Lecture 10: Soils

Unconsolidated Mineral Material of Earth Crust

Definition
Sediments or other unconsolidated accumulations of solid
particles produced by the physical and chemical disintegration
of rocks which may or may not contain organic matter
The soil is non-homogeneous, porous and extremely variable in
its composition as well as in properties.
Unconsolidated Mineral Material of Earth Crust
Unconsolidated Mineral Material of Earth Crust
Composition of Soil
The soil may also contain air, water, organic
matter consisting of more or less decomposed
remains of plants and animal organism and other
substances which remain dispersed throughout the
mineral particles of the soil.
Unconsolidated Mineral Material of Earth Crust
Properties
➢Mineralogical Composition – tells about the minerals present in the soil.
➢Color of Soil – tells something about the plant nutrients that are found in the
soil
➢Texture of Soil – determined by the size of particles in the soil
➢Bearing Capacity of Soil – determines the bearing capacity of a particular soil
Unconsolidated Mineral Material of Earth Crust
Soil Color
➢The most obvious property when looking at soil is its
color.
➢Geologist officially recognize over 170 different soil
colors.
➢But the most common color of soils are shades of black,
brown, red and gray.
➢Generally speaking a darker color often indicates an
increase in decomposed organic matter known as humus
while red soil may indicate a lack of nutrients.
Unconsolidated Mineral Material of Earth Crust
Soil Texture
➢Soil texture is an important physical property of the soil. As
it will provide information about:
➢Size of the particles That distinguishing characteristics of
three type of soil formed by weathered rock (Sand, Silt and
clay) is the size of their particles.
➢How easily water flows through it
➢ Its water holding capacity and thereby sustain plant
growth.
➢The size of particles that make up each type of soil
determines the size of the pores between the particles. The
pores in the soil hold air and water.
Unconsolidated Mineral Material of Earth Crust
Types of Soil
1. Gravel and shingle
➢This type of soil consists of particles of coarse material resulting from the
disintegration of rocks and often transported by water from their original
source.
➢Size of particles varies from 3mm to 200mm.
➢The stone particles having size more than 200mm are termed as boulders.
Characteristics
➢Gravel or shingle does not swell when wet and does not shrink when dry.
➢It has great strength to bear the loads coming over it and does not settle, under
the load.
Unconsolidated Mineral Material of Earth Crust
Types of Soil
1. Gravel and shingle
Suitability
➢Gravel and shingle provides a good foundation surface.
➢It is suitable for foundation of all types of structures.
Unconsolidated Mineral Material of Earth Crust
Types of Soil
2. Sand
➢ Angular or rounded grains of silica
➢ Particles visible without microscope
Characteristics
➢Sand is cohesion less i.e. does non stick together in a mass unless it is very wet.
➢It is not affected by the action of frost.
➢It does not swell when moist nor shrink when dry and don’t allow water to rise up
by capillary action.
Unconsolidated Mineral Material of Earth Crust
Types of Soil
2. Sand
Suitability
➢Coarse sand provides a good foundation surface provided it
is prevented from slipping or escaping from the under
surface of the foundation concrete.
➢But the fine dry sand or that saturated with water, is not
good for foundation.
Unconsolidated Mineral Material of Earth Crust
Types of Soil
3.Silt
➢It is a finer variety of soil often formed by erosion of glaciers.
➢Particles not visible without a microscope.
Characteristics:
➢Silt is relatively impervious.
➢It has slight tendency towards swelling and shrinkage; feels smooth when wet
that is have slower drainage than sand.
➢It is not as superior as sand and is found in beds of rivers, canals, reservoirs etc.
Unconsolidated Mineral Material of Earth Crust
Types of Soil
3.Silt
Suitability
➢Silt is used for under floor filling.
➢Silt is not considered as a good foundation material.
Unconsolidated Mineral Material of Earth Crust
Types of Soil
4.Clay
➢It is composed of microscopic and sub-microscopic particles of weathered
rocks.
Characteristics:
➢Clay is very powdery when dry while very sticky and slippery when wet.
➢Clay swells and becomes heavy when water is added while becomes hard,
shrinks and cracks when the water evaporates.
➢It is a cohesive type of soil and can be molded into any shape.
➢It consolidates under loads and may cause settlement of the structure.
Unconsolidated Mineral Material of Earth Crust
Types of Soil
4.Clay
Suitability
➢This soil should be carefully studied before providing
foundation of the structure over such soil because clay is
very difficult to excavate when it is dry or very heavily
saturated.
➢However it is suitable for foundation of ordinary and
light buildings.
Unconsolidated Mineral Material of Earth Crust
Types of Soil
5. Alluvial Soil
➢This is a transported soil which is carried away by forces of water e.g. river
deposits.
➢Soil particles get mixed with soils of different origin. When velocity of water
is reduced, the large sized particles start settling down. On further reduction
of velocity of water, still smaller fraction separates out.
➢Thus the alluvial soils are usually sorted out according to grain size before
being finally deposited.
Characteristics
➢Alluvial soil is plastic but consolidates under loads.
Unconsolidated Mineral Material of Earth Crust
Types of Soil
5. Alluvial Soil
➢It is a cohesive soil.
➢It cracks on drying.
Suitability
This type of soil is also suitable as a foundation bed for
light structures.
Unconsolidated Mineral Material of Earth Crust
Types of Soil
6.Reclaimed soil
➢This is also known as made up soil.
➢This type of soil consist of ballast ,ashes, refuses, old iron pieces etc. used for
filling the low lying areas.
Characteristics
➢Reclaimed soil is usually porous in nature.
➢Its bearing strength is very low.
Suitability
➢This type of soil is not suitable for laying or constructing structures over it.
Soil Exploration
Definition
The field or laboratory investigation of the strata lying below ground level to
obtain the necessary data of ground for the safe and economical design of
foundation of different structures is called subsurface investigation.
➢The design of a foundation system requires professional analysis and design
by a qualified structural engineer.
➢When designing anything other than a single family dwelling on stable soil, it
is also advisable to have a geotechnical engineer.
➢Geotechnical engineer undertake a sub surface investigation in order to
determine the type and size of foundation system required for the building
system.
➢Bearing capacities for different types of subsoil may be obtained directly
from soil investigation results.
Soil Exploration
Objectives
➢To know the thickness and variation in composition of soil strata with depth
at the site.
➢To find the level of ground water table and its effect on the soil strata.
➢To know the depth and composition of the rocky base expected to support the
foundation.
➢To find the engineering properties and composition of the soil strata that
affect the design of foundation.
Soil Exploration
Types of Subsurface Investigation
Preliminary investigation can be of two types:
➢Shallow exploration usually used for light structures, highways, railways etc.
➢Deep exploration used for dams, bridges, tall buildings, heavy industrial
structures etc.
Methods of Subsurface Investigation
1. Probing /Sounding Method
2. Test Pit Method
3. Auger Borings
4. Geophysical Method
5. Deep Boring Method
Capacity of Soil to Support The Load
Definition
➢The maximum load which the soil can take per unit area without yielding or
displacement is called ultimate bearing capacity of the soil.
➢The stability of a structure depends upon the strength of soil, which is
expressed as bearing capacity usually in terms of tonne/sqm.
➢Each soil has its own bearing capacity.
➢The working bearing capacity of the soil, which is considered for design is
known as safe bearing capacity of the soil.
➢Safe bearing capacity = Ultimate bearing capacity/ factor of safety
➢Factor of safety may be 2 or 3
For Your Patience And Strength