INTERRELATIONSHIP OF LOAD, VOLUME CHANGE, AND LAYER THICKNESSES OF SOILS TO THE BEHAVIOR OF ENGINEERING STRUCTURES

Abstract

AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO COMPREHEND MOST OF THE VARIABLES NECESSARY TO FORMULATE AN ENGINEERING APPROACH TO THE VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF THE EARTH'S SURFACE CAUSED BY THE SHRINKING AND SWELLING PROPERTIES OF SOILS. CALCULATION OF SUCH MOVEMENTS BY THE PROPOSED METHODS ESTABLISHES DATA WHICH ARE VALUABLE IN ANALYZING THE PERFORMANCE OR BEHAVIOR OF ENGINEERING STRUCTURES. PAVEMENT BEHAVIOR, WHOSE FAILURES ARE NOT ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE USE OF INFERIOR QUALITY MATERIAL OR TO THE DEPTHS OF MATERIAL, CAN BE EXPLAINED ON THE BASIS OF VOLUME CHANGE. THE FOLLOWING ARE SET FORTH: (1) RELATION OF VOLUMETRIC SWELL TO LINEAR SWELL, (2) RELATION OF MOISTURE CHANGE TO VOLUME CHANGE FOR SOILS HAVING VARIOUS SHRINKAGE CHARACTERISTICS, (3) RELATION OF MOISTURE CONTENTS TO THE LL OF CLAYS TAKEN FROM SUBGRADES UNDERNEATH OLD PAVEMENTS, (4) RELATION OF LOAD TO THE VOLUME CHANGE (SWELL) OF SOILS INVOLVING BEHAVIOR OF BOTH SUBLAYERS AND OVERBURDEN STRATA, (5) CALCULATION OF POTENTIAL VERTICAL RISE FOR LAYERED SYSTEMS, (6) RELATION OF P. I. AND THICKNESS OF SOIL LAYER TO POTENTIAL VERTICAL RISE, AND (7) RELATION OF POTENTIAL VERTICAL RISE TO BEHAVIOR OF CONCRETE PAVEMENTS AND STRUCTURES. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE USE OF POTENTIAL VERTICAL RISE CALCULATIONS (ALSO REFERRED TO AS P.V.R.) WILL MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO DETERMINE THE FOLLOWING: (1) WHETHER PAVEMENTS WILL DEVELOP IRREGULAR RIDING DUE TO MOVEMENTS NOT ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE THICKNESS OF MATERIALS OR THE USE OF MATERIALS OF INADEQUATE QUALITY, (2) WHETHER OR NOT CULVERTS, BUILDINGS, AND OTHER LIGHTWEIGHT STRUCTURES WILL RISE EXCESSIVELY, AND (3) WHEN IT IS DESIRABLE AND FEASIBLE TO SUSPEND FLOOR SLABS FROM FOUNDATIONS SHAFTS OR TO UTILIZE UTILIZE SUBGRADE SOILS AS THE SUPPORTING MEDIUM. /AUTHOR/