Author(s)

François Ngapgue^1,2,3, Willy Chance Guimezap Kenou^1,2,4*, Jules Hermann Keyangue Tchouata⁵, Vladimir Willianov Keubou Tatapzia³, Yannick Mbeuteu Mbakop⁶

¹Research Unit of Mechanics and Physical Systems Modeling (UR2MPS), Faculty of Sciences, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon.
²Laboratory of Engineering, Industrial Systems and Environment (LISIE), FOTSO Victor University Institute of Technology, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon.
³Laboratory of Environmental Geology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon.
⁴Innovation Research Center Entrepreneurship (PRIE), Institut Universitaire de la Cote, Douala, Cameroon.
⁵School of Geology and Mining Engineering (SGME), University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundere, Cameroon.
⁶Geotechnique Batiment et Travaux Publics (GEO TP), Douala, Cameroon.

The present study is inscribed within the framework of the geotechnical characterization of the soils of the Santchou plain, their classification for employment as pavement subgrade, various identification tests were carried out on the samples. The results obtained showed that with a wide range of different grain sizes, the studied soils showed low content in clay grains and dominance of either sand grains or silt grains, this can be explaining how most of these soil are poorly graded. According to the USDA textural classification, the grain size distribution of these soils makes them to be classified as Silty Loam types to Sandy Loam types. Despite of their organic matter content which is less than 10%, according to their respective methylene blue values, the soils studied along the section should be mainly loamy soil of medium plasticity to clayed soil, therefore showing a sensibility of its behavior to variation of water content. That last one is confirmed by the consistency parameters of these soils which show intermediate plasticity to highly plastic. Also, the bearing capacity proposed by these soils at their respective optimum dry densities is relatively small, although most of these experimental CBR values of the studied soils are more important than the ones prescribed by the AASHTO Classification system for A5, A6, and A7 types, and the French Highway Earthworks Manual Classifications system (GTR) for the corresponding A2 and A3 types.

Soil Classification, Liquid Limit, Natural Water Content, Plasticity Index, Methylene Blue Value, Optimum Moisture Content, California Bearing Ratio

Ngapgue, F. , Kenou, W. , Tchouata, J. , Tatapzia, V. and Mbakop, Y. (2020) Geotechnical Identification and Classification of Soils as Flexible Pavement Subgrade of the Section Fongo Tongo-Melong. Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection, 8, 183-200. doi: 10.4236/gep.2020.811012.