Résumé
Les sols argileux gonflants posent de nombreux problèmes en construction routière. Ces sols sont rencontrés dans de nombreux pays. Les sols argileux que l'on rencontre en Algérie rentrent dans cette catégorie. Souvent un important terrassement est nécessaire pour assurer une base de chaussée adéquate. En conséquence une quantité importante de sol est mise en dépôt. Le coût de ces opérations de terrassement amène l'ingénieur et le constructeur à rechercher les conditions de réutilisation de ces sols. La mauvaise qualité de ce sol est liée à sa sensibilitéà l'eau et à son gonflement important. C'est pourquoi un traitement par la chaux seule ou par la chaux plus un adjuvant rend possible leur utilisation. Cette étude montre que le traitement modifie les caractéristiques physico-chimiques du sol et donne des résultats tout à fait satisfaisants en réduisant considérablement les phénomènes de gonflement. Les effets du dosage en chaux, du mode de conservation et du temps de contact sur le gonflement et la pression de gonflement sont étudiés.
Abstract
The construction of highways using swelling materials causes problems in many countries of the world. A number of authors have studied this subject, but the treatment of swelling clay remains a problem. This paper describes the problems associated with the black cotton soil in Algeria. It is hoped that it will help designers and contractors when making decisions in countries with similar soils and climate. A new apparatus capable of measuring swelling to a volume change of less than 10–4 was used. Due to the difficulty of dealing with black cotton soils, these materials are frequently discarded as unusable for engineering works because of their sensitivity to water and their swelling potential. Mixing the black cotton soil with slake lime or another admixture has been found to modify the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil such that a significant decrease in swelling is observed and the material can be used in certain situations. The cationic exchange capacity (CEC) is modified by the addition of lime and the time of storage, while the swelling potential is significantly affected by the addition of 6% lime, even within a 7-day period. The influence of time is clearly shown. In both cases, 3% additive was mixed with the Mila clay. Using the first method the swelling potential dropped from 6% to less than 1% over a period of between 7 and 90 days, while using the second mode of storage over the same time span, the swelling potential dropped from 0.35% to less than 0.1%. The study demonstrates the method of storage, the percentage of mixed material added to the clay and time all have an important effect on the physical characteristics of the material, including the swelling potential.
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Received: 14 November 1998 · Accepted: 22 June 1999
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Afès, M., Didier, G. Stabilisation des sols gonflants: cas d'une argile en provenance de Mila (Algérie). Bull Eng Geol Env 59, 75–83 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s100649900022
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s100649900022