Lecture 4 (Soil Modification Process)

• Epigenetic (geological and/or anthropogenic) and weathering process.

• Types of soil modification:
o Compaction (reduction the volume of air) and Consolidation (reduction the volume of
water) à volume changes as load applied. Consequences: densification, higher shear
strength, lower permeability and compressibility.
o Cementing: higher shear strength (true cohesion)
o Leaching: remove soluble mineral (upward and downward). Consequences: change in
soil properties.
o Dessication: drying (evaporation) on clayey deposits. Cracking and fissuring.
Consequences: shrinkage, subsidence, swelling and heave upon rehydration.
o Loosening: caused by frost heave, root action, animal, moisture change. Decrease the
density of surficial soil. Consequences: lower frictional strength, higher
compressibility, higher permeability up to 100x.
o Jointing (crack with min displacement) & Fisssuring (crack with significant
displacement): caused by dessication, unloading following overconsolidation, stress
relief, syneresis, freezing and thawing. Consequences: higher permeability,
susceptible to softening.
o Softening: Increase of water facilitated by fissures networks. Affects overconsolidated
stiff fissured clays. Conseq: loss cohesion, friction angle reduction.
o Shearing: causes alignment of clay particles. Conseq: loss of cohesion and reduction
in friction angle. Pre-shearing mech: flexural slip, glacier drag, landslide, valley
rebound.