Abstract
Gypseous soils are considered problematic when used as the foundation in civil engineering structures such as roads, buildings and dams, due to their solubility. These soils are resistant and have good engineering properties in their dry state. However, when saturated by rainwater or a rising groundwater table, the soluble minerals are washed out, resulting in the subsidence of the structures built on them. In the recent decades, buildings constructed in the Southern Mashhad Metropolitan Area, Iran, have been widely faced with this problem. Since the changes in chemical composition and engineering properties of these soils are based on the amount of dissolved gypsum, the focus of this study is to characterize the soluble soils of this area and their changes throughout the leaching process. Thirty-eight samples were taken from different locations in the area. Chemical tests were conducted on the samples and the gypsum and sulfate concentration maps were produced based on these results, combined with the previously available data from 511 boreholes drilled in the area. Seven soil samples with different gypsum concentrations were selected for further analysis in four major groups of tests, including hydraulic tests (permeability and solubility), chemical tests (chemical analysis of soils samples and total dissolved solids, calcium hardness and chlorine of the leachate samples), physical tests (grain size analysis, Atterberg limits and specific gravity) and mechanical tests (consolidation and direct shear). Changes in the mentioned parameters were investigated through a 5-day leaching process. The results indicate that extensive dissolution of gypsum and removal of gypsum bonding between soil particles change soil chemical composition and decrease the soil compressibility and strength parameters. Therefore, the structures built in this area are in high risk of subsidence and foundation failure; proper measures should be taken to improve the soil quality before construction.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Albusoda BS, Hussein RS (2013) Bearing capacity of eccentrically Loaded Square foundation on compacted reinforced dune sand over Gypseous soil. J Earth Sci Geotech Eng 3(4):47–62
Al-Farouk, O., Al-Damluji, S., Al-Obaidi, A. L. M., Al-Omari, R. R., Al-Ani, M. M., Fattah, M. Y., and El-Mossallamy, Y. (2009) Experimental and numerical investigations of dissolution of gypsum in gypsiferrous Iraqi soils. In Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering: The academia and practice of geotechnical engineering, Alexandria, Egypt, 5–9 October 2009. (pp. 820–824). IOS Press.
Ahmad F, Md Said MA, Najah L (2012) Effect of leaching and gypsum content on properties of Gypseous soil. J Int Sci Res Publ 2:1–5
Azam S (2000) Collapse and compressibility behaviour of arid calcareous soil formations. Bull Eng Geol Environ 59(3):211–217
Azam S, Abduljauwad SN, Al-Shayea NA, Al-Amoudi OS (1998) Expansive characteristics of gypsiferous/anhydritic soil formations. Eng Geol 51(2):89–107
Deputy of Technical Affairs Beureau of Technical Standards Drafting (2003) Iranian concrete Code. Management and Planning Organization, Iran
Fattah MY, Al-Shakarchi YJ, Al-Numani HN (2008) Long–term deformation of some gypseous soils. Eng Technol J 26:12
Herrero J, Porta J (2000) The terminology and the concepts of gypsum-rich soils. Geoderma 96(1):47–61
Ismael NF, Mollah MA (1998) Leaching effects on properties of cemented sands in Kuwait. J Geotech Geoenviron 124(10):997–1004
Ismael NF (1993) Laboratory and field leaching tests on coastal salt-bearing soils. J Geotech Eng 119(3):453–470
Jackson, J. O. (1974) The effect of leaching on soil-cement. In International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences and Geomechanics Abstracts (Vol. 11, No. 6, pp. 215–219). Pergamon.
Johnson KS (2008) Gypsum-karst problems in constructing dams in the USA. Environ Geol 53(5):945–950
Keren R, O’Connor GA (1982) Gypsum dissolution and sodic soil reclamation as affected by water flow velocity. Soil Sci Soc Am J 46(4):726–732
Namiq, L. I., and Nashat, I. H. (2011). Influence of leaching on volume change of a gypseous soil. In Geo-Frontiers 2011: Advances in Geotechnical Engineering (pp. 2611–2620). ASCE.
Petrukhin VP, Arakelyan EA (1984) Strength of gypsum-clay soils and its variation during the leaching of salts. Soil Mech Found Eng 21(6):264–268
Petrukhin VP, Boldyrev GB (1978) Investigation of the de formability of gypsofied soils by a static load. Soil Mech Found Eng 15(3):178–182
Razouki SS, Kuttah DK, Al-Damluji OA, Nashat IH (2008) Using gypsiferous soil for embankments in hot desert areas. Proc Inst Civ Eng. Constr Mater 161(2):63–71
Razouki, S. S., and Kuttah, D. K. (2004). Distress of light structures and pavements over swelling gypsiferous soils. In Proceedings of the international conference on geotechnical engineering, Sharjah, UAE, October (pp. 3–6).Rowe, P. W., and Barden, L. 1966. A new consolidation cell. Geotechnique, 16(2), 162–170.
Rowe PW, Barden L (1966) A new consolidation cell. Geotechnique 16(2):162–170
Skempton AW (1954) The pore-pressure coefficients a and B. Geotechnique 4(4):143–147
Tran MK, Shin H, Byun YH, Lee JS (2012) Mineral dissolution effects on mechanical strength. Eng Geol 125:26–34
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Asghari, S., Ghafoori, M. & Tabatabai, S.S. Changes in chemical composition and engineering properties of gypseous soils through leaching: an example from Mashhad, Iran. Bull Eng Geol Environ 77, 165–175 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-017-1076-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-017-1076-6