Author(s)

Ahmadou Diop, Macodou Thiam, Mamadou Babacar Ndiaye, Oumar Diallo, Harouna Mamadou Bal, Salif Gaye

Laboratory of Materials and Energetics (LME), University Institute of Technology (IUT), Thiès, Senegal.

The construction industry in Senegal is experiencing an upsurge in the development of residential housing units and administrative buildings within the new Diamniadio municipality, an area located just about 35 km from the capital city of Dakar. Laboratory oedometer or expansive-index tests, however, show poor density and compromised shear strength in the soil samples within the area -posing serious construction problems due to significant volume changes (swellings) that occur when subjected to moisture, thus, bringing into question the structural performance integrity of the soil, and the financial implications of substitute soil types used to compensate for its poor tensile strength. By way, the companies collect the soil of this location (Diamniadio) and throw it to make pile or micro-pile (pious) for their structures. This article demonstrates how we can value the soil of Diamniadio and the Typha Australis in residential building with a reasonable cost. Typha Australis is a plant generally luxuriant within the northern and central belts of Senegal but also known for its negative ecological impacts on the agricultural production of rice. The valorisation of the soil of Diamniadio will pass by the ability to increase its stability or to decrease its shrinkage/swelling rate. When we achieve it, the soil associate with Typha Australis will be used for small bricks which can be useful for partition wall and so the soil will not be ever thrown as a non-useful material. Tests results of soil specimens extracted from the site show a shrinkage rate of 29.19% with estimated cracking depths of 3.5 cm. But by adding gradually Typha Australis, the shrinkage rate will pass from 29.19% to 5.13% with the material treats with 10% by mass of Typha Australis. Moreover, the crackings in the cylindrical specimen disappear. That shows the increase of the stability; thus the composition will be used for building bricks. However, the densities will also be affected by the presence of Typha Australis. The density is decreased from 2032.28 Kg/m³ for the soil without Typha Australis to 937 Kg/m³ for the one with 10% of Typha Australis.

Buildings, Clay, Cracking, Fine Particle, Shrinkage Rate, Stabilization, Typha Australis, Valorisation

Diop, A. , Thiam, M. , Ndiaye, M. , Diallo, O. , Bal, H. and Gaye, S. (2020) Improving the Stability of the Inflatable Soil of Diamniadio by Using Typha Australis in Order to Value It in Partitioning Wall. Journal of Building Construction and Planning Research, 8, 273-284. doi: 10.4236/jbcpr.2020.84018.