Empirical Modeling on Swell Pressure of Clay using Index Properties

Abstract. Expansive soils undergo volume expansion, when it gains moisture content. Light structures constructed on this type of soil will be lifted by the upward swell pressure. Swelling characteristics decides the degree of safety of structures resting on expansive soil strata. Predicting the swell pressure of the soil consumes nearly 5 days of time (variable with respect to soil potential) in the laboratory as well as needs expensive testing setup. In our study, a correlation is proposed to develop for swell pressure using the index properties of soils namely liquid limit and plastic limit, which shall be assessed at the laboratory relatively short period of time. Swelling Pressure tests by Free Swell Method are performed on dynamically compacted 20 remolded soil samples collected within Coimbatore Corporation limit. The study area is between the four coordinates of 11008'49.25'' N 76053'36.28'' E, 11012’05.58’’ N76055'57.84'' E, 10059'16.52'' N 76052'17.47'' E, 10057'00.59'' N 76057'43.71'' E. Laboratory experimental data given as input in MATLAB gives satisfactory results and correlation is extracted from curve fitting method.