Study and Comparison of Swelling and Compressibility Characteristics of Crumb Marl, Flaky Marl with Attapulgite and Sandy Clay from the Diamniadio Urban Pole at the Oedometer

In Senegal, the Diamniadio, Sebikhotane and Bargny sector contains clay soils that are problematic for construction. In order to have more information on the behavior of the clay soils of Diamniadio, free swelling tests followed by load-discharge cycles were carried out according to standard NF P 94-090-1. These tests were carried out using an Oedometric device on the three samples from the study site (sandy clays with calcareous concretion, marls with crumbs and laminated marls with attapulgite) to apprehend their swelling aspects in saturated conditions. For the free swelling test, a determination of the different swelling phases will be carried out followed by a comparison of the rate of evolution of the phases for the three samples from the site. In the same vein, the compressibility characteristics of the samples will also be provided from load-unload Oedometric tests. Thereafter, we proceed to a comparison of the void index at the initial state of the samples after two charge-discharge cycles and the influence of the cycles on the reorganization of the internal structure of the samples. These studies will provide more information on the swelling behavior of Diamniadio soils in the presence of water.

Factors Predisposing and Triggering the Phenomenon of Shrinkage-Swelling of Clay Soils in the Urban Center of Diamniadio

The phenomena of shrinkage and swelling of clay induce damage to housing structures every year. Precipitation, climatic changes and drought are the cause of wall cracks due to subsidence or swelling of the supporting soil. This movement alters the balance between the soil and the structures. To explain this defection, the soil is made up of three elements: the solid, the liquid and the gas. Sometimes in a natural way or following a human intervention, one of these elements undergoes an abnormal variation that causes the loss of the balance between land and works. It is in this sense that this article deals on the one hand with the factors of predisposition and triggering of the phenomena of shrinkage-swelling of the clay soils of Diamniadio and on the other hand, the factors of aggravation linked to the lithological heterogeneity and the variation in the thickness of the layers susceptible to shrinkage-swelling. The studies carried out have enabled a deeper understanding of the behavior of expansive soils following their interactions with climate, vegetation, hydrology, hydrogeology, constructions among others, but also the influence of lateral and vertical variations of fine soil facies.

Use of the Cam-Clay Model in Finite Element Calculations after Identification of Soils from Simple Mechanical Tests

In order to make the use of complex elasto-plastic behavior models more accessible, we attempted to identify the Cam-Clay model in two samples of tropical and lateritic soils (from Senegal/West Africa) from casagrande box shear and oedometric tests. This methodology was used as a substitute for triaxial trials. In this article, we first verify the test results by the finite element method with the Optum software. We use a simulation of the tests with the modified Cam Clay model as the behavior model. Then, we simulate the oedometric test on tropical soils with the Castem software and also use the modified Cam Clay model. These calculations make it possible to write the criterion of plasticity of the material starting from the expression of the surface of load while passing by the calculation of the volumetric and deviatoric stresses.

Identification of a Cam Clay Model through Shear-Box and Oedometer Tests. Application to Lateritical Soils from Senegal (West Africa)

The main objective of this research is to study the mechanical behaviour of tropical soils using elasto-plastic constitutive equations in the so-called limit and critical states. Indeed, researchers of the Cambridge University had noticed that during their various experiments, the rate of volumetric deformation ( ) of the sample tending to zero every time the rupture of the specimen is reached during a test performed on a clay specimen Roscoe et al., 1958. To better understand and clarify this mechanical behaviour, a description has been proposed in the (e, p, q) representation that means void ratio, volumetric stress (spherical pressure) and deviatoric stress. This frame of theoretical study and apprehension is called: the theory of the Critical State. One of the major problems met at the time of our present research is the non-availability of triaxial apparatus allowing us to achieve some tests on tropical soils (samples from Senegal in West Africa) and to describe the behaviour of these materials easily like the researchers of the university of Cambridge in the theory of the critical state. To by-pass this difficulty, we decided to consider two very classical and simple mechanical tests: shear-box and the oedometer test as well as the interrelationship of the results given by the tests and some theoretical calculations. This is a way to identify an elasto-plastic model (the modified Cam Clay model) without any triaxial experiment. Indeed it supposes the model to be suitable to describe the mechanical behaviour of the considered clays.

Influence of the Elastic Modulus of the Soil and Concrete Foundation on the Displacements of a Mat Foundation

In this paper, we suggest to study the behavior of a mat foundation on subsoil from the plate theory taking into account the soil-structure interaction. The objective is to highlight the soil-structure interaction particularly the influence of the rigidities of the soil and the concrete on the subgrade reaction (k) and the displacements of the mat foundation subjected to vertical loads. From plate theory and the soil-structure interaction, the general equation is reached. This equation depends more on the subgrade properties than the concrete foundation properties. Consequently, the behavior of the mat foundation is more influenced by soil properties than the concrete.

Resilient Modulus of Compacted Lateritic Soils from Senegal at OPM Conditions

Repeated load triaxial tests were performed on five compacted gravel lateritic soils collected from different locations in Senegal: Sébikotane, Dougar, Pa Lo, Mont-Rolland and Ngoundiane. The study revealed that resilient modulus decreases with the increase of the bulk and deviatoric stress in constant confining pressure. In addition, resilient modulus increases with the percentage of cement for appreciably equal contents of moisture. This effect tends to stop for higher stress. Besides, correlations were made with some models of resilient modulus such as the Uzan-Witczack model (Witczack and Uzan, 1988 [1]) and the National Highway Research Program (NCHRP) model (2004 [2]). The study confirms that both models give very good results with the best correlations being obtained with the Uzan-Witczack model.

Evaluation of the Impact of Truck Overloading on Flexible Compacted Gravel Lateritic Soil’s Pavements by FEM with Cast3M^©

Within the framework of a FEM of the nonlinear behavior of lateritic pavement of Senegal, the effect of truck overloading is studied to estimate its impact on the deformability of road pavement on compacted gravel lateritic soils. For that purpose, various loading conditions were tested to measure the impact on the critical response parameters of road pavement design. The implementation of the models was realized with Cast3M©. This study allowed us to point out that the observed variations are linear and would help to plan in advance the impact of axle overloads for a better evaluation within the framework of the mechanistic (M. E.) design of pavements.

Geotechnical Behavior of Eastern Senegal Rock Mass Slopes by Geomechanical Classifications and Applications

In Senegal, rock mechanic studies began in last four years and were a very new engineering domain. So, the first stage is to characterize geological materials. It is on this way that this work is done. This paper analyzes geomechanical parameters of sandstones of Dindifélo and basalt of Bafoundou belonging to the Proterozoic rocks domain of eastern Senegal. By Rock Mass Rating (RMR) and Geological Strength Index (GSI), sandstones of the Dindifello Cliff show fair to poor characteristics while basalts of the hills of Bafoundou are fair quality. In addition to the qualities of rock mass, Young moduli, uniaxial compressive strengths and tensile strength of rock mass are also defined using Rock Quality Designation (RQD) GSI, RMR. Hoek-Brown parameters m and a, depend both on the fracturation and the content fine in the rock. Values of mechanical parameters are different when deduced from RMR, GSI and from intact rock laboratory test. Those differences are due to variables taken account. The variation depends also on the quality of the rock. Statistical analysis shows possible unstabilities which depend on rock mass parameters but with acceptable probability of failure. Probability of failure is the highest when deducing from Mohr criterion than from Hoek-Brown criterion.

Estimation of Resilient Modulus of Unbound Granular Materials from Senegal (West Africa)

The resilient modulus (Mr) is an important parameter which describes the mechanical behavior of unbound granular materials. However, this parameter can be determined from physical properties. This paper presents the relationship between resilient modulus and physical properties of Quartzite from Bakel (GB), Basalt from Diack and Bargny and Bandia limestones. Simple and multiple regression method by stepwise are used to establish linear and nonlinear relations to predict the resilient modulus. The results showed no significant correlation for Basalt, a weak estimation of the modulus for GB and good prediction of resilient modulus for limestone. These results also showed that the model of Uzan is more suitable to predict the resilient modulus than NCHRP model and the resilient modulus is better predicted in nonlinear relationship.

Influence of the Soil-Structure Interaction in the Behavior of Mat Foundation

This article focuses on the study of the behavior of a soil mass under a plate subjected to a uniformly distributed load. The aim of this paper is to highlight the soil-structure interaction with a linear variation of the mechanical properties of the soil with the depth. The theory of plates and the soil-structure interaction has allowed reaching the general equation of the problem which depends on both the mechanical properties of the concrete and the subgrade. This study shows that the linearity of the elastic modulus of subgrade leads to larger displacements when this modulus is assumed to be constant in the soil mass. It also shows that the Poisson’s ratio of soil and mechanical properties of the concrete have an insignificant influence on the displacements. This analysis also shows that the points in the upper half-thickness of soil are the most sensitive to the parameters of the model.