PRACTICAL AID TO IDENTIFY AND EVALUATE PLASTICITY, SWELLING AND COLLAPSIBILITY OF THE SOIL ENCOUNTERED IN BADRAH, SHATRA AND NASSIRYA CITIES

Abstract

The plasticity properties of soil are sufficiently variable to offer a simple but practical aid toidentification. This can be done by using their Atterberg limit values as parameters for an identification chart.This paper attempts to identify and evaluate major soil types encountered within the areas of Badrah, Shatra andNassirya Cities based on a large number of laboratory test results conducted to determine its index and physicalproperties. A new line on plasticity chart was established and corresponding to the mean of more than threehundred plasticity tests. The swelling characteristics of investigated soil were evaluated using the classificationsystem developed by Savage (2007). Savage original chart was modified and new chart established at which theestimated gross plasticity index, using an advanced statistical analysis software package named "NumberCruncher Statistical System (NCSS)", with assistance of resulting functional relation and LL and PL can be usedto asses the suspect soil to swell quickly with no need to conducted sieve analysis test. New chart developed toidentify the collapsibility of the investigated soil according to Holtz and Hilf method. The LL and w were usedto evaluate the collapsibility of soil from the established limiting curves.