Latrite Properties
Latrite Properties
Latrite Properties
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Civil and Environmental Research www.iiste.org
ISSN 2222-1719 (Paper) ISSN 2222-2863 (Online)
Vol 2, No.8, 2012
1. Introduction
The construction of foundations of most engineering structure requires that adequate information about the engineering
properties of the soil and sub-soil condition of the area are known. This is necessary for the engineering planning, design
and construction of such foundations to be based on sound geotechnical parameters.
This is more important especially in the design and construction of highways, where there is need for a good and sound
knowledge of the geotechnical and engineering properties of the subgrade and, more importantly, the construction
materials properties for sound engineering decisions to be taken. Such geotechnical parameters include the strength, the
maximum dry density (MDD), the amount of fines (clay and silts) as well as the compaction performance of the proposed
highway construction materials.
In Nigeria, the non-availability of generalized relevant data in this area, particularly for initial preliminary engineering
planning and designs, has been the bane and cause of failure of most of our highway construction projects, such that, failure
occurs almost immediately after the project is commissioned or even before. The construction material which is used for
engineering highway projects is therefore as important, as other engineering design factors. Thus in road pavement design,
the soil (sub-base and base course) materials used in the pavement construction transmit the axle-load to the sub-soil or
subgrade. Hence, the durability of a highway pavement is a function of the ease and rigidity of the pavement soil to transmit
the stress induced in it to the sub-soil such that unnecessary deformation is avoided.
In this tropical part of the world, lateritic soils are used as a road making material and they form the sub-grade of
most tropical road. They are used as sub base and bases for low cost roads and these carry low to medium traffic.
Furthermore, in rural areas of Nigeria they are used as building material for molding of blocks and plastering.
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Civil and Environmental Research www.iiste.org
ISSN 2222-1719 (Paper) ISSN 2222-2863 (Online)
Vol 2, No.8, 2012
Since its discovery by Buchanan, 1807 in Malabar, India laterite has been defined and described by a number of
researchers in several different ways. Ola, (1978), used local terminology in defining laterite soils as all product of tropical
weathering with reddish, brown color with or without nodules or concretion but not exclusively found below hardened
ferruginous crust of hardpan. Osula (1984) defined laterite as a highly weathered tropical soil; rich in secondary oxides of
combination of iron, aluminum and manganese. Laterite (also known as red soils) is used to cover all tropically weathered
soil that has been involved in the accumulation of oxides of iron, aluminum or silica (Malomo, 1977). In other words, red
soil is a highly weathered material rich in secondary oxides of iron, aluminum, or both. According to Alexander and Candy
(1962) it is nearly devoid of bases and primary silicate, but it may contain large amount of quartz and kaolite. It is either
hard or capable of hardening on exposure to wetting and drying (Agbede, 1992).
A literature review has revealed that the geo-technical characteristics and engineering behavior of red soils depend
mainly on the genesis and degree of weathering (i.e. decomposition, laterisation, desiccation and hardening). Morphological
characteristics as well as the type and content of secondary minerals are other genetic characteristic (Agbede, 1992).
Good understandings of the basement soil on which highways and other transportation facilities are constructed are
very important. Salter (1988) said the performance of a highway pavement is influenced to a very considerable extent by the
subgrade material.
Furthermore, Oglesby and Hicks (1992) said that before 1920, attention was focused largely on the pavement
surface, and little notice was given to the subgrade and base materials or to the manner in which they were placed or
compacted. Later, increased vehicle speeds brought demands for higher design that resulted in deeper cuts and higher fills.
In many instances, subsidence or even total failure of the roadway resulted. Study of these failures indicated that faults lay
in the subgrade and not the pavement. This led to investigation of the properties of subgrade materials.
Consequent upon this, water was added to the paste and mixed thoroughly with spatula. The paste was now placed in a brass
cup on the Liquid limit device and leveled to a maximum depth. A long narrow cut (groove) was made along symmetrical
axis on the cup. The cup was made to fall on a hard rubber base by turning the handle on the device. The number of blows
that closed the groove was first noted between the ranges of 40 50 blows. At this point, a small sample or paste was
collected along the symmetrical axis on the cup and kept in a can from where weights of wet sample and dry sample were
determined to the moisture content. More water was added and the number of blows that closed the groove was noted at
ranges of 30 40 blows, 25 30 blows, 15 25 blows and 10 15 blows respectively, and samples were collected to
determine their moisture contents. The more the volume of water added, the lesser the number of blows that would close the
groove. The sample for shrinkage limit was collected when 18 22 blows closed the groove. The sample was used to fill
shrinkage limit mold of 12.7cm long and kept in the oven for 24 hours so as to determine linear shrinkage in percentage.
Linear shrinkage = (P P) 100
P
Where P = Original length of mold
P = New length after oven drying
A thread of about 3mm was made from the paste after being left for a while and kept in a can so as to determine moisture
content (Plastic limit of the sample).
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Civil and Environmental Research www.iiste.org
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Civil and Environmental Research www.iiste.org
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Officials) System. The revised system comprises seven groups of inorganic soils, A-1 to A-7 with 12 subgroups in all as
shown in table 2. The system is based on the following three soil properties:
i. Particle size distribution
ii. Liquid Limit
iii. Plasticity Index
Group Index (GI) = (F 35) [0.2 + 0.005 (LL 40)] + 0.01 (F 15) (PI 10)
F = % Passing No. 200 (Murthy, 2007)
4. Conclusion
A comprehensive investigation into geotechnical engineering properties of laterites used in the construction of Omolayo
Road, Akobo, Ibadan, has been carried out. Based on the investigations of the study, the following conclusions can be
drawn;
a. The subgrade samples and base sample are well graded soils following the results of sieve analyses.
b. The base sample is more clayey than the subgrade samples, which are sandy in nature. Due to the high plastic nature of
base sample, it has affinity to swell when wet which is not healthy for construction purposes.
c. The subgrade samples fall within categories A-1-b and A-2-4 as according to AASHTO system classification. This
classification reveals the rating of the subgrade as excellent to good except for base sample which belongs to A-2-7 that
is fair to poor as a subgrade material.
d. The subgrade samples are suitable as highway construction materials since their percentages passing Sieve No. 200,
Liquid limits, Plasticity index values are not greater than 35%, 50%, and 30% respectively as stated in Federal Ministry
of Works and Housing (FMW & H) Specification requirements.
e. Finally, the base material used for the construction of the road ought not to have been used for the purpose for which it
was used, since most of its properties fall short of the requirements for lateritic base material as stipulated in the Federal
Ministry of Works and Housing (FMW & H) Specification requirement. Apart from its percentage passing Sieve No.
200 that is greater than stipulated value of 35%, its Liquid limit, Plasticity index value are greater than stipulated values
of 35% and 12% respectively. Its California Bearing Ratio (CBR) value of 78% is also not greater than 80% as required
in specification.
5. Recommendation
Based on the investigations of the study, the following recommendations are proffered;
a. It is recommended that laboratory tests be carried out on borrow pit materials to be used for construction of roads
so as to know their suitability for the intending purposes which would or could reduce cost of maintaining such
roads in the long run if proper materials are selected or used, that could make roads stand a test of time.
b. Resident engineers and contractors should always work in strict adherence to code of ethics of engineering
profession so as to achieve or maintain best practices.
References
Agbede, O.A. (1992). Characteristics of tropical Red soils as foundation materials, Nigerian Journal of Science, volume 26,
pp. 237-242
Alexander, L.T and Candy, J.G (1962) Genesis and Hardening of Laterite in soils, U.S.D.A Technical Bulletin No.1282.
pp 90
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (1982) AASHTO Materials, part 1, specifications,
Washington.
Buchanan F., A journey from Madras through the countries of Mysore Canara and Malabar etc in (1800-1801), The East India Co.
London 1807 Vol. 2, 1807
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Vol 2, No.8, 2012
Malomo, S (1977)The Nature and Engineering properties of some Red Soils, N.E. Brazil, Ph.D. Thesis Univ. of Leeds,
Leeds, 292pp
Murthy, V.N.S (2007). Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering Series, Satish Kumar Jain
for CBS Publisher & Distributor, New Delhi, first edition, pp 81-119.
Oglesby, C.H and Hicks, R.G (1992). Highway Engineering, John Wiley and Sons, New York, 4th edition, 847 pp.
Ola, S.A. (1978) Geotechnical properties and Behavior of some stabilized Nigerian Laterite Soil Q.T.J. Engr. Geo. London
Vol.III Pp.144-160
Osula D. O. A. (1984), Cement stabilization using hydrated lime as an admixture, Unpublished MSc Thesis Civil Engineering
Department Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, 1984.
Salter, R.J (1988). Highway Design and construction, Macmillan education limited, London, 341 pp.
First Author (Habeeb Adedeji Quadri), is a Research Officer (Highway Engineering Division), Road Research
Department at Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI), Abuja, Nigeria. He holds a B.Tech (Hons) and
MSc degrees in civil engineering from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Nigeria and University of
Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria respectively.
Second Author (Olabambo Adeyinka Adeyemi), holds a B.Tech degree in civil engineering from Ladoke Akintola
University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Nigeria. He currently works as a Civil Engineer (Highway Engineering Division),
Road Research Department at the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI).
Third Author (Oladipupo Stephen Olafusi), holds a B.Tech (Hons) and MSc degrees in civil engineering from Ladoke
Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Nigeria and University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria respectively. He has a
vast civil engineering experience in road construction and currently works as an Infrastructure Engineer for Forthright
Properties Limited, Lagos, Nigeria. He is currently working on his Doctoral Degree and he has a number of publications in
both local and international journals.
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ISSN 2222-1719 (Paper) ISSN 2222-2863 (Online)
Vol 2, No.8, 2012
Plate 2 Compaction Experiment (Determination of weight of compacted soil plus the mold)
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