AN ENGINEERING CLASSIFICATION FOR CERTAIN BASALT-DERIVED LATERITIC SOILS

Engineering classifications which are useful for "temperate" zone soils usually fail to predict the field performance of lateritic soils, because the index tests upon which the classifications are based are not always reproducible for lateritic soils. Undisturbed and disturbed samples of twelve lateritic soils from Hawaii and Puerto Rico, all derived from basalt but representing various stages of weathering were subjected to engineering and mineralogic tests. The specific gravity of the solids increases as the degree of weathering increases; and both strength and void ratio exhibit systematic trends with increased weathering. These results suggest a classification based upon specific gravity and void ratio. Soils with specific gravities less than 3.05 and void ratios greater than 1.25 have low cohesion (less than 20 psi) and low internal friction angles (less than 35 deg); whereas soils with void ratios between 1.25 and 0.9 have higher cohesions. Still greater values for cohesion and friction angles are noted in soils with void ratios lower than 0.9. Soils with specific gravities greater than 3.05 and void ratios greater than 1.25 have low cohesion but high friction angles. Thus by measuring the void ratio and specific gravity of these soils one can estimate their strength. /Author/TRRL/

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00137952
• Corporate Authors:

  Elsevier

  Radarweg 29
  Amsterdam,   Netherlands  1043 NX
• Authors:
  • Tuncer, E R
  • Lohnes, R A
• Publication Date: 1977-12

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 319-339
• Serial:
  • ENGINEERING GEOLOGY
  • Volume: 11
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0013-7952

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Basalt; Classification; Coefficient of internal friction; Cohesion; Density; Engineering soils; Forecasting; Index tests; Laterites; Lateritic soils; Porosity; Soil types; Soils; Specific gravity; Strength of materials; Tests; Void ratios
• Uncontrolled Terms: Soil classification
• Old TRIS Terms: Soils engineering
• ITRD Terms: 8513: Classification; 5903: Cohesion; 5908: Density; 132: Forecast; 4138: Laterite; 5938: Porosity; 4156: Soil; 5544: Strength (mater); 6255: Test
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00173315
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Report/Paper Numbers: Analytic
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: May 3 1978 12:00AM