TITLE:
Geotechnical Characterization of Termite Mound Soils of Congo
AUTHORS:
Louis Ahouet, Mondésire Odilon Ngoulou, Sylvain Ndinga Okina, Sorel Dzaba
KEYWORDS:
Activity, Relative Activity, Surface Activity, Cation Exchange Capacity, Specific Surface, Termite Mound Soil
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Civil Engineering,
Vol.12 No.3,
September
1,
2022
ABSTRACT: This study is to determine the activities and correlations in the
fundamental properties of the termite mounds soils Cubitermes spp and Macrotermes sp. The
Intrinsic properties depend on the mineralogy, organic composition and texture
of soil. Grain size, Atterberg limits and soil blue values are geotechnical
properties that were used to characterize the two soils. On the basis of the
geotechnical properties, specific surface area, cation exchange capacity,
relative activity, surface activity and soil activity were determined. The
correlations obtained in the intrinsic soil properties are linear and polynomial fits. Indeed,
the relationship between the plasticity index and the blue value of a soil on
the one hand and between the specific surface area and the cation exchange
capacity on the other hand, is a linear fit for all soils in general. The
relationship between plasticity index and specific surface area is a linear fit
for the soils (C, M). Correlations in intrinsic soil properties that have a coefficient of determination close to 1
can be used in geotechnical engineering to predict one of the two desired
parameters.