Erbil Polytechnic University

Erbil Technical Engineering College

Highway Engineering Department

Foundation on difficult soils:

Expansive soil

Prepared by: Helan Adnan

Supervised by: MSc. Ali Barznji

2022 – 2023
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Content
 Introduction

 Why Do Soil Expand

 Problems with Expansive Soils

 Foundation on expansive soil

 The Signs of Soil Expansion and Shrinkage

 The best foundation type for expansive soil

 Methods of Foundation Practices

 Expansive soil treatment

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Introduction
Soil engineers did not recognize the problem of expansive soils until 1930. The increasingly extensive use of concrete slab on ground construction after
1940 has further increased the damage to the structure caused by expansive soils. Potentially expansive soils can be found almost anywhere in the world.
The countries in which expansive soils have been reported as follows: Argentina, Cuba, India, Spain, Australia, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Burma,
Israel, Mexico, Turkey, Canada, Iran, Rhodesia and U.S.A. In India, the expansive soil is called Black Cotton Soil, which covers 300,000 sq.km widely.

Soils can be divided into four main types: clays, sands, chalk soils and loams. each have special
charac¬teristics that can make them difficult soils and it may take several years to turn them into
easily-managed growing mediums. ‘Difficult’ means those that may be hard to work with or those
that, because of their poor structure, are either too wet or too dry for good plant growth, or lacking
in essential humus or organic matter

Fig 1: expansive soil

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Why Do Soil Expand?
While soils with larger particles, like gravels or even sands, have voids large enough to allow water to drain, expansive soils contain small

particles that can retain high amounts of water content. Some minerals actually have chemical compositions that attract and bond to water

molecules. When large amounts of water is held by a soil it can lead to an increase in volume which can produce expansive forces. This water

retention is further compounded by the typical edge-to-edge orientation of the particles found in clay minerals. Cracks that develop after

expanded soil has dried allow more water to penetrate deeper into the soil causing more damage as time goes on.

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Problems with Expansive Soils
As the name implies, expansive soils are… expansive. Certain soils can absorb a high amount of water resulting in an increase in volume and

swell. On the other hand, when expansive soils dry out, they decrease in volume and shrink. Both shrinking and swelling are structurally

unstable soil characteristics. The result of expansive soils could be:

settling, cracked, sloped or deflected foundations, displaced bricks, cracked asphalt or concrete roads, driveways and sidewalks or cracks in

floors, walls or ceilings .

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Foundation on expansive soil
Before designing foundation on expansive soil, we should follow certain recommendations. This are:

• The safe bearing capacity value should not exceed 50 kN.

(A low value of safe bearing capacity is recommended apparently because of poor performance of the foundation due to poor supporting
power of soil )
• Minimum depth of foundation should be 2 m.
• The bottom of the foundation trench should be filled with sand or murrum or crushed stones.
• Reinforced concrete bands should be used at the foundation, plinth and lintel levels.

The rational methods of foundation design which are being used now to reduce or prevent the effects of swelling:
• Isolation of the structure from the swelling soil.
• Designing a structure to withstand the effects of swelling, and

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The Signs of Soil Expansion and Shrinkage
Cracks are a telling sign that expansive soils are present. Expansive soils can shrink so much after swelling that deep, wide cracks are able to
develop after drying and contracting.

 Asphalt and concrete roads, pads or driveways will crack and shift with expansion and contraction.
 Buildings that have been built on expansive soils without extensive reinforcements may have cracks in foundations, walls, floors or ceilings.
 A sagging or uneven roof can also be the result of soil expansion and shrinkage.

Fig 2: road cruck caused by expansive soil

Fig 3 : wall crack caused by expansive soil

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 Fig 4: structural damage caused by expansive soil
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The best foundation type for expansive soil
Well, foundation experts recommend strip footing for expansive soils with little swelling pressure. However, for excessive swelling loads, you need to

isolate the foundation from heaving of soils. For such, civil engineers recommend piers and under-reamed pile foundation.

 Normal pile foundation is good for expansive soils with swelling potential below 20-30%.

 For highly-expansive soils under-reamed piles are used.

Even if these foundation doesn't look feasible or suitable, the engineer may recommend removal of the soil or treatment to decrease the nuisance.

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Methods of Foundation Practices
The following important methods are adopted while constructing foundation on expansive soils:

1. Footing with special cushions

In this method, excavation is carried out up to a depth of greater than the depth of
foundation. After that freely draining soil such as mix of sand and gravel is filled up and
compacted up to the base of foundation level. Reinforced concrete footing is constructed at
this level and brick wall may be constructed over the footing. This cushion of granular soil
absorbs the effect of swelling and so its effect on foundation will considerably reduce.

FIG 5: Footing with special cushions

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Methods of Foundation Practices

2. CNS-MSM Technologies

CNS Technology or the concept is based on self-equilibrating phenomenon with a

difference that clay minerals present in CNS are non-expanding such as kaolinite,
chlorite etc. The thickness of CNS needed to prevent transmission of swelling pressure
and heave to the foundation. CNS can be obtained as a natural material or can be
made produced by blending two or more materials.
In MSM Technology, to improve the bearing capacity of the system the layer of
Mechanically Stabilized Mix is intercepted over CNS intercepting layer. Normally MSM
consists of graded aggregate, sand and fines with more plasticity, similar to that
allowed in water bounded macadam mix.

FIG 6: CNS-MSM Technologies

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Methods of Foundation Practices

3. Strip footing
It was found that conventional strip foundations with sand cushions were inadequate
reinforcing the shallow strip footings was tried and inverted “T” foundation is
commonly used. The common types of strip footings that have been used for light
buildings are:

 Unreinforced with plinth band.

 Nominally reinforced with plinth band.
 Nominally reinforced inverted T.

FIG 7: Strip footing

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Methods of Foundation Practices

4. Granular pile anchor

Granular anchor pile is one which the foundation is anchored at the bottom of

Granular pile, to a mild steel plate through a mild steel rod. It helps in holding

the particulate granular medium and prevents the granular pile from swelling

and uplifting.

FIG 8: Granular pile anchor

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Methods of Foundation Practices

5. Stiffened mat foundation

The common method of stiffening consists of a slab cast beams 3-4 meters apart

both longitudinally and laterally. The rigidity of mat minimizes distortion of the

superstructure from both horizontal and vertical movements of the foundation

soil. Differential heave also reduced when stiffness of slab and superstructure is

increased.

Fig 9 :Stiffened mat foundation

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Methods of Foundation Practices

6. Chemical stabilization
 Phosphoric acid combined with wetting agent can be used for stabilization of
expansive soils. Because it reacts with clay minerals and forms insoluble aluminum
sulphate which serves as a moisture proof.
 Some chemicals such as sodium silicate, alkyl chloro silanes, siliconate amines,
chrome lignin can be used for the water proofing of soils.
 soils treated with calcium carbide do not easily pickup water as it is deliquescent and
hygroscopic.
 When sodium chloride is added to the soil crystallization occurs in the pores of the
soil and it forms a dense hard mat. So absorption of moisture is prevented.

Fig 10: Chemical stabilization

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Methods of Foundation Practices

7. Moisture control

Swell and shrinkage can be reduced if water is prevented from moving into

soil under and near the building post construction. For this purpose,

moisture barriers are placed around the perimeter of the building. They

efficiently reduce the variations in water content and differential heave.

Fig 11: Moisture barrier

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Expansive soil treatment
The most effective treatment of expansive soils or clay is stabilization with additives. The most common additives include lime, fly ash, and

cement. All these additives act to eliminate the expansive power of the clayey soils. Other methods of stabilization or treatment include pre-

wetting, soil replacement, compaction control, moisture control, surcharge loading, and many thermal methods.

Fig 5: Lime soil stabilization

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References
1. Kanwarjob singh, civil engineering portal.(online), available from: https://www.engineeringcivil.com/foundation-in-expansive-
soil.html
2. Alex N, Soil: Preparation and Improvement. (online),
Available from:
https://www.learningwithexperts.com/gardening/blog/soil-preparation-and-
improvement#:~:text='Difficult'%20means%20those%20that%20may,sands%2C%20chalk%20soils%20and%20loams.

3. Characterization and Improvement of Difficult Soils,frontiers. (online), available from:

https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/34151/characterization-and-improvement-of-difficult-soils

4. Author, Jon Traunfeld, HGIC Director and Extension Specialist,Fruits,and Vegetables.

2020, (online), available from:
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/common-soil-problems

5. Soil treatment on difficult soil (online). Available at: Expansive soils - Identification - Treatment - Properties - Examples
(definecivil.com)

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 Thanks for your time and listening

any notes or questions ?

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