Effect of Organic Content on

Compaction and Consolidation

Characteristics of Lagos Organic Clay

Taiye Elisha Adejumo

Department of Geotechnics and Ecology in Civil Engineering, Faculty of Civil

Engineering; Belorussian National Technical University, Minsk, Belarus
elisha4exploit@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT
This paper presents the results of recent experimental investigations on the effect of organic content on
compaction and consolidation characteristics of dark spongy/fibrous highly compressible organic clay
soils of Ikoyi district of Lagos, Nigeria. With different amount of organic content, compaction tests,
unconfined compression tests, consolidated undrained triaxial compression tests as well as one-
dimensional consolidation tests were carried out on the organic clay soils to determine it influence on
compaction and consolidation characteristics. Thereafter, the relationships between compression index
(Cc), Atterberg limits, coefficient of consolidation (Cv), moisture content (w) as well as shear strength
(τ), rate of secondary consolidation(Cα) and organic content (OC) for the partially saturated organic
clays soils investigated were established. While plasticity and compressibility increase with increase in
organic content, the shear strength reduces, with slight variation in the maximum dry density (MDD).
KEYWORDS: Organic content; Clay; Shear strength; Plasticity; Compaction
characteristics; Consolidation.

INTRODUCTION
Soils which cannot be structurally used for construction purposes without some measures of
stabilization are referred to as ‘weak soils’. In Nigeria, Organic Clay soils belong to this category.
Organic soils of Lagos, a city located towards the Atlantic Ocean bed before the gulf of Guinea (fig.
1), have been investigated and reported by researchers. Its natural water content varies from 30% to
75%; Liquid limit of 75 - 250%; Plastic limit of 30 - 175%; Plasticity indices of 20-120%; Specific
gravity of 2.0 - 2.68; void ratio of 0.45 - 2.25; Organic content of 10-40% (Farrington, 1983). This
highly compressible clay has Dry density of 7.84 - 15.69 kN/m3 (Ajayi, 1983). Sometimes they have
a high concentration of sulphide and even elemental sulphur. They are therefore highly reducing and
corrosive. Steel piles are not recommended for use in them (Malomo, 1983).
Previous studies on the effect of soil organic matter on the geotechnical properties revealed that
the former has a significant effect on the engineering and index properties of soil. It has been
postulated that if the value of organic content in soils lies between 6 to 20 percent, it affects the

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properties of soil but the behavior is still like mineral soils: organic silts/clays and if the organic
content of soils lies in the range of 21 to 74%, it governs the entire properties of the soil (Edil, 1997).
Study shows that both liquid limit and plastic limit of Illinois soils increase linearly with increase in
organic carbon content (Odell et al., 1960). The unconfined compressive strength has been found to
generally decrease with increase in organic content (Franklin et al., 1972). A study on the artificially
prepared organic soil revealed that its liquid limit and plastic limit linearly increase with organic
content (Krizek et al., 1975). However, a study on the soils from Paulding County, Ohio shows that
its liquid limit does not vary linearly with organic carbon content. On the other hand, its plastic limit
is nearly a linear function of organic carbon content, while its plasticity index is independent of
organic carbon content (Schmidt, 1965). A soil investigation conducted on solid waste soils for use as
sub-base materials in road construction revealed that with the increase in organic matter contents, the
compaction curve tends to be situated below and to the right of the curves i.e. decrease (Song et al.,
2003). A recent study carried on organic soil revealed that its specific gravity decreases with increase
in organic content (Puppala et al., 2007).
With these previous studies suggesting different correlations on the influence of organic content
on the engineering properties of organic soils, this paper presents the results of experimental studies
carried out to investigate the effect of organic content on compaction and consolidation characteristics
of dark spongy/fibrous highly compressible organic clay soils found in Ikoyi district of Lagos,
Nigeria. For proper analysis of compaction and consolidation, properties studied include plasticity
characteristics, compaction characteristics, shear strength and consolidation characteristics.

Figure 1: Map of the study area (Oyedele et al., 2011)

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EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION
The soils used in this study were relatively disturbed dark spongy/fibrous highly compressible
organic clay soils samples obtained from two boreholes located at the Ikoyi end of the on-going 1358-
metre long, with 87-metre pylon cable-stay (suspension) Lekki-Ikoyi link bridge being constructed by
Bilfinger Berger Nigeria GmbH . The boreholes were located at CH + 210 and CH +220 respectively.
The offsets from the first borehole are 1350, and 2250 from the 0.15 IK/L reference. A comprehensive
laboratory investigation was then carried out on the conditioned organic clays and inorganic clays
(control) to determine its in-situ properties and the influence of variation in organic content on the
selected engineering properties. The soils were classified, and urea crystals were added to the oven
dried soils (since oven drying reduces the organic content) to artificially control/obtain the desired
organic content. Homogeneity, uniformity of moisture distribution and full reaction were ensured by
thorough missing and placement in air tight polythene container for 24 hours. Preliminary tests as
well as other investigations were conducted on the organic clay samples which include:
X-Ray diffraction test for the mineralogical composition of the soil, as well as Dichromate
oxidation test for the organic content of clay according to ASTM D1252 - 06;
Atterberg limit tests according to ASTM D4318 - 10;
Unconfined compression tests with different organic content, optimum moisture contents and
maximum dry densities according to ASTM D2166 - 06;
Consolidated undrained triaxial compression test under different predetermined water contents
and organic contents according to ASTM D4767 - 95;
Compaction tests according to ASTM D7380 - 08;
One-dimensional consolidation tests according to (ASTM D2435-11, ASTM D 4548 -08);

DISCUSSION OF TEST RESULTS

X-Ray Diffraction/Classification and Plasticity Tests
The summary of the results of X–ray diffraction tests for the mineralogical composition and other
preliminary tests for the organic clay soil samples are given in Table 1. With correlation coefficients
of R = 0.97 and R = 0.98 on Liquidity and R = 0.96 and R = 0.97 on Plasticity respectively for natural
clay soil and oven dried organic clay samples, the influence of Organic content by percentage on
Liquid limit and Plastic limit is shown in figures 2 and 3 respectively. This result seems to agree with
the study of (Thiyyakkandi and Annex, 2011). Figure 2 shows a linear relationship between Liquid
limit and Organic content, while figure 3 shows a nearly constant but slightly linear relationship
between Plastic limit and organic content. In both cases, the Atterberg limits for organic clays are
lower.

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Table 1: Summarized Characteristics of the Organic Clay Soil Samples used

Property Organic Clay Soils
Location Ikoyi end of Lekki-Ikoyi Bridge, Lagos
Mechanical analysis (%)
Sand (2-0.06mm) 10.1
Silt (74-5μ) 29.9
Clay (<5μ) 44.3
Clay (< 2μ) 23.9
Physical:
Liquid Limit (%) 55.0
Plastic Limit (%) 34.0
Linear shrinkage (%) 11.3
Plasticity index 27.6
Max. Dry density (kN/m3) 12.1
Optimum Moist Content (%) 19.5
Specific gravity 2.41
Organic Content (%) 11.0
Chemical:
Skempton’s Activity 1.71
Predominant Clay minerals Kaolinte/Monmorillonite
Classification
Texture Spongy/fibrous
AASHO A–7–5
USCS OH

Figure 2: Variation of Liquid limit with Organic content

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Figure 3: Variation of Plastic limit with Organic content

Compaction Tests
Figures 4 and 5 show the variations of optimum moisture content and maximum dry density with
increase in organic content respectively. Increase in organic content resulted in an increase in
optimum moisture content due to changes in the plasticity characteristic of the organic soil. However,
increase in organic content produced little variation in Maximum Dry Density (MDD) as shown in
fig. 5. Organic matter content seems to have similar effect on Plastic limit and Optimum moisture
content.

Figure 4: Variation of Optimum Moisture Content with Organic content

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Figure 5: Variation of Maximum Dry Density with Organic content

Shear Strength Tests

The result of unconfined compression tests on organic clay with various percentages of organic
contents at respective optimum moisture content and maximum dry density is shown in figures 6 and
7. Figure 6 shows that the undrained shear strength of tested clays decreased significantly with
increase in organic content. The result in fig.7 indicated a direct relationship between failure strain
and organic content. A little increment in stress produced higher axial strain in samples with higher
organic content.

Figure 6: Variation of Undrained Shear Strength with Organic content

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Figure 7: Stress-Strain relationship at different percentage organic content

One-Dimensional Consolidation Tests

The summary of consolidation characteristic investigated by one-dimensional consolidation tests
with different proportions of organic content is given in figures 8, 9, 10 and 11. Fig. 8 shows that the
initial void ratio increased with increase in organic content. It further shows that at lower stress, high
organic content clay samples experienced significant decrease in void ratio with a little increase in
pressure.
The relationship between compression index (Cc) and organic content is shown in fig. 9. It
indicated that, within the percentage component composition, increase in organic content results in an
increase in compression index. However, beyond 10.5% organic content, further increase in organic
content only produces a relatively small increment in compression index (Cc).
Figure 10 shows that the coefficient of primary consolidation (Cv) decreases with increment in
organic content.
The relationship between organic content and the rate of secondary compression (Cα) using
(linear compression – log time concept) is shown in fig. 11. It indicated that increase in organic
content produces a significant increase in Cα. These results agree with the study of (Thiyyakkandi and
Annex, 2011).

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Figure 8: Variation of void ratio with pressure (e-log p)

for various percentage organic content

Figure 9: Variation of Compression index (Cc) with percentage organic content

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Figure 10: Variation of coefficient of primary consolidation (Cv) with percentage organic
content

Figure 11: Variation of rate of secondary compression (Cα) with percentage organic content

CONCLUSIONS
From the results of experimental investigations carried out on the effect of organic content on
compaction and consolidation characteristics of Organic Clay soils in Ikoyi area of Lagos, the
following conclusions are drawn:
• The plasticity of investigated samples increase linearly with increase in organic content;
• Increase in organic content resulted in an increase in optimum moisture content;
• The initial void ratio eo increase with increase in organic content OC;
• Compression index (Cc) increase with increase in organic content OC;

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• The shear strength of the clay (τf) significantly decreased with increase in organic content;
• The coefficient of primary consolidation (Cv) decreased with increase in organic content;
• The rate of secondary consolidation (Cα) and coefficient of compressibility (av) increase with
increase in organic content;
• In all, organic content significantly affect the selected and other engineering properties of the
clay investigated. Generally the influence of organic content on the compressibility of soils is
largely dependent on their initial void ratio.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The author is thankful to the following organizations for their assistance in the laboratory and
field work, as well as for other technical support towards the execution of this project in: Julius
Berger Foundation, (JBN); Kips Engineering, Abuja; Federal Ministry of Works, Abuja; Lagos State
Ministry of Works; In-Depth Engineering Limited, Kaduna.

REFERENCES
1. Ajayi, L. A. (1983) ‘‘Geotechnical Properties of Deep Organic Stratum Underlying Lagos
Area of Nigeria- Tropical Soils of Nigeria in Engineering practice’’, edited by Ola S. A., A.
A. Balkema/Rotterdam, pp. 113-130.
2. Edil, T. B. (1997) “Construction Over Peats and Organic Soil,” Proc. Conf. on Recent
Advances in Soft Soil Engineering, Kuching. Referred by Abedin, 2006.
3. Farrington, P. (1983) ‘‘ Earthworks and Foundations on Recently Deposited Soils in Lagos
Area of Nigeria- Tropical Soils of Nigeria in Engineering practice’’, edited by Ola S. A., A.
A. Balkema/Rotterdam, pp. 102-112.
4. Franklin, A. G., Orozco, L. F., and Semrau, R. (1973) “Compaction and Strength of Slightly
Organic Soils,” Journal of Soil Mechanics and Foundations Division, American Society of
Civil Engineers, 99(SM7), 541-557.
5. Krizek, R. J., Max, W. G., and Paul. L. H. (1975) “Organic Content and Engineering
Behavior of Typical Maintenance Dredging,” 4th South East Asian Conference on Soil
Engineering Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 6-15.
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Balkema- Rotterdam. Pp. 39-60.
7. Odell, R. T., Thornburn, T. H., and Mckenzie, L. J. (1960) “Relationships of Atterberg Limits
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8. Oyedele, K. F., Oladele, S. and Adedoyin O. (2011) ‘‘Application of Geophysical and
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100.

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9. Puppala, A. J, Pokola, S. P, Intharasombat, N., and Williammee, R. (2007) “Effects of

Organic Matter on Physical, Strength, and Volume Change Properties of Compost Amended
Expansive Clay,” Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 133(11),
1449-1461.
10. 9. Schmidt, N. O. (1965) “A Study of the Isolation of Organic Matter as a Variable Affecting
Properties of a Soil,” PhD Thesis, University of Illinois.
11. 10. Song, Y. S., Yun, J. M., Hong, W.P., and Kim, T. H. (2003) “Investigation of Solid Waste
Soil as Road Construction Material”, Environmental Geology, 44, 203-209.
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of Kuttanad Clay’’, Electronic Journal of Geotechnical Engineering (EJGE), Vol. 16, Bund.
U, pp. 1653-1663.

© 2012 ejge

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