Laboratory Manual for Geotechnical Characterization of Fine Grained Soils

Laboratory testing of fine-grained soils usually evaluates basic soil behaviour. This manual covers characterization tests such as determination of carbonate content, specific surface area, cation exchange capacity, and pore fluid salinity, and behaviour tests such as the Atterberg Limits tests or the Linear Shrinkage test. This manual presents procedures for performing advanced laboratory tests on fine-grained soils. It covers characterization tests, which determine soil composition and quantify the individual components of a soil, and behavioral tests, such as the Atterberg Limits tests that demonstrate how the fines fraction of a soil reacts when mixed with water and the Linear Shrinkage Test that demonstrates how much a soil shrinks. The material goes beyond traditional evaluation of basic soil behavior by presenting more advanced laboratory tests to characterize soil in more detail. These tests provide detailed compositional characteristics which identify subtle changes in conditions and vertical variations in the soil, and which help to explain unusual behavior. A unique compilation of information on key soil tests Combines characterization tests with behavior tests The book suits graduate students in geotechnical engineering, as well as practitioners and researchers.