The Collapsible Soil Definition and Mitigation Strategies: A Review Study

Abstract

One category of challenging soils is collapsible soils, which show a significant quantity of strength when dried but undergo a sufficient solidity reduction while soaking, leading to illegal settlement. One of the most collapsing soils is gypseous soil, which is affected by geotechnical components such as loading, hydration, soil density, and immersion conditions. In Iraq and many other regions, collapsible soils like gypsum frequently dry and get hard. This soil collapses noticeably when it becomes moist. The work attempts to provide an overview of the meaning of collapsed soil, categorization, footing construction, perfection, and collapse attenuation. Collapse occurs quicker by increasing the void ratio or gypsum content, although it is negligible at a pressure less than the pre-consolidation stress of saturated soil. Several types of soil enhancement procedures exist, including densification, reinforcement, removal and replacement, and physicochemical changes. Every category has a unique application whereby it outperforms the others. The most popular approach is often densification as it is generally less expensive than alternative methods, particularly when a sizable portion of a structure needs to be upgraded. Ultimately, by achieving all requirements, the goal is to reach an ideal design criterion resulting from the presence of gypsum. Also, can enhance the stabilizing qualities of gypseous soil by adding materials such as kaolin, lime, and calcium chloride, which are best suited for treating them in the subgrade layer. This knowledge is essential for the geotechnical characterization of soils to construct cost-effective, safe infrastructure that also considers long-term serviceability.

Keywords

• Gypsum content
• Problematic soil
• Collapse potential
• Dry density
• Soil improvement