EFFECT OF NANOMATERIALS ON SHEAR STRENGTH OF GYPSEOUS SOIL

Abstract

A Gypsum soil is an example of problematic soils and susceptible to large volumetric deformations when they become saturated. Various structures for instance: roads, spread foot, different kinds of building, expressways, as well as dams are damaged due to the swell and collapse of soils, this make such structures unqualified for using. The damage in the construction works built upon collapsing soil may happen due to unexpected and frequently huge prompted settlement as saturating and that can be consider the problem statement such kind of soil following the constructing. Experimental works were conducted to checking the effect of using nanomaterials in the improving and stabilization of gypseous soil. In this study, the gypseous soils were collected from a site in Al-Najaf city in Iraq. The gypsum content was 30%. The experimental work was conducted to study the performance of collapsible soil improved by adding nanomaterials as Nano-clay and Nano-silica with different percentages. Direct shear test is used to determine the cohesion and angle of friction of the soil sample before and after adding the nanomaterials. The outcomes showed that when the Nano-clay and the Nano-silica are added to the soil, there will be a considerable increase in the value of cohesion and also increase of the angle of friction.

Keywords

• collapsible soil
• shear strength
• direct shear test
• nanomaterials.