THE EFFECT OF VARYING DEGREE OF SATURATION ON SETTLEMENT RATE OF COLLAPSIBLE SOILS

Collapsible soil is broadly classified as a loose and cemented soil with lowmoisture content that is susceptible to a large and sudden reduction involume upon wetting, with no increase in vertical stress. The rapid collapseof soils damages the structures which have built on such soils. Collapsiblesoils are one of many problematic soils. Many foundation failure problemsthat occurred in the world are associated with percolation of water; thechange in the degree of saturation can affect the stability of these soils andmay encounter large volumetric change. In this study, the derivation of newequations describing the settlement rate of collapsible soil upon inundationwith no external loading; with varying degrees of saturations, simulatingcapillary water rise from the subsurface water Table. The theoreticalequations were verified through a series of experimental tests where themodified odometer apparatus was used.

Keywords:

Collapsible Soil , Collapse Rate , Unsaturated soil , Tensiometer , Settlement