Experimental correlations for the Swelling pressure of expansive clays in the city of Tebessa, Algeria

Abstract

This paper aims to describe the dependency of the swelling pressure (Ps) of Tebessa clay soils to the conventional soil properties namely; Plasticity index (PI), dry density (γd), initial moisture content (W) and carbonate content (Ca). A statistical model, capable of obtaining an indirect estimation of Ps based on these soil parameters, is provided. High correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.93 demonstrated predictability of swelling, using multiple regression modeling. Although the above-mentioned parameters play important roles in the swelling behavior of the clayey soils, there is not any universally accepted, simple and quantitative method to classify swelling pressure at present. The equation, proposed in this paper, helps the engineers with evaluating soil pressure in practice. In addition, it can be popularized when environment conditions are satisfied for application in field explorations and design of structures over expansive soils.