Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The open metastable structure of a collapsible sand: fabric and bonding

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper deals with the compositional and textural characteristics determining open metastable structures in the pleistocenic sand outcropping in the Agrigento district (Sicily). The aim of the study was to individuate the bonding types occurring between grains that could generate matric suction phenomena. The composition and microfabric were characterised by means of granulometry, porosimetry, permeability, optical and ESEM-EDS microscopy, thermogravimetry and XR diffractometry, electric conductivity, and ionic chromatography. The data thus acquired show that the skeleton of the sand is constituted mostly by bioclasts and microfossils, calcite and quartz monocrystalline grains. Moreover, assemblages of silt and clay minerals are interposed among them. Cementation is generally absent even at the sites of contact between grains. Porosity is due mainly to interparticle voids. The spatial arrangement of sand, silt and limey grains, the pore geometry, volume and size distribution and network connectivity allow both capillary condensation and effective capillary transport of water. It appears that bonding is due mainly to capillary forces related to the texture and to the type of pores rather than being ruled by composition.

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
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aisa (2004) Associazione italiana per lo studio delle argille: Argille e minerali della argilla Analisi di materiali argillosi per diffrazioni di raggi X e microscopia elettronica a scansione. Teoria ed applicazioni Ed. Saverio Fiore ISBN: 88-75220069

  • Alonso EE, Gens A, Hight DW (1987) Special problem soils, General Report. In: Proceedings of 9th European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, vol 3. Dublin, pp 1087–1146

  • Barden L, Mcgown A, Collins K (1973) The collapse mechanism in partly saturated soil. Eng Geol 7(1):49–60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bell FG, De Bruyn IA (1997) Sensitive, expansive, dispersive and collapsive soils. Bull Int Assoc Eng Geol 56:19–38

    Google Scholar 

  • Burland JB (1964) Effective stresses in partly saturated soils. Discussion of: soil aspects of effective stress in saturated and partly saturated soils. Geotechnique 14:64–68

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Camuffo D (1998) Microclimate for cultural heritage. Elsevier, Padova

    Google Scholar 

  • Clemence SP, Finbarr AO (1981) Design considerations for collapsible soils. J Geotech Eng Div ASCE 107:305–317

    Google Scholar 

  • Collins K, McGown A (1974) The form and function of microfabric features in a variety of natural soils. Geotechnique 24:223–254

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dudley JH (1970) Review of collapsing soils. J Soil Mech Found Div ASCE 96(3):925–947

    Google Scholar 

  • Ercoli L, Zimbardo M, Nocilla N, Nocilla A, Ponzoni E (2015) Evaluation of cliff recession in the Valle dei Templi in Agrigento (Sicily). Eng Geol. doi:10.1016/j.enggeo.2015.04.008

    Google Scholar 

  • Franzen C, Mirwald PW (2004) Moisture content of natural stone: static and dynamic equilibrium with atmospheric humidity. Environ Geol 46:391–401

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fredlund DG, Gan JKM (1995) The collapse mechanism of a soil subjected to one-dimensional loading and wetting. In: Derbyshire E, Dijkstra T, Smalley IJ (eds) Proceedings of NATO Advance Workshop on Genesis and Properties of Collapsible Soils, Loughborough, pp 173–205

  • Fredlund DG, Rahardjo H (1993) Soil mechanics for unsaturated soils. Wiley, Toronto

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Fredlund DG, Xing A (1994) Equation for the soil water characteristic curve. Can Geotech J 31:3

    Google Scholar 

  • Houston SL, Houston WN, Zapata CE, Lawrence C (2001) Geotechnical engineering practice for collapsible soils. Geotech Geol Eng 19(3–4):333–355

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Houston SL, Elkady TY, Houston WN (2003) Post-wetting static and dynamic behavior of collapsible soils. In: Proceedings of International Conference of Problematic Soils, Nottingham, pp 63–71

  • Jefferson I, Rogers CDF (2012) Collapsible soil. In: Burland C, Skinner, B (eds) Proceedings of ICE Manual of Geotechnical Engineering, ICE Publishing, London, pp 391–411

  • Jennings JEB, Burland JB (1962) Limitations to the use of effective stresses in partly saturated soils. Geotechnique 12(2):125–144

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Larionov AK (1965) Structural characteristics of loess soils for evaluating their constructional properties. In: Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering. Montreal, pp 64–68

  • Lin Z (1995) Variation in collapsibility and strength of loess with age. In: Derbyshire E, Dijkstra T, Smalley IJ (eds) Proceedings of NATO Advance Workshop on Genesis and Properties of Collapsible Soils. Loughborough, pp 247–265

  • Locat J (1995) On the development of microstructure E. In: Derbyshire E, Dijkstra TA, Smalley IJ (eds) Genesis and properties of collapsible soils. Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp 93–128

  • Nocilla N, Ercoli L, Zimbardo M, Nocilla A, Meli P, Grado G, Parello G, Presti G (2013) Unsaturated sand in the stability of the cuesta of the Temple of Hera (Agrigento). In: Bilotta E, Flora A, Lirer S, Viggiani C (eds) Geotechnical engineering for the preservation of monuments and historic sites. Taylor and Francis, London

  • Osipov VI, Sokolov VN (1994) Factors and mechanism of loess collapsibility. In: Derbyshire E, Dijkstra T, Smalley IJ (eds) Proceedings of NATO Advance Workshop on Genesis and Properties of Collapsible Soils. Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp 49–63S

  • Popescu ME (1986) A comparison between the behavior of swelling and of collapsing soils. Eng Geol 23:145–163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rogers CDF (1995) Types and distribution of collapsible soils. In: Derbyshire E, Dijkstra T, Smalley IJ (eds) Proceedings of NATO Advance Workshop on Genesis and Properties of Collapsible Soils. Loughborough, pp 1–17

  • Wentworth CK (1922) A scale of grade and class terms for clastic sediments. J Geol 30:377–392

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zimbardo M, Nocilla N, Evangelista A, Ramondini M, Scotto di Santolo A (2011) Destructuration of typical Sicilian calcarenites. Bull Eng Geol Environ 70:507–515

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The warmest thanks to Professor Nicola Nocilla, for the valuable contribution of expertise in data processing and interpretation of results. We thank the Parco di Agrigento for allowing the sampling of the sands.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Ambientale, Aerospaziale, dei Materiali (DICAM), University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze ed. 8, 90128, Palermo, Italy

    Margherita Zimbardo, Laura Ercoli & Bartolomeo Megna

Authors
  1. Margherita Zimbardo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Laura Ercoli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Bartolomeo Megna
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Margherita Zimbardo.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zimbardo, M., Ercoli, L. & Megna, B. The open metastable structure of a collapsible sand: fabric and bonding. Bull Eng Geol Environ 75, 125–139 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-015-0752-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-015-0752-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation