Brendan C. O'Kelly

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Verified

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• PhD, MEngSc, BE, FTCD
• Professor (Associate) at Trinity College Dublin

The outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic not only has created a health crisis across the world but is also expected to impact negatively the global economy and societies at a scale that is maybe larger than that of the 2008 financial crisis. Simultaneously, it has inevitably exerted many negative consequences on the geoenvir...

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has posed severe threats to humans and the geoenvironment. The findings of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (Sars-CoV-2) traces in waste water and the practice of disinfecting outdoor spaces in several cities in the world, which can result into the entry of disinfectants and their by-products int...

COVID-19 is proving to be an unprecedented disaster for human health, social contacts, and the economy worldwide. It is evident that the SARS-CoV-2 may spread through municipal solid waste (MSW), if collected, bagged, handled, transported, or disposed of inappropriately. Under the stress placed by the current pandemic on the sanitary performance ac...

Microplastics (MPs) are emerging persistent contaminants in the terrestrial subsurface, and evidence has emerged for significant effects of MPs on soils’ biological and ecosystem functions. Main MPs sources include land spreading of sewage sludge and biowaste composts, plastic mulching film used in horticultural fields, wastewater irrigation, and l...

The revitalisation of the global economy after the Covid-19 era presents environmental geotechnics with the opportunity to reinforce the need for a change in paradigm towards a green, circular economy and to promote aggressively the use and development of sustainable technologies and management practices. This paper aims to assist in this effort by...

The escalating environmental challenges posed by waste rubber tyres (WRTs) necessitate innovative solutions to address their detrimental effects on the geoenvironment. Thus, the knowledge about the recent advancements in material recovery from WRTs, emphasising their utilisation within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goa...

This themed issue of Environmental Geotechnics brings together seven research articles that investigate the efficacy of different bio-inspired ground improvement solutions across diverse geoengineering applications. The main focus of the themed issue is on biopolymer-based admixtures, which are the subject of four of these articles, plus two invest...

This article presents a discussion of the original research reported in the paper by Kayabalı et al. (2024) (the Authors) that was recently published in the Bulletin of the Mineral Research and Exploration Vol. 174, pp. 1–10. Using liquid limit (LL), plastic limit (PL) and vane shear strength against water content [i.e., Su(VST)–w] results obtained...

The transition to a clean-energy economy in an effort to mitigate climate change has brought a need for intense mining exploration of a critical class of minerals, previously mined and used at a fraction of what is required today and for the upcoming decades. For some common metals, such as copper, major deficits are forecasted for 2030, and for so...

This communication presents a critical discussion of the article ''Undrained shear strength prediction of clays using liquidity index'', authored by Q. Wang, S. Qiu, H. Zheng, R. Zhang, and recently published in Acta Geotechnica (https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-023-02107-9). Various inaccurate claims and flaws regarding the Authors' newly developed...

This communication article presents a discussion of various identified shortcomings in the original research paper by Thapa et al. (the Authors) that was recently published in Transp. Infrastruct. Geotech. 11(6), 3941–3968, 2024. The Authors investigated the application of waste shredded rubber pieces (SRPs) for improving the performance of shallow...

This paper presents a novel experimental investigation for improving the bearing pressure resistance of medium-dense sand deposits. Model footing tests were performed on similarly prepared sand beds to examine the effects of incorporating one, two and three separate geogrid-reinforced thin densified gravel layers at various depths within the beds....

Xanthan Gum (XG) is a polysaccharide that is produced by the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris through fermentation, as discussed in Chap. 2. The practical use of XG in various industries, including food processing, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, agriculture, and engineering, is mainly a result of its ability to induce high viscosity at low polymer con...

Xanthan gum (XG) is a high molecular weight anionic polysaccharide produced by the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris. Because of its unique rheological properties (as discussed in Chap. 3), XG is widely employed as a thickening, stabilizing, and gelling agent for a variety of industrial applications, including, food processing, cosmetics, pharmaceut...

Soil stabilization is a crucial aspect of civil engineering and construction projects, aimed at improving the engineering properties of soil materials. Xanthan gum (XG), a biopolymer derived from fermentation processes, has gained widespread attention as a potential soil-stabilizing agent due to its unique rheological properties. This chapter provi...

In nature, microbial polysaccharides are essential components of biofilms, which are the main support form of life on earth (Flemming et al. in Nat Rev Microbiol 14:563–575, 2016), and microorganisms’ lifestyle (Penesyan et al. in NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 5:34, 2019). These biofilms contain microbial cells that are fixed within a self-produced matr...

To the civil engineer, soil is any uncemented or weakly cemented accumulation of mineral grains formed by physical and/or chemical weathering of rocks, with the void spaces between the solids containing water (pore water) and/or air. Chemical weathering causes changes in mineral form of the parent rock leading to the formation of groups of colloida...

As discussed in Chaps. 2 and 3, Xanthan Gum (XG) is a high-molecular-weight polysaccharide consisting of a repeating pentasaccharide unit, composed of glucose, mannose, and glucuronic acids, and which are linked by β(1,4)-glycosidic bonds. The anionic carboxyl and hydroxyl groups on the XG molecule make it highly hydrophilic, and it can interact wi...

As discussed in Chaps. 4, 5, and 6, properties of xanthan gum (XG), soil, and soil solution influence adsorption and aggregative success of XG–soil structure. Molecular weight, size, conformation and surface charge are all aspects of the XG that affect its sorption onto the soil particles. XG interacts more with the clay fraction of soils; as such,...

Sustainable soil stabilization solutions aim to maintain a perfect balance between infrastructure performance and the social, economic and ecological processes required to sustain human equity, diversity, and the functionality of natural systems. To this end, biopolymers, either chemically synthesized from biological matter or biosynthesized by liv...

Wildfires have short- and long-term impacts on the geoenvironment, including the changes to biogeochemical and mechanical properties of soils, landfill stability, surface- and groundwater, air pollution, and vegetation. Climate change has increased the extent and severity of wildfires across the world. Simultaneously, anthropogenic activities—throu...

Wildfires have short- and long-term impacts on the geoenvironment, including the changes to biogeochemical and mechanical properties of soils, landfill stability, surface- and groundwater, air pollution, and vegetation. Climate change has increased the extent and severity of wildfires across the world. Simultaneously, anthropogenic activities—throu...

Plastics are an essential commodity due to their superior engineering properties, durability and low cost for utilization in various commercial products. However, the degradation of plastics due to several environmental stresses has led to the formation of microplastics (MPs). MPs have risen to the top of environmental concerns due to their affinit...

Plastic pollution in the terrestrial environment is emerging as another significant human-made threat to ecosystem function and health. Plastic contamination can range from the macro- to the nanoscale, and environmental impacts are evident at each level. Although significant knowledge gaps remain regarding the interactions between the natural envir...

Among the many proposals for estimating the compaction characteristics of fine-grained soils for different compaction energy levels (CELs), energy conversion (EC) models are gaining increased attention. These models work on the premise of employing measured optimum moisture content (OMC) and maximum dry unit weight (MDUW) values obtained for a rati...

Because of the hazards associated with handling mercury, most standards organizations have withdrawn the conventional mercury (displacement) method (MM) for shrinkage limit (SL) determination of fine-grained soils. Despite attempts to substantiate the wax (coating) method (WM), which is presently the only standardized MM-testing alternative, the ge...

The conventional rebar-reinforced concrete (RRC) segmented lining of the Chamshir water conveyance tunnel (CWCT) in Bushehr Province, Iran, has experienced significant damage issues. This paper presents a comprehensive study involving laboratory experiments, numerical simulations and statistical site-survey analysis aimed at evaluating the mechanic...

This paper presents an experimental investigation examining the novel idea of employing curved expanded-Polystyrene (EPS) blocks that arch around the upper section of buried flexible pipes to reduce the pressures acting on them and hence resulting deformation/deflections. Large-scale testing was performed to examine key performance indicators for r...

Seepage-induced erosion is one of the main reasons leading to the catastrophic failure of earth dams, levees, and dykes. Mitigation measures include grouting or mixing additives with the soil. In the present study, nanoclay (NC) was investigated as an additive for silty sand soil, considering 1 and 1.5 wt.% NC additions, employing curing periods of...

Hydraulic fracturing (HF) is the primary choice for stimulating petroleum reservoirs. Rock tensile strength and brittleness are crucial parameters required for screening candidate reservoirs and in designing successful HF operations. However, in situ and laboratory determinations of the hydraulic tensile strength (HTS) of rock can prove problematic...

Albert Atterberg introduced various consistency limits (state transitions) for fine-grained soil in the 1910s. Of these, the liquid limit (LL) and plastic limit (PL) are ubiquitous in geotechnical engineering practice, including their usage for soil classification and in deducing useful geotechnical parameters through correlations. Given that it is...

This discussion article presents a critical appraisal of three empirical correlations developed via multiple regression analysis and presented in the Kayabali et al. [Geotech Geol Eng 41:4473–4485, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-023-02527-0] (the Authors’) investigation for the determination of the soil consistency limits. Specifically, based...

One of the widely used methods for improving the engineering performance of problematic soils is in-situ or ex-situ mixing using various additives (conventionally cement and lime). In this research, the combination of nano-silica (NS) and lime additives is investigated for improving the geomechanical characteristics and engineering performance of s...

This study introduces a practical energy conversion (EC)-type modeling framework capable of converting the optimum compaction properties of fine-grained soils between any two rational compaction energy levels (CELs). Model development/calibration was carried out using a database of 242 compaction test results — the largest and most diverse database...

The reverse extrusion test involves one-dimensionally compressing a fine-grained soil sample contained in a cup container of cross-sectional area A. The force Fe applied by the loading platen causes extrusion of the soil to occur via a small and centrally located orifice on the platen. The applied force is continuously monitored during the test, wi...

This paper presents a discussion of “Uniqueness of suction stress value at liquid limit of soil” by Ning Lu, Angel Rodrigo Angulo Calderon and Alexandra Wayllace. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0002937.

The themed issue will concentrate on field case studies and trials on the use of biopolymeric gums to treat soils and wastewater. We invite contributions on the following topics: • Strength and compressibility of biopolymeric-treated subsurface soils • Flow characteristics of biopolymeric-treated hydraulic soil-based structures • Erosion control of...

This communication article presents a discussion of various fundamental points pertaining to the Toksöz Hozatlıoğlu and Yılmaz (2023) (the Authors) investigation [published in Transp. Infrastruct. Geotechnol. 10(3), 474–487], specifically scrutinizing the practical ramifications of employing the liquid limit (LL) parameter (by itself) to infer soil...

Drying fine-grained sediments experience shrinkage and desiccation cracking that may dramatically alter their mechanical and hydraulic properties. This study adopts X-ray computed tomography (CT) to monitor the three-dimensional (3D) internal deformation and strain fields, and their relationships with desiccation crack formation, for drying kaolini...

With global concerns on carbon emissions, there is increased need for various eco-friendly alternatives to conventional (cement and lime) additives used in ground improvement applications. This paper investigates the effect of three biopolymers — chitin, chitosan, and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (NaCMC) — on the consistency limits of low plastic...

The remolding toughness property of fine-grained soil has not been investigated that much, mainly because it has not lent easily to direct measurement, with soil toughness usually qualitatively described. In practical terms, as the plastic limit wP is approached, tougher soils require greater rolling effort during the wP test, such that plasticity...

Biopolymers (natural polymers) are exuded by micro- and macro-organisms (bacteria, plants, etc.) and have been shown to affect the geotechnical engineering behavior and properties of different soil types for low dosage levels. The long-chain structure of biopolymers and certain constituting chemicals (e.g., hydroxyl, ester, or amines) supply adhesi...

*** Free access to the full published article is provided until 8th June 2023 via the following Share Link: https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1gxj61Dk5AZEvT *** This article presents an appraisal of the recently published research paper in the Catena Journal titled "Practical transitions among undrained shear strengths of remolded samples from pocket...

Among the multitude of alternate plasticity index (PI) estimation proposals, empirical correlations based on the linear shrinkage (LS) test, originally proposed in the 1967 edition of the British BS 1377 standard, seem to be gaining increased attention. This study has two main aims: (i) re-examining LS-based correlations for PI estimation to better...

As a bio-inspired calcite precipitation method, bio-grouting via enzymatic-induced calcite precipitation (EICP) uses free urease enzyme to catalyze the urea hydrolysis reaction. This soil stabilization approach is relatively new and insufficiently investigated, especially for applications involving surface layer stabilization of sandy soil deposits...

Windblown and water-induced erosion cause substantial soil losses worldwide, especially for drylands. Any sustainable management program that increases soil organic matter and improves the stability of the crustal layer could considerably enhance soil productivity and the preservation of erosion-prone land. This paper presents a laboratory investig...

Biopolymers (natural polymers) are exuded by micro- and macro-organisms (bacteria, plants, etc.) and have been shown to affect the geotechnical engineering behavior and properties of different soil types for low dosage levels. The long-chain structure of biopolymers and certain constituting chemicals (e.g., hydroxyl, ester, or amines) supply adhesi...

The current paper discusses some selected developments for efficient management of the globally increasing quantity of waste. Incinerator bottom ash (IBA), the heavier ash generated during incineration of municipal waste, is currently utilised in two distinct ways. One pathway is not to fragment IBA and use it as a building material in road constru...

This short communication presents some comments on the Journal of Natural Fibers paper titled “Strength and Deformation Behavior of Fine-Grained Soils Reinforced with Hair Fibers and Its Application in Pavement Design.” The paper demonstrated the significant improvements in undrained shear strength and stiffness, and CBR value achieved for addition...

[Free access to the full published article is available using the following eprint link: https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/PPUJYXEPWTD3SY4DPEKW/full?target=10.1080/19386362.2022.2135226] This study investigated the cyclic behaviour of a severe dilative silica sand from Rudsar, Northern Iran, through simple shear tests. For this purpose, monotonic...

In their paper (Llano-Serna & Contreras, 2020), the authors provide valuable insights into the effects of surface roughness and shear rate during 30°, 80 g fall-cone calibration, investigating a standardised, smooth, polished cone (arithmetical mean roughness (Ra) value of 0·8 μm, i.e. compliant with ISO 17892-6 (CEN, 2017)) and two rougher cones w...

The authors presented an extrusion-based technique, which, they reported, can be used to quantify the workability of fine-grained soils. They also presented the calibration of a soil extrusion device to translate their “workability parameter” to the liquid limit (LL) and plastic limit (PL) states, i.e., employing the so-called Manafi method for thi...

For problematic soils, conventional (cement and lime) additives can provide the necessary improvements in geomechanical properties for various infrastructure constructions. However, these additives have a high environmental impact and they are not always cost-effective, such that potential alternative additives (e.g. obtained as industrial by-produ...

Gassy clay is a widely-distributed natural composite material consisting of a saturated clay matrix incorporating large gas bubbles. This study aims to develop a novel method to non-destructively monitor the strain field evolution of drying kaolinite slurry samples, with entrained gas bubbles, using X-ray computed tomography (CT). During the drying...

The consistency limits (liquid limit LL and plastic limit PL) are among the most commonly performed tests in geotechnical engineering practice, being used for classification of fine-grained soils and in deducing other parameters (e.g., shear strength, permeability, compressibility), necessary for preliminary design/assessments, via numerous correla...

This study investigates the effects of a sulfonated oil (SO) stabilizer on the swell–shrink properties of an expansive soil through cyclic wetting–drying tests. The cyclic wetting–drying action led to the reconstruction of the soil micro-structure by inducing clay particle aggregation. Accordingly, the greater the number of applied cycles, the lowe...

Biological approaches have captured the attention of researchers regarding the beneficial effects of cyanobacteria inoculation in improving surficial soil stability. However, a gap exists in the literature regarding the impact of inoculation by individual cyanobacteria on stability of sand under intense surface-water erosion. This study assesses th...

This discussion article provides commenting on the sections of the review paper by Ahmad et al. (the authors) concerning consistency limits determinations for peats and peaty soils, drawing on the writer’s experiences regarding the usefulness of liquid limit (LL) and plastic limit (PL) testing/results for these soils in explaining their geotechnica...

Free access to the full published article is provided until 3rd August 2022 via the following Share Link: https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1fF2d38lpJfgF Anyone clicking on this link before 3 August 2022 will be taken directly to the final version of the article on ScienceDirect, to read or download.

Soil stabilization using nanomaterials is an emerging research area although, to date, its investigation has mostly been laboratory-based and therefore requires extensive study for transfer to practical field applications. The present study advocates nano-calcium carbonate (NCC) material, a relatively unexplored nanomaterial additive, for stabiliza...

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This study investigates the combined efficacy of waste-tire-derived aggregate (TDA) materials and hydrated lime on the compactability, compressive strength and swelling potential of a highly expansive soil from South Australia. A total of 21 mix-designs, covering a comprehensive range of soil–TDA–lime combinations, were examined through standard Pr...

O’Kelly, B. C. (2022) Discussion of “Advancement in estimation of undrained shear strength through fall cone tests” by Abhishek Ghosh Dastider, Santiram Chatterjee, and Prasenjit Basu. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering 148(6): 07022005, https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0002807

The Discussers read the article by Avunduk et al. (2021) (the Authors), with special interest focused on the fall-cone (FC) penetrometer and torvane shear testing reported for the investigated fine-grained soil–anticlay foaming agent mixtures. These mixtures were prepared at the soil natural water content wn, employing the Ayvali 2, M.-Mkay and Kao...

The Authors have presented an interesting paper (Hrubesova et al., 2020), which aims (in part) to validate the Moharjerani (1999) calibration approach for establishing the 80 g/30◦ fall-cone penetration depth equating to the liquid limit by the Casagrande percussion-cup approach, determined according to the British Standard. In this paper, the Disc...

In order to prevent possible charring, oxidation and (or) vaporisation of substances other than pore water, many researchers have adopted oven-drying temperature (t) values in the range 60–90°C for water content determinations of peat and other highly organic soils. This paper investigates the oven-drying characteristics of six very different highl...

Construction on peat deposits represents a major challenge for the geotechnical community. Waterlogged peat deposits have great potential for buoyancy generation. The premise of the present investigation is that this can be beneficially incorporated in foundation design practice, thereby reducing the net bearing pressure and hence resulting settlem...

Editorial for In-focus issue on the topic ‘Geotechnical aspects of peatland restoration and management’ for Environmental Geotechnics Journal

The ground is a natural grand system; it is composed of myriad constituents that aggregate to form several geologic and biogenic systems. These systems operate independently and interplay harmoniously via important networked structures over multiple spatial and temporal scales. This paper presents arguments and derivations couched by the authors, t...

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The mechanical performance of microfine ground-granulated blast-furnace slag grouts for improving sandy soils was evaluated using unconfined compressive strength, drained triaxial compression and Brazilian tensile strength tests of grouted sand specimens. Two activator types, namely sodium hydroxide and rapid-hardening cement (RHC), and two biopoly...

The full version of this article is available, free to download, here https://doi.org/10.1007/s40515-022-00224-8 or as a PDF here https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40515-022-00224-8.pdf

This study investigates the possibility of extending the specific gravity ratio (SGR) modeling framework, originally developed for predicting the compaction properties of unamended fine-grained soils (with no binder) blended with tire-derived aggregates (TDAs), to artificially cemented soil–TDA blends. This was achieved by performing comprehensive...

Several attempts have been made to devise alternate plastic limit (PL) determination methods, targeting higher degrees of repeatability and reproducibility. Among these, empirical-type correlations linking the plasticity index (PI) to the flow index (FI)—the slope magnitude of the flow curve—seem to be gaining increased attention, particularly for...

It is the authors’ opinion that confusion could arise from the analyses and explanations of the experimental fall-cone (FC) results presented in the paper by Nagaraj et al. (2018), which has been compounded in their recent Closure (Nagaraj et al. 2021) to the Discussion of their 2018 paper by Haigh et al. (2021).

The air-entry value (AEV) suction, marking the transition between saturated and unsaturated soil mechanics, is arguably the most important parameter interpreted from the soil–water characteristic curve (SWCC); its accurate determination being essential for the prediction of unsaturated soil properties. The AEV is commonly obtained by a subjective a...

This article presents a discussion of the paper by Akbay Arama et al. (2021) published in the Arabian Journal of Geosciences, Vol. 14, No. 7, Article 534. Using simple and multiple regression analyses, as well as soft computing artificial neural network (ANN) methods, Akbay Arama et al. (2021) investigated a large database comprising of 1253 Atterb...

On behalf of the editorial board and MDPI Publishing, may we extend a very warm welcome to this first editorial of Geotechnics — a new and international, open access, scholarly journal aimed at showcasing and nurturing high‐quality research and developmental activities in soil and rock engineering and geo‐environmental engineering, worldwide. Groun...

This laboratory study examines the potential use of an anionic polyacrylamide (PAM)-based material as an environmentally sustainable additive for the stabilization of an expansive soil from South Australia. The experimental program consisted of consistency limits, sediment volume, compaction and oedometer cyclic swell–shrink tests, performed using...

This study aims at modeling the compaction characteristics of fine-grained soils blended with sand-sized (0.075–4.75 mm) recycled tire-derived aggregates (TDAs). Model development and calibration were performed using a large and diverse database of 100 soil–TDA compaction tests (with the TDA-to-soil dry mass ratio ≤ 30%) assembled from the literatu...

Given its apparent limitations, various attempts have been made to develop alternative testing approaches to the standardized rolling-thread plastic limit (PLRT) method (for fine-grained soils), targeting higher degrees of repeatability and reproducibility. Among these, device-rolling techniques, including the method described in ASTM D4318/AASHTO...

Among the most commonly specified tests in the geotechnical engineering industry, the liquid limit and plastic limit tests are principally used for (i) deducing useful design parameter values from existing correlations with these consistency limits and (ii) for classifying fine-grained soils, typically employing the Casagrande-style plasticity char...

Lightweight fill can be advantageous in embankment construction for the purposes of reducing the (i) bearing pressures on the underlying soil foundation, (ii) destabilising moments for constructed earthen slopes, and (iii) earth pressures acting behind retaining walls. This paper investigates the merits/limitations of particulate expanded polystyre...

This article presents a discussion of the Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 394, Vol. 13, No. 11, which (among other things) proposed a new empirical correlation for the prediction of the plasticity index magnitude (and hence by association the plastic limit value) of fine-grained soils sampled from different depths in the Bakırköy District of Istanb...

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The contractive behavior and flow failure in saturated binary granular soils have been studied by many as functions of their physical properties [gradation, mean particle size, fines content (FC), and packing quality] and mean effective stress, stress history, and cyclic stress amplitude. Nevertheless, little is known on the interplays between fram...

Use of the Casagrande-style plasticity chart to classify fine-grained soils using Atterberg's liquid and plastic limits is ubiquitous in geotechnical engineering. This classification is dependent on the thread-rolling and Casagrande-cup tests, which are both more operator dependent than the fall-cone liquid limit test. This paper shows that the slo...

Up to 50 FREE ACCESS to the full published article is available using the following eprint link (BC OK): https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/2ZJWFZIS6RHVIHQSSDF4/full?target=10.1080/03067319.2020.1863956 .... ABSTRACT: Organic matter (OM) significantly influences the physico-chemico-biological properties of geomaterials (viz., soils, sediments, muni...

FREE ACCESS to the full published article is provided until 17th February 2021 at the following Share Link: https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1cJx6cTCC6~eo ABSTRACT: Soil classification systems represent powerful tools not only to facilitate soil identification, but also to predict its possible behavior. While the use of arbitrary standards based on...

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This experimental laboratory study examines the potential use of tire-derived aggregate (TDA) products as an additive to alleviate the inferior geotechnical properties of a subgrade deposit of clay soil with high expansivity. A total of ten mix designs—the unamended soil and nine soil–TDA blends prepared at 5%, 10% and 20% TDA contents (by dry mass...

Peaty soils have an extremely high water content and a low specific gravity of solids (Gs) compared with most inorganic soils. Accurate knowledge of the Gs value allows void ratio computations for given water contents and densities. However, Gs determinations using the standard pycnometer test are time consuming and pernickety, such that the Gs val...