Soil disturbance evaluation of soft clay based on stress-normalized smallstrain stiffness

Soil disturbance includes the change of stress state and the damage of soil structure.The field testing indices reflect the combined effect of both changes and it is difficult to identify the soil structure disturbance directly from these indices.In the present study,the small-strain shear modulus is used to characterize soil structure disturbance by normalizing the effective stress and void ratio based on Hardin equation.The procedure for evaluating soil sampling disturbance in the field and the further disturbance during the subsequent consolidation process in laboratory test is proposed,and then validated by a case study of soft clay ground.Downhole seismic testing in the field,portable piezoelectric bender elements for the drilled sample and bender elements in triaxial apparatus for the consolidated sample were used to monitor the shear wave velocity of the soil from intact to disturbed and even remolded states.It is found that soil sampling disturbance degree by conventional thin-wall sampler is about 30%according to the proposed procedure,which is slightly higher than that from the modified volume compression method proposed by Hong and Onitsuka(1998).And the additional soil disturbance induced by consolidation in laboratory could reach about 50%when the consolidation pressure is far beyond the structural yield stress,and it follows the plastic volumetric strain quite well.

Biopolymer stabilization of clayey soil

This study investigates the efficacy of sodium alginate(SA),xanthan gum(XG),guar gum(GG)and chitosan(CS)d each applied at five different solid biopolymer-to-water mass ratios(or dosages)and cured for 7 d and 28 d d on the unconfined compressive strength(UCS)performance of a high plasticity clayey soil.Moreover,on identifying the optimum biopolymer-treatment scenarios,their performance was compared against conventional stabilization using hydrated lime.For a given curing time,the UCS for all biopolymers followed a riseefall trend with increasing biopolymer dosage,peaking at an optimum dosage and then subsequently decreasing,such that all biopolymer-stabilized samples mobilized higher UCS values compared to the unamended soil.The optimum dosage was found to be 1.5%for SA,XG and CS,while a notably lower dosage of 0.5%was deemed optimum for GG.Similarly,for a given biopolymer type and dosage,increasing the curing time from 7 d to 28 d further enhanced the UCS,with the achieved improvements being generally more pronounced for XG-and CS-treated cases.None of the investigated biopolymers was able to produce UCS improvements equivalent to those obtained by the 28-d soilelime samples;however,the optimum XG,GG and CS dosages,particularly after 28 d of curing,were easily able to replicate 7-d lime stabilization outcomes achieved with as high as twice the soil’s lime demand.Finally,the fundamental principles of clay chemistry,in conjunction with the soil mechanics framework,were employed to identify and discuss the clayebiopolymer stabilization mechanisms.

Hygrothermal Properties of a Composite Based on Clay Soils and Diatomite

The purpose of this paper is to make a contribution to the use of diatomite as a mineral additive in the composition of compressed earth blocks. The aim is to study the influence of diatomite on the hygrothermal behaviour of composites based on clay soils. For this reason, two clay soils with different physicochemical and mineralogical compositions were incorporated with diatomite at percentages ranging from 5% to 50% with a step of 5 to produce compressed earth blocks. After assessing the hydric and thermal characteristics of the composites, it was found that the incorporation of diatomite into the clay matrix favours the absorption of water by capillary action for all the composites. The diatomite-amended blocks subjected to the rain erosion test were less eroded than the unamended blocks. In addition, BYD composites were found to be more resistant than BTD composites, due to the high percentage of clay in T soil. The thermal conductivity of the latter decreases respectively from 0.72 to 0.29 W/m∙K for BTD composites and from 0.52 to 0.21 W/m∙K for BYD composites. This reduction proves the thermal insulating properties of diatomite. Despite the high capillary absorption capacity of these composites, they have good thermal properties, enabling them to be used in the construction of buildings for improved indoor thermal comfort.

Nutrient Limiting Factor and Agronomic Efficiency of Wheat in Fluvo-aquic Soil District in Northwest of Shandong Province

[Objective] This study aimed to provide basis for rational fertilizer application of wheat in fluvo-aquic soil in the northwest of Shandong Province.[Method] In this paper,the treatments of reduced N,P and K were set in order to explore the effects of fertilizer recommendation based on ASI systematic approach on wheat yield,agronomic efficiency and recovery rate of nutrients.[Result] Nitrogen was the main limiting factor for wheat production in that area,followed by phosphorus,and the third was potassium.Compared with the optimum treatment （OPT）,the reduction of N,P and K reduced the grain yield obviously,which came up to 22.4％,14.4％ and 13.4％ respectively.There were no obvious differences in grain yield among Farmer＇s Fertilization Practice （FP）,60％ OPT-N and OPT treatment.[Conclusion] Agronomic efficiency of N,P and K was 6.3,12.9 and 10 kg/kg respectively.The recovery rates of N,P and K in wheat season were 16.41％,17.27％ and 27.27％ respectively.

Response of soil Olsen-P to P budget under different long-term fertilization treatments in a fluvo-aquic soil

The concentration of soil Olsen-P is rapidly increasing in many parts of China, where P budget(P input minus P output) is the main factor influencing soil Olsen-P. Understanding the relationship between soil Olsen-P and P budget is useful in estimating soil Olsen-P content and conducting P management strategies. To address this, a long-term experiment(1991–2011) was performed on a fluvo-aquic soil in Beijing, China, where seven fertilization treatments were used to study the response of soil Olsen-P to P budget. The results showed that the relationship between the decrease in soil Olsen-P and P deficit could be simulated by a simple linear model. In treatments without P fertilization(CK, N, and NK), soil Olsen-P decreased by 2.4, 1.9, and 1.4 mg kg^(–1) for every 100 kg ha^(–1) of P deficit, respectively. Under conditions of P addition, the relationship between the increase in soil Olsen-P and P surplus could be divided into two stages. When P surplus was lower than the range of 729–884 kg ha^(–1), soil Olsen-P fluctuated over the course of the experimental period with chemical fertilizers(NP and NPK), and increased by 5.0 and 2.0 mg kg^(–1), respectively, when treated with chemical fertilizers combined with manure(NPKM and 1.5 NPKM) for every 100 kg ha^(–1) of P surplus. When P surplus was higher than the range of 729–884 kg ha^(–1), soil Olsen-P increased by 49.0 and 37.0 mg kg^(–1) in NPKM and 1.5 NPKM treatments, respectively, for every 100 kg ha^(–1) P surplus. The relationship between the increase in soil Olsen-P and P surplus could be simulated by two-segment linear models. The cumulative P budget at the turning point was defined as the "storage threshold" of a fluvo-aquic soil in Beijing, and the storage thresholds under NPKM and 1.5 NPKM were 729 and 884 kg ha^(–1)P for more adsorption sites. According to the critical soil P values(CPVs) and the relationship between soil Olsen-P and P budget, the quantity of P fertilizers for winter wheat could be increased and that of summer maize could be decreased based on the results of treatments in chemical fertilization. Additionally, when chemical fertilizers are combined with manures(NPKM and 1.5 NPKM), it could take approximately 9–11 years for soil Olsen-P to decrease to the critical soil P values of crops grown in the absence of P fertilizer.

Mechanical properties of a clay soil reinforced with rice husk under drained and undrained conditions

Fiber-reinforced soils have been increasingly used in geotechnical engineering.Over the years,research has sought to understand and investigate the influences of fibers as reinforcement in soilefiber mixtures.This study assessed the behavior of clayey soil in the city of Curitiba(Paraná,Brazil),adding rice husk fiber(RHF),an industrial waste from Cooperativa Agroindustrial in Alegrete(Rio Grande do Sul,Brazil).To evaluate the effect of the presence of natural RHF on the mechanical behavior of compacted soil,aspects such as the influence of fiber content and the drained and undrained behaviors of the soil were evaluated through unconfined triaxial compression tests.The following tests were realized:soil granulometry,specific mass of solids and Atterberg limits.Specimens were produced in quadruplicate for the soil and mixtures using the RHF contents of 0.5%,0.75%,1%and 1.5%to determine the unconfined compressive strength(UCS).Triaxial tests were realized on a pure soil specimen and the specimens with 1%RHF under confining pressures of 50 kPa,100 kPa,200 kPa and 400 kPa.The interactions at the interface between husk surface and soil were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy(SEM).In UCS tests,specimens with RHF percentages of 1%and 1.5%presented the highest results,with an increment of 36%compared to the soil without RHF.The results of the consolidated drained triaxial compression tests show that in terms of effective stress,there was a small difference in the strength of the compacted pure soil and soil with the addition of RHF.For the undrained tests,the strength increased with the inclusion of husk,with a reduction of 50%in cohesion and an increment of 22%in friction angle for specimens containing RHF compared to the soil without RHF additions.

Extended wet sieving method for determination of complete particle size distribution of general soils

The traditional standard wet sieving method uses steel sieves with aperture?0.063 mm and can only determine the particle size distribution(PSD)of gravel and sand in general soil.This paper extends the traditional method and presents an extended wet sieving method.The extended method uses both the steel sieves and the nylon filter cloth sieves.The apertures of the cloth sieves are smaller than 0.063 mm and equal 0.048 mm,0.038 mm,0.014 mm,0.012 mm,0.0063 mm,0.004 mm,0.003 mm,0.002 mm,and 0.001 mm,respectively.The extended method uses five steps to separate the general soil into many material sub-groups of gravel,sand,silt and clay with known particle size ranges.The complete PSD of the general soil is then calculated from the dry masses of the individual material sub-groups.The extended method is demonstrated with a general soil of completely decomposed granite(CDG)in Hong Kong,China.The silt and clay materials with different particle size ranges are further examined,checked and verified using stereomicroscopic observation,physical and chemical property tests.The results further confirm the correctness of the extended wet sieving method.

Atrazine Adsorption Behavior on a Fluvo-Aquic Soil as Influenced by Contact Periods

A batch experiment was performed to investigate nonequilibrium adsorption behavior of atrazine （2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamlno-1,3,5-triazlne） on a fluvo-aquic soil. The amount of atrazine sorbed increased with increasing adsorption contact periods. For a range of initial atrazlne concentrations, the percentage of atrazine sorbed within 24 h ranged from 24% to 77% of the observed total amount sorbed for the longest contact period; when adsorption contact periods were more than 72 h, the deviations in curves fitted using a nonlinear Freundllch equation gradually became less. The opposite trend was observed for the atrazine concentrations in solution. The effect of adsorption contact periods on atrazine adsorption behavior was evaluated by interpreting the temporal variations in linear and nonlinear Freundlich equation parameters obtained from the phase-distribution relationships. As the adsorption contact period increased, the nonlinear Freundlich capacity coefficient kf showed a significant linear increase （r^2 = 0.9063, P 〈 0.001）. However, a significant negative linear correlation was observed for the nonlinear coefficient n, a dimensionless parameter （r^2 = 0.5666, P 〈 0.05）. Furthermore, the linear distribution coefficient kd ranged from 0.38 to 1.44 and exhibited a significant linear correlation to the adsorption contact period （r^2 = 0.72, P 〈 0.01）. The parameters kf and n obtained from a time-dependent isotherm rather than the distribution coefficient kd estimated using the linear Freundlich equation were more appropriate to predict the herbicide residue in the field and thus more meaningful for environmental assessment.

Long-term organic and inorganic fertilizations enhanced basic soil productivity in a fluvo-aquic soil

The improvement of soil productivity depends on a rational input of water and nutrients, optimal field management, and the increase of basic soil productivity（BSP）. In this study, BSP is defined as the productive capacity of a farmland soil with its own physical and chemical properties for a specific crop season under local field management. Based on 19-yr data of the long-term agronomic experiments（1989–2008） on a fluvo-aquic soil in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China, the decision support system for agrotechnology transfer（DSSAT ver. 4.0） crop growth model was used to simulate yields by BSP of winter wheat（Triticum aestivium L.） and summer maize（Zea mays L.） to examine the relationship between BSP and soil organic carbon（SOC） under long-term fertilization. Five treatments were included：（1） no fertilization（control）,（2） nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers（NPK）,（3） NPK plus manure（NPKM）,（4） 1.5 times of NPKM（1.5NPKM）, and（5） NPK plus straw（NPKS）. After 19 yr of treatments, the SOC stock increased 16.7, 44.2, 69.9, and 25.2% under the NPK, NPKM, 1.5NPKM, and NPKS, respectively, compared to the initial value. Among various nutrient factors affecting contribution percentage of BSP to winter wheat and summer maize, SOC was a major affecting factor for BSP in the fluvo-aquic soil. There were significant positive correlations between SOC stock and yields by BSP of winter wheat and summer maize（P〈0.01）, and yields by BSP of winter wheat and summer maize increased 154 and 132 kg ha^（–1） when SOC stock increased 1 t C ha^（–1）. Thus, increased SOC accumulation is a crucial way for increasing BSP in fluvo-aquic soil. The manure or straw combined application with chemical fertilizers significantly enhanced BSP compared to the application of chemical fertilizers alone.

Characteristics of Magnesium Release from Fluvo-Aquic Soil and Relative Availability of Magnesium to Plants

Experiments including two in laboratory and one in greenhouse were carried out to study non- exchangeable magnesium release from fluvo-aquic soils sampled from Daxing and changping counties located in the suburbs of Beijing and Mg relative availability of the two soils to plants. In a batch experiment in laboratory the soils were incubated under wet conditions and alternation of dry and wet conditions and determined for amount of Mg released at the 4th, 8th and 12th week, respectively, after extraction of exchangeable Mg with 1 mol L-1 NH4Ac. The amount of Mg released from the soil of Daxing was higher than from the soil of Changping, which was in accordance with the fact that the soil of Daxing had higher contents of all forms of Mg than that of Changping. There was little difference in Mg release from soils between wet conditions and alternation of dry and wet conditions. About 1%~2% of the total non-exchangeable Mg might be released within 12 weeks of incubation, restoring about 30%~35% of the original soil exchangeable Mg. Results of the experiment on kinetics of Mg release from the soils through continuous extractions with 0.5 mol L-1 NH4Ac (pH 7.0) on a continuous flow apparatus in laboratory showed that Mg released rapidly in the beginning, decreased sharply with time and kept stable at 60 and 240 min for the soils of Changping and Daxing, respectively. Among the five mathematical models used to describe the kinetics of Mg release, the parabolic diffusion equation best fitted the cumulative Mg release, indicating that diffusion of Mg out of the soils might be the controlling process. The experiment of exhaustive cropping with 1 crop of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) followed by six crops of corn (Zea mays L.) in greenhouse showed that soil exchangeable Mg decreased remarkably with cropping. After three crops, the percentage of the total plant Mg uptake that came from soil non-exchangeable Mg was 29.5% for the soil from Changping and 35% for the soil from Daxing. About 50% of the total Mg uptake by plants in the six crops was believed to come from the soil non-exchangeable Mg form.

Effects of Conservation Tillage on the Content of Carbon, Nitrogen in Fluvo-aquic Soil

In order to verify organic carbon cycle under conservation tillage condition and the promotion mechanism of soil fertility and offer scientific theory support for the popularization and application of conservation tillage technological, the research investigated effects of different tillage treatments on the content of total organic car- bon, total nitrogen and different components of them in fluvo-aquic soil based on a long-term experiment site of conservation tillage. The research revealed effects of conservation tillage on the content of carbon, nitrogen in fluvo-aquic soil by study the distribution of soil total organic carbon, total nitrogen, dissolved organic carbon, dissolved organic nitrogen, microbial biomass carbon, liable carbon in different soil depth under different tillage treatments. The results showed that compared to con- ventional tillage treatment, contents of soil total organic carbon under intermittent tillage （tillage once every 2 or 4 years） and no-tillage treatment improved by 1.81%, 6.43%, 14.04%, respectively and contents of soil total nitrogen went up by 0.80%, 10.04%, 7.93%, respectively. Contents of soil total organic carbon and total nitrogen in 10-20 cm soil layer under no-tillage treatment were significantly lower than the other treatments. Under the condition of straw returned, intermittent tillage and no- tillage could significantly improve the content of soil dissolved organic carbon and ni- trogen in 0-5 cm and 5-10 cm soil. Compared to conventional tillage treatment, content of soil microbial biomass carbon and liable carbon in 0-5 cm soil under in- termittent tillage and no-tillage were improved in varying degrees. Content of soil microbial biomass carbon in 10-20 cm soil layer under no-tillage treatment was sig- nificantly lower than the other treatments. Straw returning had improved the content of soil total organic carbon, total nitrogen, dissolved organic carbon and other com- ponents of active organic carbon in varying degrees. In general, conservation tillage measures could increase carbon and nitrogen storage in 0-5 cm soil layer, the negative effects of ＂nutrients enrichment in surface＂ under no-tillage condition could be ameliorated by intermittent tillage.

Effects of Long-term Located Fertilization on Evolution of Available Phosphorus and Phosphorus Pool in Shandong Fluvo-aquic Soil

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of long-term located fertilization on soil phosphorus,the changes of soil available phosphorus(OlsenP),the evolution of soil total phosphorus(TP)and the ratio change of Olsen-P to TP(PAC)by 33-year fertilization experiments in winter wheat-summer maize rotation system in Shandong fluvo-aquic soil.Eight treatments were designed as no fertilization(CK),nitrogen fertilizer(N),nitrogen and phosphate fertilizer(NP),nitrogen and potassium fertilizer(NK),phosphate and potassium fertilizer(PK),nitrogen-phosphate-potassium fertilizer(NPK),reduced NPK fertilizer(N(15)PK),and increased NPK fertilizer(N_(25)PK).Meanwhile,eight organic fertilizer-added treatments were designed based on the application of inorganic fertilizer the same as the above ones.The results showed that TP,Olsen-P and PAC of treatments added with organic fertilizer were higher than those without organic fertilizer,and those of the treatments applied with phosphate fertilizer were higher than those of no phosphate fertilizer.With the increase of years,soil P pool decreased due to crop absorption,nutrient loss and morphological transformation and other causes under the treatments of without and only phosphate fertilizer,while remained stable under the treatments added with organic fertilizer.The PAC values were generally lower in fluvo-aquic soil,and it could be improved by the application of organic fertilizer.On the whole,the application of chemical phosphate fertilizer combined with organic fertilizer could improve the phosphorus content in soil and ensure the supply of phosphorus nutrition.This study would provide scientific basis for fertilization management and soil fertility in fluvo-aquic soil.

Using Sorghum Stalk as a Partial Replacement of Lime in the Stabilization of Red Clay Soil for Road Sub-Grade Construction

This research aimed at testing the viability of using Sorghum Stalk Ash (SSA) as a partial replacement of lime in the stabilization of red clay soils for road subgrade construction. Red clay soils have been identified as highly expansive soils, which are affected by both climatic conditions and loading patterns. The consideration of both traffic loading patterns and climatic effects on these soils has been taken into account. A penetration test of 2.5 mm has been used on both pure red soils and stabilized soils at 10% and 15% partial replacement of lime with SSA and showed an improvement in the CBR of stabilized red clay soils up to 11.6%. Again, the PI of stabilized soils at 15% partial replacement of lime reduced up to 11.2%. The results obtained on both CBR and PI of these red clay soils are within the recommended values for the effective subgrade required for laying both permanent and flexible pavements. As a result, a recommendation of making use of SSA to lower the quantities of lime and its costs used in the stabilization of highly expansive soils have been tested through this research. However, further research on a more percentage partial replacement of lime to improve the PI of these soils to below 10% while keeping the CBR levels within the road construction regulations is welcomed.

K^+ Adsorption Kinetics of Fluvo-Aquic and Cinnamon Soil Under Different Temperature

The K+ adsorption kinetics of fluvo-aquic soil and cinnamon soil under different temperatureswere studied. The results showed: 1) The first order equations were the most suitable forfitting the adsorption under various temperature levels with constant K+ concentration indisplacing fluid. With temperature increasing, the fitness of Elovich equation increased,while those of power equation and parabolic diffusion equation decreased; 2)the apparentadsorption rate constant ka and the product of ka multiplied by the apparent equilibriumadsorption qincreased when temperature increased, while the apparent equilibrium adsorptionqreduced; 3)temperature influenced hardly the reaction order, the order of concentrationand adsorpton site were always 1 under various temperatures, if they were taken intoaccount simultaneously, the adsorption should be a two-order reaction process; 4)theGibbs free energy change △G of potassium adsorption were negative, ranged from -4444.56to -2450.63Jmol-1,and increased with temperature increasing, while enthalpy change △H,entropy change △S, apparent adsorption activation Ea, adsorption activation energy E1and desorption activation energy E2 were temperature-independent; 5)the adsorption wasspontaneous process with heat releasing and entropy dropping, fluvo-aquic soil releasedmore heat than cinnamon soil.

Clay Materials for Ceramics Application from N’Djamena in the Chad Republic: Mineralogical, Physicochemical and Microstructural Characterization

Herein, we report some characteristics of the clayey materials (CMs) collected from Kaliwa (C1), Kabé (C2) and Malo (C3) district in N’Djamena (Chad). Three samples were characterized applying XRF, XRD, FTIR, SEM. In addition, TGA/DSC were performed to control decomposition/mass loss and show phase transitions respectively of CMs. Geochemical analysis by XRF reveals the following minerals composition: SiO2 (~57% - 66%), Al2O3 (~13% - 15%), Fe2O3 (~6% - 10%), TiO2 (~1% - 2%) were the predominant oxides with a reduced proportion in C1, and (~7%) of fluxing agents (K2O, CaO, Na2O). Negligible and trace of MgO (~1%) and P2O5 was noted. The mineralogical composition by XRD shows that, C1, C2 and C3 display close mineralogy with: Quartz (~50%), feldspar (~20%) as non-clay minerals, whereas clays minerals were mostly kaolinite (~15%), illite (~5%) and smectite (~10%). FTIR analysis exhibits almost seemingly similar absorption bands characteristic of hydroxyls elongation, OH valence vibration of Kaolinite and stretching vibration of some Metal-Oxygen bond. SEM micrographs of the samples exhibit microstructureformed by inter-aggregates particles with porous cavities. TGA/DSCconfirm the existence of quartz (570˚C to 870˚C), carbonates (600˚C - 760˚C), kaolinite (569˚C - 988˚C), illite (566˚C - 966˚C), MgO (410˚C - 720˚C) and smectite (650˚C - 900˚C). The overall characterization indicates that, these clayey soils exhibit good properties for ceramic application.

Short-term Effects of Tillage Practices on Organic Carbon in Clay Loam Soil of Northeast China

A tillage experiment, consisting of moldboard plow （MP）, ridge tillage （RT）, and no-tillage （NT）, was performed in a randomized complete block design with four replicates to study the effect of 3-year tillage management on SOC content and its distribution in surface layer （30 cm） of a clay loam soil in northeast China. NT did not lead to significant increase of SOC in topsoil （0-5 cm） compared with MP and RT; however, the SOC content in NT soil was remarkably reduced at a depth of 5-20 cm. Accordingly, short-term （3-year） NT management tended to stratify SOC concentration, but not necessarily increase its storage in the plow layer for the soil.

Influence of Dimensions of UHMW-PE Protuberances on Sliding Resistance and Normal Adhesion of Bangkok Clay Soil to Biomimetic Plates

A number of investigations into application of polymers for macro-morphological modification of tool surface have been carried out. These researches, with extensive stress on convex or domed protuberations as one of the widely used construction units, have tried to harness benefits from using polymers in agriculture. Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene （UHMW-PE） has proved an emerging polymer in its application to reduce soil adhesion. This research was conducted to study the effect of shape （flat, semi-spherical, semi-oblate, semi short-prolate and semi long-prolate） and dimensions （base diameter and dome height） on sliding resistance and normal adhesion of biomimetic plates. To incorporate both shape and size, a dimensionless ratio of height to diameter （HDR） was introduced to characterize the effect of construction unit＇s physique. Experiments were conducted in Bangkok clay soil with dry （ 19.8% d.b.）, sticky （36.9% d.b.） and flooded （60.1% d.b.） soil conditions respectively. Soil at sticky limit exhibited the highest sliding resistance （77.8 N） and normal adhesion （3 kPa to 7 kPa）, whereas these values were 61.7 N and 〈0.2 kPa in dry, and 53.7 N and 0.5 kPa to 1.5 kPa in flooded soil conditions. Protuberances with HDR ≤ 0.5 lowered sliding resistance by 10% - 30% and the same reduced normal adhesion by 10% - 60%. The amount of reduction in both sliding resistance and normal adhesion was higher in flooded soil. Lighter normal loads obviously produced lesser resistance and adhesion.

Effects of oil contamination and bioremediation on geotechnical properties of highly plastic clayey soil

Leakage of oil and its derivatives into the soil can change the engineering behavior of soil as well as cause environmental disasters.Also,recovering the contaminated sites into their natural condition and making contaminated materials as both environmentally and geotechnically suitable construction materials need the employment of remediation techniques.Bioremediation,as an efficient,low cost and environmentalfriendly approach,was used in the case of highly plastic clayey soils.To better understand the change in geotechnical properties of highly plastic fine-grained soil due to crude oil contamination and bioremediation,Atterberg limits,compaction,unconfined compression,direct shear,and consolidation tests were conducted on natural,contaminated,and bioremediated soil samples to investigate the effects of contamination and remediation on fine-grained soil properties.Oil contamination reduced maximum dry density(MDD),optimum moisture content(OMC),unconfined compressive strength(UCS),shear strength,swelling pressure,and coefficient of consolidation of soil.In addition,contamination increased the compression and swelling indices and compressibility of soil.Bioremediation reduced soil contamination by about 50%.Moreover,in comparison with contaminated soil,bioremediation reduced the MDD,UCS,swelling index,free swelling and swelling pressure of soil,and also increased OMC,shear strength,cohesion,internal friction angle,failure strain,porosity,compression index,and settlement.Microstructural analyses showed that oil contamination does not alter the soil structure in terms of chemical compounds,elements,and constituent minerals.While it decreased the specific surface area of the soil,and the bioremediation significantly increased the mentioned parameters.Bioremediation resulted in the formation of quasi-fibrous textures and porous and agglomerated structures.As a result,oil contamination affected the mechanical properties of soil negatively,but bioremediation improved these properties.

A Preliminary Stndy on Identification of Clay Minerals in Soils with Reference to Reflectance Spectra

The characteristics of the reflectance spectra of clay minerals and their influences on the reflectancespectra of soils are dealt with in the paper. The results showed that dominant clay minerals in soils couldbe distinguished in light of the spectral-form parameters of the reflectance spectra of soils, thus making itpossible to develop a quick method to determine clay minerals by means of reflectance spectra of soils in thelab. and providing a theoretic basis for retnote sensing of clay minerals in soils with a high resolution imagingspectrometer.

Effects of Humic Acid and Solution Ph on Dispersion of Na-and Ca-Soil Clays

Dispersed soil clays have a negative impact on soil structure and contribute to soil erosion and contaminant movement. In this study, two typical soils from the south of China were chosen for investigating roles of pH and humic acid (HA) on dispersion of soil clays. Critical flocculation concentration (CFC) of the soil clay suspension was determined by using light transmission at a wavelength of 600 um. The results indicated that effects of pH and HA on dispersion of the soil clays were closely related to the type of the major minerals making up the soil and to the valence of the exchangeable canons as well. At four rates of pH(4, 6, 8 and 10), the CFC for the Na-yellow-brown soil treated with H2O2 was increased from 0.32 to 0.56, 6.0 to 14.0,10.0 to 24.6 and 26.0 to 52.0 mmol L-1 NaCl, respectively when Na-HA was added at the rate of from 0 to 40 mg L-1. With the same Na-HA addition and three pH (6, 8 and 10) treatments, the CFC for the Na-red soil was increased from 0.5 to 20.0, 1.0 to 40.0 and 6.0 to 141.0 mmol L-1 NaCl, respectively. Obviously,pH and HA has greater effects on clay dispersion of the red soil(dominated by 1:1 minerals and oxides)than on that of the yellow-brown soil(dominated by 2: 1 minerals). However, at three rates of pH (6, 8 and 10) and with the addition of Ca-HA from 0 to 40 mg L-1, the CFC of the Ca-yellow-brown soil and Ca-red soil treated with H2O2 was increased from 0.55 to 0.81, 0.75 to 1.28, 0.55 to 1.45 and 0.038 to 0.266, 0.25 to 0.62, 0.7 to 1.6 mmol CaCl2 L-1, respectively. So, Na-soil clays are more sensitive to pH and HA than Ca-soil clays.