MATLAB PROGRAM FOR RATING SOILS BASED ON ENGINEERING BEHAVIOURS

Authors

  • Emmanuel Chukwudi Ekeoma Department of Civil Engineering, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, 440001 Abia State, Nigeria
  • Ugochukwu Nnatuanya Okonkwo Department of Civil Engineering, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, 440001 Abia State, Nigeria
  • Adegboyega Oduniyi Odumade Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, 482131 Ebonyi State, Nigeria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33736/jcest.5078.2023

Keywords:

MATLAB program, soil rating, engineering behaviour

Abstract

Engineering behaviour of soils is an important attribute to be considered as the foundation or even construction materials for civil engineering structures. One critical issue encountered by geotechnical engineers in construction works is predicting the engineering behaviour of soil with a view to assessing its suitability for any given construction purpose. Rating of soils based on their engineering behaviours can be achieved by classifying the soil into different groups and sub-groups of similar characteristics. Soil classification systems usually involve the use of charts, tables and curves, which is no longer fashionable because it might be very rigorous when many soils are involved. The use of software techniques simplifies the whole process. This study developed an algorithm in the form of a MATLAB program for easy classification of soil based on the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS), American Association of State Highway and Transport Officials (AASHTO), Plasticity Chart and the Indian Soil Classification Systems (ISCS), which makes the program unique. Soil samples used for illustration were collected and characterised depending on particle size analysis as well as consistency indices. A comparative study was carried out between classifying the soil using a manual approach and the MATLAB program. The MATLAB program rated Soil Sample A to be fine-grained, which belongs to soil groups A-7-6(15), CL (inorganic clay that has medium plasticity) and MI or OI (inorganic silt of medium plasticity or organic silt of medium plasticity) while Soil Sample B was rated to be coarse-grained belonging to A-1-b (0), SM (Silty Sand) and SM (Silty Sand) in the AASHTO, USCS and ISCS classification systems respectively. The results of the classification systems from the MATLAB program were completely in conformity with the results obtained from the manual approach. Thus, the MATLAB program gave a very high degree of accuracy of almost 100%.

References

Amadi, A. A., & Eberemu, A. O. (2013). Potential Application of Lateritic Soil Stabilized with Cement Kiln Dust (CKD) as Liner in Waste Containment Structures. Geotechnical and Geological Engineering, 31(4), 1221–1230. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-013-9645-3

Okonkwo, U. N., & Agunwamba, J. C. (2014). Characterization of Bagasse Ash and Lateritic Soil for Low-Cost Roads Construction in Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Soil and Environmental Research, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, 12.

Okonkwo, U. N., Arinze, E. E., & Ugwu, E. I. (2018). Lateritic Soil Treated with Polyvinyl Waste Powder As a Potential Material for Liners and Cover in Waste Containment. The Journal of Solid Waste Technology and Management, 44(2), 173–179. https://doi.org/10.5276/JSWTM.2018.173

Osinubi, K. J., Eberemu, A. O., Ijimdiya, T. S., Sani, J. E., & Yakubu, S. E. (2018). Volumetric Shrinkage of Compacted Lateritic Soil Treated with Bacillus pumilus. In Proceedings of GeoShanghai 2018 International Conference: Geoenvironment and Geohazard (pp. 315–324). Singapore: Springer Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-0128-5_36

Oluremi, J. R., Yohanna, P., Ishola, K., Yisa, G. L., Eberemu, A. O., Ijimdiya, S. T., & Osinubi, K. J. (2019). Plasticity of Nigerian lateritic soil admixed with selected admixtures. Environmental Geotechnics, 6(3), 137–145. https://doi.org/10.1680/jenge.15.00085

Okonkwo, U. N. (2017). Briefing: Lateritic soil and calcined kaolin for earth embankments. Environmental Geotechnics, 4(6), 384–389. https://doi.org/10.1680/jenge.16.00011

Okonkwo, U. N. (2022). Critical state of compacted lateritic soil and palm kernel shell ash for earth embankments. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Ground Improvement, 175(2), 97–103. https://doi.org/10.1680/jgrim.19.00005

Onakunle, O., Omole, D. O., & Ogbiye, A. S. (2019). Stabilization of lateritic soil from Agbara Nigeria with ceramic waste dust. Cogent Engineering, 6(1), 1710087. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311916.2019.1710087

Oluremi, J. R., Ijimdiya, S. T., Eberemu, A. O., & Osinubi, K. J. (2019). Reliability Evaluation of Hydraulic Conductivity Characteristics of Waste Wood Ash Treated Lateritic Soil. Geotechnical and Geological Engineering, 37(2), 533–547. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-018-0625-5

Etim, R. K., Attah, I. C., Eberemu, A. O., & Yohanna, P. (2019). Compaction behaviour of periwinkle shell ash treated lateritic soil for use as road sub-base construction material. Journal of GeoEngineering, 14(3), 179–190. https://doi.org/10.6310/jog.201909_14(3).6

Etim, R. K., Attah, I. C., & Yohanna, P. (2020). Experimental study on potential of oyster shell ash in structural strength improvement of lateritic soil for road construction. International Journal of Pavement Research and Technology, 13(4), 341–351. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42947-020-0290-y

Okonkwo, U. N., Ekeoma, E. C., & Ndem, H. E. (2023). Exponential Logarithmic Models for Strength Properties of Lateritic Soil Treated with Cement and Rice Husk Ash as Pavement of Low-Cost Roads. International Journal of Pavement Research and Technology, 16(2), 333–342. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42947-021-00134-x

Osinubi, K. J. (1998). Permeability of Lime-Treated Lateritic Soil. Journal of Transportation Engineering, 124(5), 465–469. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-947X(1998)124:5(465)

Gidigasu, M. D. (1976). Laterite soil engineering. Development in geotechnical engineering. Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company.

Arora, K. R. (2008). Soil mechanics and foundation engineering (geotechnical engineering). Standard Publishers Distributors, Nai Sarak, Delhi, 953p.

Okonkwo, U. N., & Uwanuakwa, I. D. (2021). Deep Learning Classification of Tropical Soils. Proceeding of the Sustainable Engineering and Industrial Technology Conference, University of Nigeria Nsukka, G7, 1-5

Hoffmann, H. (2014). Matlab Program for Soil Classification (USDA) according to texture.

Emmanuel, A., & Chukwuma, O. (2015). A Matlab program for Soil Classification Using AASHTO Classification. IOSR Journal of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, 12(2), 58–62. https://doi.org/10.9790/1684-12255862

Kumar, R., Dutta, R. K., & Dutta, K. (2015). Mobile App using ASTM System of Soil Classification. CPUH-Research Journal, 1(2), 19–22.

AASHTO. (2014). Standard Specifications for Transportation Materials and Methods of Sampling and Testing and 2014 AASHTO Provisional Standards. American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).

ASTM international. (2017). ASTM D2487-17e1 Standard Practice for Classification of Soils for Engineering Purposes (Unified Soil Classification System) https://doi.org/10.1520/D2487-17E01

Budhu, M. (2010). Soil mechanics and foundations. John Wiley & Sons.

Bowles, J. E. (1979). Physical and geotechnical properties of soils.

British Standard. (1990). BS 1377. Methods of test for soils for civil engineering purposes. British Standards Institution. London. UK.

ASTM. (2012). D4318-10.“ Standard Test Methods for Liquid Limit, Plastic Limit, and Plasticity Index of Soils.” Annual book of ASTM standards, ASTM international, Philadelphia.

ASTM. (2009). D6913–04 (2009) e1. Standard test methods for particle-size distribution (gradation) of soils using sieve analysis.

Palm, W. J. (2008). A concise introduction to MATLAB.

Indian Standard. (1970). IS : 1498 - 1970. Classification and identification of soils for general engineering purposes. Methods of Test for Soils. Bureau of Indian Standards New Delhi.

Published

2023-04-19

How to Cite

Ekeoma, E. C., Okonkwo, U. N., & Odumade, A. O. (2023). MATLAB PROGRAM FOR RATING SOILS BASED ON ENGINEERING BEHAVIOURS. Journal of Civil Engineering, Science and Technology, 14(1), 52–63. https://doi.org/10.33736/jcest.5078.2023