Book Description

Responses to a questionnaire to the state highway departments, District of Columbia and Puerto Rico showed that: (1) 36 highway departments have problems with expansive clays or shales, and (2) 19 highway departments recognize expansive clays in pavement design criteria. General information is given regarding distribution of expansive clays in the United States, including a map showing outcrop-formations having abundant montmorillonite. A discussion of microstructure of clays and relation of soil swelling to structure and interlayer water is given. Some of the laboratory and field methods for measuring swell potential of clays, given in proceedings papers, are mentioned. 8 procedures or techniques for treating expansive soils are listed, and some are briefly discussed. Factors and characteristics that are considered in design on expansive clays are listed.