ENGINEERING CHARACTERISTICS OF CENTRAL DELTA CLAY

Abstract

The extensive need i'or a bcller design of foundations in cct\lral Della, Egypt calls for a considerable allcnlion and research programs fill••studying the Engineering properties of the clay this area, evaluation the mineralogy of such',clayey layer and estimation of stress strain trend both nutllcrically and theoretically.

The aim of this work was to find more closely the gcotcclmicnl properties !'or the central Dclln clay fnr tfw fnuml:ition design the estittwtion or the foundation settlement.

The experimental program was conducted on the obtained •specimens from Tanta city and around it to represent the central Delta region. For each bore-lv:Jie 2 samples were tested , the first at shallow depth li•om ground level, 2.0 meters. the second santpk was at moderately deep, 6.0 meters below the ground surface . For each sample the following characteristics arc li1und : initial water content. liquid limit, plastic limit, specific gravity, unit weight, hydrometer grain size .analysis, unconfined compressive strength and consolidation tests. Also a mineralogical study was conducted to find the clay mineral in the studied area using the• principal of X-Ray diJlraction, finally the chemical analysis was conducted to insure the mineralogy of I the studied clay.

i\ ntllncrical study was dune usntg the nwdilkd Hardin model. The model uses the consolidation test results to give a good model which can predicts the relationship between the vertical efTective and the corresponding void ratio.