Swell Index Values

Free Swell index values Expansivity classification
(i) FST (IS) *)
20 Low
20 3 5 Moderate
35 4 0 High
> 50 Very High

(ii) FSI(AS) (cc/gm)

1.5 Negligible
1.5 2 . 0 Slight
2.0 5 . 0 Moderate
5.0 10.0 High
>10.0 Very High

ii) FSL (GK)

< 1.5 Negligible
1.5 2.5 Slight
2.5 7.5 Moderate
7.5 16.0 High
>16.0 Very High

Based on Activity Plasticity

Charts (as
C.Classification
V.D. Merwe, 1975)
suggested by
plasticitY index together aree
The activity, A =
Ip/C, and
c h a r t s a r e given by
Merwe (Fig.5).
classification
considered and
soil and
problems associated With expansive the next
The field are discussed in
constructions
approaches for
Ous
Chapterr.

21