Determination of swell pressure under load

In this thesis study, oedometer tests were performed to characterize the swell behaviour of expansivesoils. Bentonite-Kaolinite clay mixtures were prepared to obtain soils in a wide range of plasticityindices. Firstly, Atterberg limits, specific gravities and cation exchange capacities of Kaolinite,Bentonite and prepared four clay mixtures were determined. Swell tests in oedometers wereperformed on dynamically compacted specimens. From the test results, the following relationshipswere found: An increase in bentonite content in the Bentonite-Kaolinite clay mixtures caused anincrease in plasticity index, cation exchange capacity, swell percent and swell pressure. For thespecimens having similar initial water contents, an increase in the dry density caused an increase inthe swell percent and swell pressure. For each clay mixture, an increase in initial water content causedfirstly an increase and then a decrease in the swell percent and swell pressure.?Key words : Bentonite, expansive soils, swell percent, swell pressure