A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF INDEX PROPERTIES AND FREE SWELL RATIO OF CLAY-SAND MIXTURE

Ravishankar B V, Shashishankar A, Deepa B S, B N Skanda Kumar, Samanvitha M

Abstract: Soil being a widely used material in the field of civil engineering, hence, its study is very important. Cohesive soil (especially black cotton soil) often does not fully satisfy the engineering properties a requirement for their use in sub grade of pavements or as a base to lay foundations. Such soils are generally not preferred in the construction industry due to their high shrink-swell property. In this experimental program, a study of index properties and free swell ratio of clay-sand mixture with varying percentages of sand ranging from 10% to 50%. A study of the variation of the liquid limit, plastic limit, specific gravity and free swell ratio with increase in addition of cohesion less soil is studied in cohesive soils containing kaolinite and montmorillonite clay minerals. It is observed that the Liquid Limit, Specific Gravity and Free Swell Ratio decrease with the addition of sand whereas Plastic limit increases.

Keywords: montmorillonite, kaolinite, Liquid Limit, Plastic Limit, Specific Gravity, Free Swell Ratio

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15623/ijret.2017.0614002