Expansive soils contain clay minerals that undergo a change in bulk volume in response to variances in environmental conditions. The ability to predict the occurrence and geotechnical behavior of swelling soils with a known degree of certitude would allow engineers to take measures to limit the damage resulting from these metastable soils. Research was conducted to investigate the regional distribution, mineralogy, and engineering properties of expansive soils in the Tucson Basin. Mineralogic studies employed X-ray diffraction procedures for the identification of clay mineralogy. The compilation of expansion-related soil parameters, from the geotechnical job-files of a local engineering consulting firm, allowed the development of an engineering database. The application of geostatistical analysis for the cartographical representation of mineralogic and geotechnical data permitted a regional characterization of expansive clay soils. Clay mineralogy was found to be directly related to the volumetric stability displayed by native soils, as well as the geology of the Tucson Basin.

Copies of author's previously published articles inserted. Bibliography: leaves 173-196. The objective of this thesis is to investigate the factors affecting swelling and dispersion of alkaline sodic soils containing lime and the ways to manage these soils to improve their physical condition. Studies on pure clay systems are included to understand the fundamental process involved in swelling and dispersion of pure and soil clays.

Copies of author's previously published articles inserted. / Bibliography: leaves 173-196. / xviii, 197 leaves : ill. (some col.) ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / The objective of this thesis is to investigate the factors affecting swelling and dispersion of alkaline sodic soils containing lime and the ways to manage these soils to improve their physical condition. Studies on pure clay systems are included to understand the fundamental process involved in swelling and dispersion of pure and soil clays. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Soil Science

No description available.

Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Expansive soils, one of the problematic soils, are encountered on all continents with exception of polar continents. Problems caused by their heaving and shrinking behaviour, particularly to light structures, have been reported from different countries to place large financial burden on developers. For this reason, many techniques have been developed and applied to prevent and/or remediate the damage caused by these soils. Soil stabilization with traditional chemical additives has been applied successfully since ancient times. In addition to traditional additives such as lime, cement, fly ash, etc., some non-traditional additives, such as polymer based products, salts, etc. have been used effectively for soil treatment. On the other hand, industries are increasingly challenged by waste management in an acceptable and environmentally friendly manner. In this regard, a number of researches have been done on using industrial waste for soil improvement purposes. The study and understanding of basic reactions involved in lime-soil stabilization persuaded many researchers to study the applicability of lime-rich products for soil treatment. Studies conducted by Khalid et al. (2012); Muchizuki et al. (2004) and Thacker (2012) showed that lime-rich products such as pulp fly and bottom ashes and CaO by-products, can be applied for soil stabilization. This research was thus performed to investigate the effect of lime-rich paper mill waste ash on expansive soil properties. Two commonly listed soil engineering properties namely volume change and strength were investigated. Soil strength was examined in terms of unconfined compressive strength (UCS), due to its correlations with a number of other soil properties, and the volume change in terms of free swell and swelling pressure. In addition to these two engineering properties, dry density and moisture content were also studied due to their involvement in structural design, as well as gradation, Atterberg limits and California Bearing Ratio (CBR). The choice of these properties was also influenced by the availability of a standard (ASTM D4609-08) specifically developed to assess the effectiveness of admixtures for soil stabilization. Two main types of materials were used namely three clay materials and paper mill ash. According to the index properties, commonly used for expansive soil classification, three clays were classified into low, medium and high degrees of potential expansiveness. The ash results from the combustion of paper mill sludge, sawdust, bark, coal ash and bituminous coal in a multi-fuel boiler for the purpose of electricity and steam production. The tests mentioned above were conducted on both untreated and treated clays and the results were compared. Since the study was carried out on this material based on the fact that it contains lime, the procedure applied for lime-soil stabilization was considered. In general, it was observed that ash-soil treatment has a number of effects similar to lime-treatment and almost all studied properties were enhanced for all clays. It can thus be concluded that the paper mill ash from a multi-fuel boiler can be efficiently used for expansive soil treatment. For optimum use of this material for expansive soil treatment, more tests and further researches have been recommended. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Uitsettende gronde, een van die probleemtipe-gronde, kom op alle kontinente voor, behalwe die twee poolkontinente. Probleme veroorsaak deur uitswellende en inkrimpende gedrag van hierdie gronde, veral finansiële onkostes van ligte strukture is al in baie lande aangemeld. Vir hierdie rede is baie tegnieke ontwikkel en toegepas om skade wat deur hierdie tipe gronde veroorsaak is, te voorkom en/of herstel. Hierdie tegnieke sluit grondstabilisasie met chemiese bymengsels in, veral tradisionele bymengsels, wat met groot sukses in die verre verlede toegepas en na moderne tye oorgedra is. Bykomend tot tradisionele bymengsels soos kalk, sement, vlieg-as ensovoorts is ʼn aantal nie-tradisionele bymiddels soos polimeergebaseerde produkte, soute en ander produkte ontwikkel vir grondstabilisasie. Aan die ander kant raak industrieë toenemend daarmee gemoeid om afvalstowwe op ʼn aanvaarbare en omgewingsvriendelike wyse te bestuur. Op hierdie gebied is ʼn aantal navorsingsprojekte al uitgevoer om industriële afval vir grondverbetering te gebruik en sodoende die las op nywerhede te verlig. Navorsing is onderneem om die basiese reaksies wat onstaan tydens stabilisasie van grond met tradisionele en moderne middels te bepaal en om die geskiktheid van kalkryke produkte vir grondstabilisasie te ondersoek. Baie navorsing is uitgevoer wat aangetoon het dat kalkhoudende produkte soos pulp vlieg- en oondresidu-as, asook CaO neweprodukte gebruik kan word vir stabilisasie. Gebaseer hierop is hierdie projek onderneem om die effek van papiermeulas, verkry deur die verbranding in ʼn veelvuldige brandstof-stoomketel, op die gedrag van uitsettende grond te ondersoek. Tydens hierdie studie is twee algemene ingenieurseienskappe van grond, naamlik sterkte en volumeverandering ondersoek. Grondsterkte is geëvalueer in terme van eenassige druksterkte (EDS) as gevolg van ? deur middel van die korrelasie met ʼn aantal ander grondeienskappe, en die volumeverandering in terme van vry-swel en sweldruk. Addisioneel tot hierdie twee grondeienskappe is droë digtheid en waterinhoud ook bestudeer aangesien beide in struktuurontwerp betrokke is. Verdere eienskappe wat ondersoek is, is gradering, Atterberggrense en Kaliforniese drakragverhouding (KDV). Die keuse van hierdie eienskappe is beïnvloed deur die beskikbaarheid van ʼn toetsstandaard (ASTM D4609-08) wat spesifiek ontwikkel is om die effektiwiteit van bymengsels vir grondstabilisasie te evalueer. Hierdie standaard is deurgaans as verwysing tydens die projek gebruik. Daar is waargeneem dat as-behandeling van grond ʼn aantal effekte het soortgelyk aan kalkbehandeling, met die uitsondering van die droë digtheid en optimum waterinhoud van een van die gronde wat getoets is. Byna al die eienskappe wat ondersoek is, soos EDS, KDV, ensovoorts, is verbeter behalwe in die geval van die eerste klei waarvan die plastisiteitsindeks verhoog het en die grond meer plasties geraak het. Daar kan dus afgelei word dat papiermeule-as vanaf ʼn stoomketel wat veelvuldige tipes brandstof gebruik geskik is vir die behandeling van uitsettende grond. Om die optimumgebruik van hierdie materiaal vir die stabilisasie van swellende klei te bepaal, is meer toetse en projekte nodig.

La sécheresse géotechnique est à l'origine de nombreux désordres urbains dans la régio n d'Ile-de-France. La présence d'argiles continentales Eocène-Oligocène aux propriétés gonflantes parmi les dépôts actuels les plus récents de la série géologique du Bassin Parisien entraîne, sous l'influence des contrastes climatiques liés à des évènements climatiques « extrêmes » (alternances sécheresse et période humide) des variations importantes du volume des sols. Les variations sont susceptibles d'induire des déplacements de la surface du sol qui affecte le bâti. Deux méthodes d'interférométrie radar y sont appliquées afin de suivre ces déplacements relatifs au cours du temps : si la méthode différentielle (DINSAR), qui permet de mesurer les déplacements de la surface du sol à partir de deux images radar acquises à des dates différentes se révèle peu performante sur l'Est du Bassin de Paris devant la faible cohérence de l'habitat pavillonnaire individuel, la seconde méthode, la technique de suivi des réflecteurs permanents, appelé Persistant Scatterer Interferometry ( PSI) permet de décrire précisément dans le temps les déplacements absolus de points à forte rétrodiffusion radar par la localisation, la caractérisation et la quantification des déplacements de la surface du sol à partir d'un grand nombre d'images radar à ouverture de synthèse (RSO). Des déformations liées au RGA observées sur les profils de pavillons sinistrés ont été mise en évidence et corrélé avec les périodes de sécheresse. Cette méthode présente un fort potentiel pour l'étude du risque naturel sécheresse géotechnique tout particulièrement sur l'Est du Bassin de Paris affecté lors des dernières périodes de sécheresses dans un contexte de changement climatique mondiale / Swelling soils may induce, under various climatic conditions such as drought or humid periods, surface displacements that affect small houses and buildings. The aim of this PhD work is to monitor through new interferometric methods those small displacements. Radar differential interferometry (DINSAR) method which enables one to map surface displacements from two radar images acquired on a specific area gives poor results in the east of the Paris Basin highly affected by the dryness hazards. It contrasts with Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) revealing precisely the seasonal behaviour of the displacements above swelling soils from a huge amount of radar images. Dryness events are correlated with swellings soils effects on damaged buildings thanks to the PSI profiles interpretation. This new application presents high potential to better understand the geologic processes and the natural hazard induced by swelling soils

Thesis (M. Tech. (Biomedical Technology)) -- Central University of Technology, Free State, [2014] / Pica is the habitual eating of non-food substances by humans and animals. It has different subgroups and these are defined by the ingested substance. Moreover, geophagia is a type of pica that refers to the consistent eating of mostly earth and earth-like substances such as clay and soil. It is observed in both sexes, all age groups and in different ethnic groups around the world. There are many reasons people give for the practice of geophagia, such as culture, hunger and health being the most prominent. Geophagic materials differ in texture, colour and taste. Soil colour classification according to the Munsell soil classification, which uses hues, values and chroma, sometimes differ with the soil colour being noticeable with the naked eye. However, geophagic clays from Qwa-Qwa are white and contain kaoline. Geophagic materials are believed to augment mineral deficiency, especially magnesium, calcium and iron. Geophagia is practised mainly by females, especially during their child bearing years. Females are more prone to iron deficiency anaemia due to their monthly menstruation cycle. Iron deficiency is the most common cause of anaemia and is classified as hypochromic microcytic anaemia (HMA). This study focused on the health aspect of geophagia. The research question seeks to explore whether there is an association between geophagia and the haematological parameters of iron deficiency anaemia. Geophagia seems to be linked with the occurrence of anaemia, but not iron deficiency anaemia, although it is implied. It is not known if the practice of geophagia causes iron deficiency anaemia or if it is because of iron deficiency anaemia that people practise geophagia. A pilot study was done in 2007, and the results of that study prompted that this study be performed on a bigger scale. The lack of information regarding the quantity, frequency and type of geophagic material consumed the impact of geophagia on haematological parameters and the iron status of the geophagists made it important that the primary existence of the iii relationship be investigated. In addition, research to establish whether there is a relationship between geophagia and haematological parameters of iron deficiency anaemia, has not been undertaken in South Africa, especially on non-pregnant women. Geophagia seems to always be accompanied by the subject of iron deficiency anaemia and especially its prevalence in females. The bigger geophagia project was therefore an ideal opportunity to do a specific survey on geophagic women. This was a cross-sectional study, consisting of 36 control women and 47 geophagic women, aged between 18-45 years. The participants completed a questionnaire to determine the geophagic practices, which included the colour of the clay, how frequent the clay was consumed, how much was consumed and for how long it has been consumed. Nutritional status was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. Blood was drawn to assess the haematological and iron status of the participants. The participants of the study were within the required age range, with no significant difference between the groups (p-value=0.7914). The most consumed colour of clay was white and white clay contains kaoline, which has the ability to absorb iron in the duodenum. The majority of the participants consumed 40 grams of clay on a daily basis, with most of the participants having done so for 5 years. Diet was ruled out as the cause of iron deficiency. The haematological parameters indicated that the geophagic group (43%) were inclined to have hypochromic microcytic anaemia, while a small percentage of control groups (8%) had HMA; this was revealed by the red cell parameters and red cell indices. In addition, the odds ratio for the haematological results revealed that the probability of a geophagic person developing anaemia was two times greater than that of a non-geophagic person. Platelet results partially ruled out bleeding as a cause of anaemia. The median red cell distribution width indicated that the iv geophagic group was inclined to have anisocytosis. The geophagic group was found to have iron deficiency (75%), whilst the control group had a small percentage with iron deficiency (22%), which was validated by the serum ferritin, serum iron and saturated transferrin (chemical analysis). The odds ratio revealed that the probability of a geophagic person being iron deficient is 3 times greater than that of a non-geophagic person. The strongest association is seen with iron study findings, because being iron deficient showed the highest odd ratio than the association with red cell morphology and even haemoglobin. Thus, participants were more iron deficient than suffering from iron deficiency anaemia. Inflammatory and parasitic indicators proved that inflammation and infection was uncommon in both groups, and therefore did not compromise the credibility of the iron study results. Inflammatory indicators (white blood cells, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein) ruled out inflammation, whilst eosinophil count showed no indication of parasitic infection for both geophagic and control groups. To conclude, the study found that an association exists between geophagia and haematological parameters of iron deficiency anaemia amongst geophagic women in Qwa-Qwa, in that geophagic material contributes to iron deficiency anaemia.

The present work is a contribution to description and understanding of the distribution and movement of water in swelling soils. In order to investigate the moisture distribution in swelling soils a detailed knowledge of volume change properties, flow characteristics and total potential of water in the soil is essential. Therefore, a possible volume change mechanism is first described by dividing the swelling soils into four categories and volume change of a swelling soil is measured under different overburden pressures. The measured and calculated (from volume change data) overburden potential components are used to check the validity of the derivation of a load factor, ∝. Moisture diffusivity in swelling soil under different overburden pressures is measured using Gardner's (1956) outflow method. Behaviour of equilibrium moisture profiles in swelling soils is theoretically explained, solving the differential equation by considering the physical variation of individual soil properties with moisture content and overburden pressure. Using the measured volume change data and moisture potentials under various overburden pressures, the behaviour of possible moisture profiles are described at equilibrium and under steady vertical flows in swelling soils. It is shown that high overburden pressures lead to soil water behaviour quite different from any previously reported.