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an engineering geological characterisation of tropical clays - GBV

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94<br />

Table 7.4. Free swell classification <strong>of</strong> clay soils (Gibbs & Holtz, 1956).<br />

FREE SWELL VALUE<br />

FS (%)<br />

FREE SWELL<br />

CLASSIFICATION<br />

POSSIBLE<br />

EXPANSIVENESS<br />

200 very high very high<br />

Up to 2000 (e.g. bentonite) extremely high extremely high<br />

7.1.4.2 Procedure<br />

About 50g <strong>of</strong> a selected soil sample was oven-dried (105 °C) overnight, cooled <strong>an</strong>d passed<br />

through a 400 µm sieve. About 10 ml <strong>of</strong> the sieved dry soil powder was measured out into a<br />

dry 25 ml measuring glass cylinder, without compacting <strong>an</strong>d/ or shaking it down. The soil<br />

powder was then steadily drizzled into 50 ml <strong>of</strong> distilled water contained in a 50 ml glass<br />

measuring cylinder. The main part <strong>of</strong> the solid particles was allowed to come to rest for a<br />

period <strong>of</strong> 30 minutes (Plate 7.3), when the total volume <strong>of</strong> settled solids was read <strong>of</strong>f <strong>an</strong>d<br />

recorded.<br />

Plate 7.3. Free swell determination <strong>of</strong> clay soils.<br />

7.1.4.3 Calculation<br />

Free swell is the ch<strong>an</strong>ge in volume <strong>of</strong> the dry soil expressed as a percentage <strong>of</strong> its original<br />

volume; <strong>an</strong>d is given by<br />

free swell (%) = ((V-Vo)/Vo)*100, or<br />

free swell (%) = ((V-10)/10)*100 (7.8)

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