PROPERTIES OF DESERT SILTY SOIL IN RELATION TO VEHICLE MOBILITY

Desert soils covering wadis (valleys) as well as small hills in the wadis are formed from silty-sand soils. A significant part of these soils are wind blown dediments and may be classified as losses. In this study, it was found that the soil in the wadis contains varying amounts of clay, gypsum and salty materials which act as a binder between the soil particles. In their dry state, these soils are brittle, porous and sensitive to moisture and deformation. Laboratory examination of these soils showed that they lost most of their bearing resistance and shear strength upon wetting or deformation. The reduction in bearing resistance and shear strength for these soils was investigated using the plate loading test, the cone penetration test and the direct shear test. The decreases for bearing resistance and shear strength were found to vary significantly and at times reached close to 90 percent of the values found in their dry and undisturbed state. In addition the corresponding reduction in trafficability parameters were analyzed based on the reduction of soil strength due to wetting.

• Corporate Authors:

  King Saud University

  College of Engineering, P.O. Box 800
  Riyadh,   Saudi Arabia  11421
• Authors:
  • Youssef, AFA
• Publication Date: 1984-8

Media Info

• Pagination: 17 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cone penetrometers; Deserts; Mobility; Plate bearing test; Porosity; Reduction (Chemistry); Shear strength; Shear tests; Silty sands; Strength of materials; Wetting
• Old TRIS Terms: Bearing pads; Reduction
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Vehicles and Equipment; I41: General Soil Surveys;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00396788
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 28 1986 12:00AM