Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Assessment and Modification of Sherard Chemical Method for Evaluation of Dispersion Potential of Soils

  • Technical Note
  • Published:
Geotechnical and Geological Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Soil dispersion is a phenomenon in which soil particles become afloat when they are exposed to water, and are carried away by the force of seepage. In spite of that soil dispersion is due to its chemical composition, the results obtained from the chemical methods, especially from the most widely used, Sherard method does not match with the results of well-known Pinhole test. This study tries to evaluate and modify the Sherard diagram for determination of dispersion potential of clayey soils. For this purpose, several natural soil samples were collected from different regions of Iran and some artificial soil samples were made by adding different percentages of four chemical agents, including sodium chloride, sodium carbonate, sodium sulfate, and sodium polyphosphate to a natural soil. The physical, chemical and index properties of all samples were determined and for determination of dispersion potential, the commonly used chemical test (Sherard method) and Pinhole test were employed. The results obtained from the tests showed that the Sherard chemical method which is solely based on the amount and type of the existing cations, is not able to determine soil dispersion correctly since the role of some anions, especially chloride is neglected. It was also found that among the existing anions in the soil, the chloride on the contrary to sodium acts as a flocculating factor. The results showed that by converting the vertical axis of the Sherard chart from sodium% to (sodium chloride)%, its conformity to the results of Pinhole tests increases considerably.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anon (2000) Annual book of ASTM standards. Vol 04.08, Soil and Rock, ASTM D420, D5779, D4221, D4647

  • Bhuvaneshwari S, Soundra B, Robinson RG, Gandhi SR (2007) Stabilization and microstructural modification of dispersive clayey soils. First international conference on soil and rock engineering organized by Srilankan Geotechnical Society, Columbo, Srilanka, 5–11 August 2007

  • Craft D, Acciardi RG (1984) Failure of pore water pressure analyses for dispersion. J Geotech Eng Div ASCE 110(4)

  • Didiek Djarwadi (2007) Dispersivity test of Duriangkang dam filling material dinamika. TEKNIK SIPIL 7(1):11–19

    Google Scholar 

  • Elges HFWK (1985) Problem soils in South Africa-State of the Art. Civ Eng S Afr 27(7):347–349

    Google Scholar 

  • Farzaneh O, Rezvan A, Bicheranloo Reza (2001) The effect of extraction moisture on dispersivity potential of sample using Sherard method. J Tech Coll Tehran Univ 35(4):513–522 (in Farsi)

    Google Scholar 

  • Frenkel H, Levy GJ (1992) Clay dispersion and hydraulic conductivity of clay-sand mixtyres as affected by the addition of various anions. J Clay Clay Miner 40(5):515–521

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ingles OG, Aitchison GD (1969) Soil−water disequilibrium as a cause of subsidence in natural soils and earth embankments. In: symposium on land subsidence, Tokyo, AIHS Publication no 89, vol 2

  • Knodel PC (1991) Characteristica and problems of dispersive clay soils. US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, Office, R-91-09

  • Lashkaripour GR, Khamehchiyan M, Soloki HR, Rahimi E (2006) The characteristics of dispersive soils in Sistan plain, eastern Iran. J Appl Geol 3(1):75–80

    Google Scholar 

  • Ouhadi Vahid, Goodarzi R, Amir R (2006) Assessment of the stability of a dispersive soil treated by alum. J Eng Geol 85:91–101

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Panayiotopoulosk P, Barbayiannis N, Papatolios K (2004) Influence of electrolyte concentration, sodium adsorption ratio, and mechanical disturbance on dispersed clay particle size and critical flocculation concentration in Alfisols. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 35(9–10):1415–1434

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rahimi H, Abbasi N (2008) Failure of concrete canal lining on fine sandy soils (A case study for Saveh Project). J Irrig Drainage 57:83–92

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rahimi H, Delfy M (1992) Recognition of dispersive clay in Khuzestan Province. M.Sc thesis, Department of irrigation and drainage, University of Tehran

  • Shanmuganathan RT, Oades JM (1983) Influence of anions on dispersion and physical properties of the horizon of a Red-brown earth. Geoderma 29(3):257–277

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sherard JL, Dunnigan LP, Decker RS (1976) Identification and natures of dispersive soils. J Geotech Eng Div 102(4):287–301

    Google Scholar 

  • Sparks Donald (2000) Soil physical chemistry. CRC Press, Florida 33431

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Iranian Agricultural Engineering Research Institute, P.O. Box 31585-845, Karaj, Iran

    Nader Abbasi

  2. Shooshtar Azad University, Shooshtar, Iran

    Mohammad H. Nazifi

Authors
  1. Nader Abbasi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mohammad H. Nazifi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nader Abbasi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Abbasi, N., Nazifi, M.H. Assessment and Modification of Sherard Chemical Method for Evaluation of Dispersion Potential of Soils. Geotech Geol Eng 31, 337–346 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-012-9573-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-012-9573-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation