GEOTECHNICAL PROBLEMS

IN EXPANSIVE CLAY SOILS

BY
NICASIO LOZANO , P.E.
Texas Department of Transportation

GEOTECHNICAL
PROBLEMS
Uplift or differential settlement of the

foundation of structures
Slope stability
Global stability of retaining walls
Sliding stability of retaining walls
Uplift of piles and drill shafts
Lateral resistance of short drill shafts to lateral
load
Internal Stability of retaining walls
Pavement distress

EXPANSIVE SOILS (CLAY)

Expansive clay is susceptible to volume change as

result of changes in the soil moisture. It generally

occurs in the active zone.
The active zone in Dallas, Texas vary between 8
to 15 feet in depth
The clay soils expand in the active zone during
the rainy season and it may occur for other
reasons too.
The clay soils shrink in the active zone during the
dry season o during drought developing crack
openings of several inches in width.

EXPANSIVE SOILS (CLAY)

Clays consist of hydrated aluminum silicates

from the decomposition of aluminum rich

minerals. They vary in color according to the
impurities thay contain. The parent material is
generally rock that contain feldspars

GROUPS OF CLAYS
Kaolinite: includes the minerlas kaolinite, dickite,

halloisite and nacrite.[1]

Some references include into this group the

serpentinite because of the crystal structure

similarity (Bailey 1980).

Smectite: includes pirofilite, talc, vermiculite,

sauconite, saponite, nontronite, montmorillonite.

[1]

Illite: includes the clayey micas . The illite es the

only mineral.[1]
Chlorite: includes a broad variety of similar
minerals with considerable chemical variation.

CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF CLAYS

They can be categorized depending on the

arrangement of the tetrahedron and

octahedron sheets into layers. A tetrahedron
and a octahedron arrangement into a layer,
the clay is classified as 1:1. Examples are the
kaolinite and the serpentine.

CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF CLAYS

The other type is known as 2:1 clay with two

tetrahedron sheets with one octahedron

sheet. Examples are the illite, smectite,
attapulgita, and chlorite (However chlorite has
a external octahedra sheet refered as
"brucite.
Clays of mixed layers such as illite-smectite
called retorite.

CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF CLAYS

X RAY REFRACTION OF CLAYS

Clay minerals are hydrated phylosilicates of aluminum, sometimes with

some iron, manganese, alkali metals and other alkaline components and
cations. Clays have similar structure to micas and therefore they form
hexagonal plane sheets. The clay minerals are common as a result of the
geologic process of physical and chemical weathering such as the feldspars
and alteration products at low temperature. Clay minerals are very common
in fine grained sedimentary rocks such as shale and in metamorphic rocks of
fine grain such as phyllite.

DISTRIBUTION OF EXPANSIVE CLAYS

IN TEXAS

PROPERTIES OF EXPANSIVE CLAYS

OF TEXAS
PROPERTY
INDEX

EAGLEFORD
SHALE

PARIS
CLAY

BEAUMONT
CLAY

Liquid Limit LL

88%

80%

73%

Plastic Limit PL

39%

22%

21%

Plasticity Index
PI

49%

58%

52%

Clay Fraction

64%

58%

47.3%

Activity

0.77

1.0

1.1

Unified Soil
Clasification

CH

CH

CH

CLASSIFICATION OF CLAYS PER

EXPANSION POTENTIAL
Classification
per Expansion
Potential

Plasticity
Index
(Percent)

Expansion
Potential
(Percent)

Potential
Vertical
Rise
PVR

Low

< 25

< 0.5

< 1

Medium

25 a 35

0.5 a 1.0

1 a 2

High

35 a 45

1.0 a 1.50

2 a 4

Very High

> 45

>2

> 4 a 12

DIAGRAMA DE
PLASTICIDAD

DIAGRAM OF TYPE OF SOILS

ARCILLAS EN EL DIAGRAMA DE
PLASTICIDAD

HUNDIMIENTO DEL
CIMIENTO

PILOTES CORTOS

GLOBAL FAILURE OF RETAINING

WALLS

GLOBAL FAILURE OF RETAINING

WALLS

SOLUTION
Drill Shaft Retaining Wall

ESTABILIDAD DE TALUDES

RECOMMENDATION
Determine source of water
Place horizontal drainage pipes

PROBLEM 1

PROBLEM 2

FIVE
DALLAS, TEXAS

THANKS