1

SETTLEMENT ANALYSIS OF CLAY SOILS THROUGH REGRESSION

Joardes Almeida Bastos1, Fernanda Martins Cavalcante de Melo2, Oscar Khoiti Ueno3,
Vanessa Gentil de Oliveira Almeida4, Herbet Alves de Oliveira5*
Federal Institute of Sergipe – Campus Estância, Av. João Alves Filho, 260, CEP 49200-000,
Brazil1,2,4,5
State University of Santa Catarina - CEPLAN - Rua Luiz Fernando Hastreiter, 180 -
Centenário, São Bento do Sul - SC, 89283-081, Brazil3

email:joardest@gmail.com; fernanda.melo@ifs.edu.br2; oscar.ueno@udesc.br3;

vanessa.gentil@hotmail.com4; herbet.oliveira@ifs.edu.br5*;

Corresponding author*:herbet.oliveira@ifs.edu.br

ABSTRACT

Soil settlement is one of the phenomena that most frighten engineers, especially in clayey soils, as
they are normally plastic, which makes it difficult to eliminate water when subjected to loads. The
present work aims to evaluate the correlation between the properties of different plastic soils, in
saturated and unsaturated conditions, with different characteristics, settlement, and densification
stress, using multiple regression. Three clays from the state of Sergipe, Brazil, were used in the
work. The samples were characterized by particle size analysis, plasticity index, apparent (Asm)
and real (Rsm) specific mass, X-ray diffractometry (XRD), chemical analysis by X-Ray
fluorescence (RXF), organic and hygroscopicity matter content. Cylindrical specimens of 20 mm in
diameter and 20 mm in height were obtained for the analysis in the unsaturated state, in an axial
press, using tension from 30 MPa to 120 MPa and specimens of 60 mm in diameter by 20 mm in
height for the saturated odometric test. The results of the granulometry and plasticity index tests
showed that it is possible to establish a correlation with settlement in unsaturated and saturated
soils.

Keywords: soil, consolidation, settlement, clays

INTRODUCTION
Due to the diversity of existing soils in nature and the enormous difference in behavior
between them, it is extremely important to carry out a good investigation of the subsoil for the
analysis of the settlement forecast, caused by loads that the soil was submitted to in compaction
services (Aoki, 1994). According to Logeais (1982), in his work on cases of pathologies in
foundations studied in France, he observed that around 80% of the problems resulted from a lack of
knowledge about the characteristics of the soil and, above all, settlement.
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Probing and understanding the behavior of the soil when subjected to compaction are essential
for predicting settlement, especially where there is soft soil, saturated or not, to reduce pathologies
of foundations (Militishy, 2011).
Several theories assume that soil is a linearly elastic material with constant compressibility.
However, the soil is a non-linear material with changing permeability and compressibility during
the consolidation process (Chu et al., 2002). The nonlinear consolidation behavior of soft soil has
been extensively studied by several authors (Lekha et al., 2003; Arnod., 1996; Abbasi et al., 2007).
The consolidation process depends on the depth of the soil, and models with a polynomial function
were developed (Schiffman and Gibson, 1964; Barden and Berry, 1965). In addition, one-
dimensional consolidation models were also developed taking into account soil stratification and
secondary consolidation of soils in the unsaturated state (Magnan et al., 1979). Additionally, Andres
(2021) proposed a framework numerical and experimental model of monitoring compaction stress
in a direct comparison not only of surface deformations but also of a view of the evolution of state
variables within the partially saturated soil layer.
Tovey, (1973), carried out studies in which they related the behavior of the microstructure of
soft clay in the process of consolidation and its relationship with the change in the microstructure of
the clay, and it was observed that soils where an applied load was high, this load caused a change in
the shape of the soil.
For the dimensioning of a settlement, the density coefficient is fundamental, being used
mainly in saturated clay layers (Binh, 2018). The same can be determined in laboratories, however,
it is a time-consuming and extensive task. Thus, the anticipated forecast must be considered, that is,
using mathematical correlations between the results of soil properties to determine this coefficient
(Narasimha et al, 1995).
These methods have gained a lot of popularity over the last decade as the Mamta et al. (2021)
method, which related multiple regression and neural networks to predict soil consolidation. Clay
soils are usually plastic, resulting from the presence of organic matter or the type of clay mineral
present in its composition, such as illite and montmorillonite. In turn, these are soils that experience
high settlement when subjected to loads for compaction (Santos, 1989; Berberian, 2015).
Studies of the soil compaction process have shown that different classes have different
behaviors when subjected to the compaction process, due to several factors, such as compaction
energy, texture, organic matter content, and geological history of the soil or due to handling the soil
has been subjected to in the past (Dias Junior; Pierce, 1996; Silva; Libardi; Camargo, 1986).
Mathematical models have been developed, trying to explain the relationship between soil
deformation and its properties, such as the work of Andres (2021) that created a mathematical
model relating compaction with deformation that shows that plastic soils deform more but take
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longer. In addition to compacted soils, permeability is influenced by density and pore size. Gao
(2021); Suravi et al. (2021) and Braja (2007) investigated compacted soils with different
percentages of organic matter and liquidity limit and concluded that, for the same applied pressure,
fewer plastic soils and with a lower liquidity limit have a lower void index, observed by Ruiling et
al. (2021) in his studies on the consolidation of peat with a high content of organic material.
In this project, the investigation was carried out on clays that present differences in the
plasticity index in the fines content below 2µm, specific mass, and chemical and mineralogical
composition, which favors the understanding of the mathematical models that relate the properties
to the settlement.

2. Materials and methods

The collection and preparation of samples were carried out according to the flowchart in
Figure 1, which shows the steps developed.

Sample collection

Drying
45±oC 24h

Characterization Tests
Quartering and
Milling RXF
XRD
ASM and RSM
Sieving (0.074
mm) Particle size analysis
Plasticity index
Sieving Organic matter
(0.42mm) Hygroscopicity

Preparation of the Characterization Tests

specimen
Void index
Moisture

Axial compression
and one- Results analysis
dimensional
compaction tests

Figure 1: Flowchart of the material preparation process and settlement analysis

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2.1 Collection of samples

The location and appearance of the clays used in this work are shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Figure 2: Location region of the state of Sergipe clay

The soils come from deposits in three cities in the state of Sergipe, northeastern Brazil. The
clays were identified according to their coloration: red clay (1) located in the municipality of
Estância on the southern coast of the state, black clay (organic) (2) located in the city of
Itabaianinha in the Rio Real valley region, and yellow clay (3) located in the municipality of
Laranjeiras in the east of the state of Sergipe -Brasil.

Figure 3: Aspect of the studied clays

2.2 Sample Preparation

Samples of approximately 5kg of each type of soil to be analyzed were collected. The samples
were submitted to drying in an oven at temperatures of 45 ±5 ºC for 48 h. Afterward, the samples
were ground manually in a mortar and then passed through grinding in a ball mill to reduce the
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particle size. The milled samples were passed about 1kg in a sieve (0.074 mm) to carry out
technological laboratory tests. The rest of the samples passed through the sieve (0.42 mm) for
making specimens. The preparation was based on the procedures of Amoros (1998).

2.3 Soil characterization tests

2.3.1 Particle size analysis

The sieving followed by the sedimentation method was used to determine the particle size
distribution, in accordance with the standards, NBR 7181, ABNT (2018), ASTM D422-63 (2016).

2.3.2 Plasticity index

The liquidity (LL) and plasticity (PL) limits were obtained according to the NBR 7180,
ABNT 2016 and NBR 6459, ABNT (2017), and ASTM D4318. The plasticity index (PI) is the
result of the difference between the liquidity limits and the plasticity limit, according to Equation 1.

PI = LL - PL (1)

2.3.3 Organic matter

Organic matter can influence the increase in the plasticity of clays, favoring compaction,
making it difficult to eliminate free water. The organic matter content was determined according to
the standard ASTM D 2974 (1992).

2.3.4 Chemical analysis by RXF

To determine the chemical composition of clays, the percentages of oxides in the clay samples
were determined through semi-quantitative measurements using the X-ray fluorescence (RXF)
technique. The measurements were performed in vacuum, in Bruker equipment, model S4 Pioneer,
using samples with a mass around 10g, which were pressed in the shape of cylindrical bodies with a
diameter of 20mm and thickness of approximately 3mm (Celik, 2010).

2.3.5 Mineralogical characterization

To perform X-ray diffraction the samples were dried in an oven at a temperature of 105±5 ºC
for 24 h and subsequently passed through a sieve with a 0.177mm opening. An X-Ray Diffractometer,
model 6000, manufactured by SHIMADZU equipment was used, in the Cu Kα1 radiation condition (λ =
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1.5418 Å) in continuous scan mode, in an angular interval from 5 to 70º (2θ), with a 2º/min scan
speed. The identification of crystal structures was determined according to the patterns obtained
from the ICSD (Inorganic Crystal Structure Database) database and analyzed by the Match
software, Demo version (Boussen, 2016).

2.3.6 Hygroscopicity

Hygroscopicity was performed by weighing about 10g of each clay passed through a 0.42
mm sieve, which were spread on a watch glass and placed in a room with a relative humidity of
about 80%, for 7 days. Hygroscopicity (Hi) was measured by Eq. 2, where Pi is the weight of the
dry sample, and Pf is the weight of the sample exposed to moisture.

( Pf −Pi )
( % ) Hi= x 100 (2)
Pi

2.3.7 Actual specific mass

The actual specific mass was obtained through the pycnometer test, according to NBR
6458:2017, and DNER/94 and ASTM D 854-2 (2016)

2.3.8 Preparation of samples for axial compression test

The clays were moistened with the aid of a sprinkler, with humidity of 5, 10, and 15%, were
homogenized with a spatula in trays, and passed through a 1.0 mm sieve to adjust the particle size.
Specimens were prepared with a mass of 7g and were formed into a cylindrical form with a
diameter of 20mm and 20mm in height. For each soil sample, they were pressed, in an axial press,
about 10 specimens for each moisture, using a pressure of 30, 60, 120 MPa for each moisture. After
pressing, the samples were weighed on a DIGIMET brand electronic scale, model KN-500, with a
precision of 0.01 g. Then they were dried in an oven at a temperature of 105±5 oC for 24h.
Afterward, they were weighed again and their dimensions were determined with an analog caliper
with a precision of 0.05 mm. Moisture and then the void index were determined using Eq 3, where
eo is the void index, GR actual specific mass, and Ys apparent specific mass.

GR
e o= −1 (3)
Ys
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2.3.9 One-dimensional densification test

The conventional incremental loading compaction test was carried out by means of an
adaptation of the standard NBR 16853:2020. The test was carried out with saturated samples. Three
samples were tested with 100g of soil. The sample was weighed with a precision of 0.1g and then
the densification cell was prepared, following the sequence: rigid base, lower porous stone, filter
paper, specimen contained in the ring, filter paper, and upper porous stone. The equipment used was
the compaction machine, as illustrated in Figure 4.

Figure 4: Condensing machine

The load applied to the soil, as well as the reading of the exposure time used is shown in
Table 1. In Table 1, for each load presented in Kg, the deformation readings were taken in the
compaction machine for readings of at least 8s and max 1day (24 h).

Table 1: Table of applied loads and time applied to soils

1704
0
Load (Kg) 2210 4500 9040
da deformatio
y hour min seg n Reading
- - - 0
- - - 8
- - - 15
- - - 30
- - 1 -
- - 2 -
- - 5 -
- - 10 -
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- - 30 -
- 1 - -
- 2 - -
- 4 - -
8 - -
1 - - -

The initial void index was calculated using a drying test. The void ratio under each set
pressure is calculated by Equation 4, where ei is the void ratio under set pressure i, Δhi is the change
in height of the soil sample under set pressure i, and h 0 is the initial height of the specimen of soil.
The results of the following macroscopic tests are obtained from the mean values of three parallel
tests.

(4)

2.3.10 Settlement

Settlement (S) can be calculated using Equation 5, where H is the height of the soft soil layer
to be analyzed and∆ e is the variation of the void index, and is the initial soil void index.

H .∆e
S= (5)
1+e o

2.3.11 Statistical analysis

One of the challenges of the study is to correlate the technological properties of soils with
settlement and consolidation stress. For this, multiple regression available in the Excel 2019
software was used, which consists of a model in which the dependent variable (Y) will be
determined by more than one independent variable (X), available in the Excel program. Generically,
a multiple linear regression model with k independent variables and p parameters (p=k+1) can be
represented by Equation 6. Where the variables X1 was the organic matter (OM) content, X2- fines
content % < 0.002 mm of each soil, X3- Plasticity index (PI) of each soil; X4-Packing factor (PF),
and the 𝛽 variables were obtained in the multiple linear regression program.

Y= 𝛽o +𝛽1 X1 + 𝛽2 X2 ..... 𝛽k Xk + ε (6)

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Y- Dependent variable;
𝛽O- constant in the program
1- is the expected variation in Y given a unit increment in X 1, keeping all other independent
variables constant;
k - is the expected variation in Y given a unit increment in Xk, keeping all other independent
variables constant;
ε is the random error;

Thus, after determining the soil characteristics regarding Asm, Rsm, particle size analysis,
and the percentage of fines, PI, and OM, the relationship with settlement and consolidation stress
was evaluated.

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

3.1 Chemical analysis

The chemical composition of the clays is shown in Table 2. The most abundant oxides in the
studied samples were SiO2 (52.0 -59.3%) followed by Al2O3 (18.0 -28.9%), Fe2O3 (7.9- 9.2%), and
K2O (1.36-3.70). The SiO2 /Al2O3 ratio ranged from 1.99 to 2.89. The SiO2 /Al2O3 ratio > 2%, is
indicative of an excess of SiO2 in the samples and may indicate the presence of free quartz
(Bennour et al, 2015). Thus, yellow and organic clays may have a higher percentage of free quartz.
The iron (III) oxide content may be related to the increased intensity of the reddish-brown color that
may suggest the presence of goethite, which was only evidenced in the red clay, as also observed in
the work of (Philbert, 2020).
The highest observed mass loss values (7.0-10.08%) are related to the dehydroxylation of clay
minerals, matter oxidation, and hydroxide decomposition, which was evidenced in all clays (Celik,
2010). Yellow clay highlights the presence of CaO characteristic of soils of marine origin, due to
the presence of CaCO3 (Zanelli et al, 2015).
To assess the degree of weathering that the soil was subjected to, the chemical alteration
index (CAI), represented by Equation 7, was used. Lower CAI values indicate insufficient
weathering, and higher values stipulate particularly chemically activated weathering. If the index
value is greater than 90%, then it means that significant changes have occurred (Rahman et al,
2007).

CAI= [%Al2O3 / % (Al2O3 +CaO+ K2O +Na2O)] * 100 (7)

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Regarding the CAI, the clays were 93.5% red, 79.9% organic, and yellow whose value was 78%.
Thus, only the red clay suffered intense weathering.

Table 2: Chemical analysis (%)

Soil PI Na2 Mg Al2O SiO2 P2O SO3 K2O Ca TiO2 Fe2O ZrO SiO2 /Al2O3
O O 3 5 O 3 2

Red 10.0 - 0.66 26.0 51.8 0.20 0.42 1.20 0.59 1.24 7.72 0.07 1.99
1 0
Organic 8.0 1.95 1.97 21.2 54.5 0.20 0.25 1.79 1.72 0.00 8.48 0.00 2.56
4 8
Yellow 7.0 1.40 3.10 16.7 48.3 - - 3.44 12.1 1.00 7.34 - 2.89
4 6

3.2 X-ray diffractometry

Figure 5 shows the X-ray diffraction analysis of the clays used in the work. Free quartz is
present in all clays. According to Carvalho et al (2015), Celik (2010), quartz is mainly associated
with granular particles, with low physical-chemical activity as a characteristic, causing it to
participate in a negligible way in moisture retention, but which influences the reduction of
plasticity. Another clay mineral in abundance in the three clays is illite. Illite has higher plasticity
than kaolinite with a structure similar to montmorillonite, in addition to providing K 2O alkalis
(Celik, 2010).

The yellow clay stands out for presenting montmorillonite, a clay mineral that according to
(Santos, 2016 et al; Santos, 1989) its main characteristic is its ability to absorb water molecules,
swell in the presence of water, and provide high plasticity to the soil. The presence of carbonates,
typical of marine soils, was also observed in the yellow clay (Soares et al 2012).

Organic and red clays, on the other hand, consist of clay minerals such as kaolinite, which is
stable in the presence of water, however, kaolinite, due to its structure in the form of plates, may, in
the interaction between particles, undergo contraction or expansion when subjected to energy
variations such as applied stress and suction (Carvalho et al, 2015). Also noteworthy is the presence
of vermiculite in yellow and organic soils.
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Figure 5: Soil X-ray diffractometry pattern

3.3 Physical characterization of soils

Table 3 and Figure 6 show the results of the physical characterization of clays. Regarding
particle size, according to Santos (1989), the greater the percentage of particles below 0.002mm, the
greater the probability of presenting high plasticity. The higher percentage of fines can also favor
greater mechanical strength and make it difficult for the water to flow out. The red soil is the
thinnest, as it has about 45% passing through the 0.002mm opening, while the organic 20% and the
yellow 6.8%. In turn, the presence of contaminants, such as sand, favors the reduction of plasticity,
such as the yellow soil, which had 22.5% of sand in its composition. (Maestrelli, 2013).
Regarding the actual specific mass, the red soil was the one with the highest percentage of
OM, which can influence the reduction of the specific mass as presented in the work of Ribeiro
(2007) and Franklin et al (1973).
Regarding PI, the lowest plasticity index PI (13.6%) was obtained in yellow clay, because
according to the particle size analysis, it is the soil that presented the lowest number of fines passing
through the opening 0.002 mm (6.8%) in relation to the others, in addition to presenting a lower
level of organic matter (3%). In turn, the red and organic soils had high PI, respectively (43%) and
(41%), due to the high organic matter content of both and high fines content respectively (47.4%)
and (64%). According to Maestrelli (2013), soils whose PI > 15 are highly plastic such as red and
organic clay. Yellow clay (13.6%) is classified as having medium plasticity.
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Table 3: Physical characterization of soils

Particle size analysis (%)

Soil Clay Silt Sand Rsm Asm PF OM PI

<0.002 (mm) (0.002- (0.06-2) (g.cm-3) (g.cm-3) (%) (%) (%)
0.06) mm
mm
Red 45.7 47.4 7.2 2.64 1.34 50.8 8.4 43.0
Organic 20.0 64.0 16.0 2.68 1.16 43.3 7.3 41.0
yellow 6.8 70.7 22.5 2.71 1.15 42.2 3.0 13.6

RSM- real specific mass; ASM- apparent specific mass; PF- packing factor; OM- organic matter; PI-
Plasticity Index

Figure 6: Particle size distribution of clays

According to Holtz and Kovac diagram (Chakchouk 2006), shown in Figure 7, yellow clay
falls under moderate plasticity while organic and red clay falls under high plasticity.
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Figure 7: Holts and Kovac diagram (Chakchouk, 2006)

3.4 Analysis of unsaturated clays by axial compression

3.4.1 Analysis of the axial compression test on clays in the unsaturated state

The red soil had the lowest void index (eo)1.0, the organic soil 1.3, and the yellow 1.4. The
lowest index observed in the red soil was due to the fact that it presents a greater amount of fines in
the particle size analysis, which favored presenting the greatest packing, reducing the index and, in
turn, may favor the reduction of settlement when subjected to loads according to the work of
(Narassimba, 1995).
According to Figures 8 and 9, all soils suffered an exponential index reduction when
submitted to a pressure of 30 MPa. However, the greatest variation occurred in the red soil (50%),
followed by organic soil (61.3%), and yellow soil (71.4%). The greatest variation in the yellow soil
is due to its lower PF, lower fines content, and greater amount of sand. Above the pressure of 30
MPa, the variations were insignificant, as the deformation of the soils was probably already
consolidated. When subjected to 15% moisture, these soils reached saturation and great
deformation, which made it impossible to completely perform the axial compression test. Changes
in soil water content may occur during and/or after the compaction procedure. Muhanna et al.
(1998) studied the influence of water content on the permanent deformation of clayey sand.
 14

The results showed that the higher the water content level, the greater the accumulated
permanent deformation. Puppala et al. (1999) also presented relevant results on silty clayey soil.
The results showed a similar nonlinear model of Arnod et al (1996).

Figure 8: Void index x compaction pressure analysis

Figure 9: Void index x compaction pressure analysis

3.4.2 Settlement in unsaturated soils

In Table 4, the settlement was simulated in the studied soils, considering a height of 1m with
tension variation from 0.1 to 30 MPa. The largest settlements were observed in yellow (0.22 m) and
organic (0.21 m) clays followed by red (0.16 m) which are related to the packing factor PF. The
value of PF was lower in red clay (50.8%) followed by organic (43.3%) and yellow (41.1%). The
 15

higher the PF, the better the granulometric arrangement, the greater the amount of sand, in addition
to the presence of accessory minerals, which favored the reduction of settlement, as in the red clay.

Table 4: Settlement in unsaturated soil

Ground eo ef e Settlement
(m)
Red 1.0 0.51 0.29 0.16
Organic 1,2 0.60 0.42 0.21
Yellow 1.4 0.60 0.46 0.22
Caption: eo – initial void index; ef - Final void index

3.5 Multiple Linear Regression Analysis

In Table 5, the results obtained from the tests of technological soil characterization were
organized, to estimate the settlement S considering a depth of 1m of soft soil. Then, it was analyzed
in the Excel 2019 Regression program. The Y variable is the desired or dependent one and the other
data are X variables and are related to soil properties.

Table 5: Results of soil characterization tests

X1 X2 X3 X4 X5 Y
Soil OM Fines PI PF Clay S (m)
(%) (%) (%) (%) (%)
Red 8.4 45.4 43.2 50.8 45.4 0.16
Organic 7.3 20.0 41.1 43.3 20.0 0.21
yellow 3.0 6.8 13.6 42.2 6.8 0.22
Caption: OM-organic matter; PI- plasticity index; PF-packaging factor; S-settlement;

Table 6 shows the results of the analysis of the correlation between soil properties and
settlement. It can be observed that the R-multiple and square presented a value of 1, meaning that
there is a one hundred percent correlation between the properties. However, it was observed that of
the selected variables, the PF and MO presented a zero coefficient, therefore, it has no impact on the
results. Thus, only the fines index and the Plasticity index impact the settlement.
 16

Table 6: Summary of excel analysis results.

R -multiple R-square Error Multiple Coefficient

Regression
1 1 0 Intersection 0.235067
Fines −0.00114
PI −0.00054

Thus, the proposed correlation is according to Equation 8, where S=Settlement

S=¿0.235067 -0.00114 (%) fines - 0.00054 (%) PI (8)

Through multiple regression, the value of soil settlements can be predicted, similar to the work of

Yiming (2021)

3.6 Analysis of the one-dimensional densification test

When performing the analysis in saturated soils by means of the odometric test, the curves of

tension x soil void index were raised. From the graph shown in Figure 10, it is possible to survey

the densification stress using the Pacheco method (Caputo, 2011), where red clay: 750 KPa, yellow

clay: 200 KPa, and organic clay: 180 KPa were obtained.

Performing the multiple regression analysis, in which consolidation is the dependent variable

Y and X1 to X5 the independent variations are shown in Table 6. Thus, Equation 10 was obtained,

in which it was found that only the percentage of fines and plasticity index PI, has an impact on the

consolidation stress as shown in Table 7. The results are in accordance with the work of (Yiming,

2021; Lorentz, 2018).

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Table 7: Summary of excel analysis results.

R -multiple R-square Error Multiple Coefficient

Regression
1 1 0 Intersection 14.14018
Fines 6.112671
PI 10.60983

Y= 14.14018 + 6.112671 (%) Fine + 10.60983 PI (%) (10)

Figure 10: Odometric soil densification test

4. CONCLUSIONS

When starting the research work to better understand the behavior of clayey soils to analyze
the prediction of settlement and prevention of possible pathological manifestations in civil
construction, the characterization of the soils was carried out.
Regarding the chemical analysis of clays, the highlight was the yellow clay, which presented
12% of CaO, which indicates the presence of carbonates and which influenced the reduction of
plasticity in the soil that has montmorillonite in its composition.
Regarding the properties proposed to evaluate settlement in the unsaturated situation with 5
and 10% moisture, it was observed that only the percentage of fines and plasticity index had an
impact, certainly because they directly affect the settlement.
 18

Plasticity was higher in red (46%) and organic (41.1%) clay, they are considered to have high
plasticity due to the presence of OM, as well as the high fines index.
Additionally, in the condition of saturated soils, similarly, only the percentage of fines and
plasticity index impacted consolidation.
We believe that only by performing these two tests it is possible to very accurately determine
the consolidation coefficient for saturated soils and settlement for unsaturated soils.
Declaration of interests

The authors declare that they have no known competing interests or personal relationships that
could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Author Contributions

Herbet Alves de Oliveira - performed experimental procedures and did the writing - original draft
Joardes Bastos -performed experimental procedures
Oscar Khoiti Ueno – Review
Fernanda Martins C. de Melo and Vanessa Gentil de Almeida Oliveira – Review

Acknowledgment

The authors are grateful for the Multi-User Facility infrastructure from Santa Catarina State
University's Technological Sciences Center.

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