;J I

.1

, ~

TECHNICAL

NOTE

Puvvadi

V. Sivapullaiah..l

Thallak

G. Sitharam,l

and Kanakapura

S. Subba Raol

REFERENCE:

Sivapullaiah, F~ Vol,

p, V"

Sitharam,

T. G"

and Rao, K, S, Test;"g

Subba, "Modified Journa/, GTJODJ.

SweUlndex for Clays," G..ot,'ch,,;clll 10, No_, 2, June 1987, pp. 80-85,

The method suffers from certain limitations: (1) it is difficult to measure the volume of soil exactly to 10 cmJ (the volume is highly sensitive to the hygroscopic moisture and the method of pouring .. into the cylinder) and (2) kaolinitic clay has been observed to result in a negative fJee swell percentage [121 because its volume in water is less than in air. The differential free swell test suggested in Indian Standard (IS) Code Determination of Free Swell Index of Soils (2720). Part (XU ( 1977). tries to eliminate the uncertainty in measuring the volume of soil. In this test. two specimens of 10 9 each oven dried soil passing through a 425-jlm sieve are taken. One specimen is poured into a loo-mL jar of kerosene or carbon tetrachloride (CCI4). The other specimen is poured into a lOO-mL jar of distilled water. The final volume of soil in each cylinder is noted and the differential free swell index is given by

ABSTRAcr: Free swell tests are commonly used for identifying expansive clays and to predict the swelling potential. The method as proposed by Holtz and Gibbs suffers from inaccuracies in volume measurement of dry powder in air. In this paper. a nondimensional modified free swell index is proposed. which removes the uncertainties prescnt in the Hollz and Gibbs method. The modified free swell index is sho"n to bear unique corTelations with liquid limit (volume basis) and percent s,,'ell of oedometer
KEYWORDS: tests. pore fluids.

specimens
soil

compacted
tests. s"elling tests.

10 proctor
index. swell

oplimum
expansive

conditions.
solids. free swell

laboratory

potential

The free swell test is one of the most commonly used simple tests in the field of geotechnical engineering for getting an estimate of soil swelling potential [I]. This test is performed by pouring 10 cmJ of dry soil through a sieve or aperture size 0.42 mm into a loo-cmJ graduated jar filled with water. noting the s"'elled volume or the soil after it comes to rest. Then the free swell is given by
v-v ---!.

differential

free swell index,

% =

v,,V,

V,

x 100

where V d = the volume of the soil specimen read from the graduate

FS

:=

100

vwhere FS = the free swell, "!0, V = the soil volume after swelling, Vo = the volume of dry soil. 10 cmJ. Several other methods of estimating swelling potential have also

cylinder containing distilled water and V, = the volume of the soil specimen read from the graduated cylinder c;:ontaining kerosene or CCI..

Even this procedure yields negative values in the case of kaolincmJ, and ite, because of the behavior of kaolinite when it occupies a higher sediment volume in a nonpolar solvent than in polar solvent. This has also been reported by Sridharan et al. [121. Even the nonpolar solvents are known to complex with clay minerals [13-/5], and thus the base for volume measurement is not invarient. The above ambiguities can be avoided if the swelling potential is expressed as the swollen volume per gram of soil in any solvent [12, 16, /71. Moreover, herein a nondimensional modified free swell index is proposed. which removes the earlier mentioned uncertainties and also shows better correlations with engineering properties of soils. The modified free swell index is given by

been suggested by investigators [2-5]. This paper is concerned only with the free swell test as suggested by Holtz and Gibbs 11] and attempts to improve the test by eliminating its inherent limitations. Though the free swell percentage is indicative of the expansive nature of soil 11.6-9]. it has been observed to not be as reliable as Atterberg limits in indicating the swelling characteristics 110-11].

'Scientific officer. research scholar. and professor. respectively. gineering Department. Indian Institute of Science. Bangalore India. 0149-6115/87/00()6.0080$02.50

Civil En560 012.

modified

free swell index =

vv.

v.

@ 1987 by the American 80

Society for Testing and Materials

SIVAPULLAIAH where V = the soil volume after swelling and VI = the mlume of soil solids = WI/GI"(... where w, = the weight of dry soil, G, = the specific gravity of solids. and "Yw= the unit weight of water .

ET AL. ON A FREE SWELL INDEX

61

gravities and the liquid limits are also shown. As mentioned earlier, kaolinite shows negative values of free swell percentage or differential free swell index (percent). Negative values are not possible either in the free swell index or modified free swell index. Table 2 summarizes the results of all the tests conducted on soils. Liquid limit tests with various pore fluids were determined using the cone penetration method (British Standard (BS) Methods of Tests for Soil for Civil Engineering Purposes (1377-1975). The liquid limit in this investigation has been expressed on a volume basis, that is, as the ratio of volume of the solvent to the volume of soil solids. SInce the densities of solvent and the soil solid vary, these variations were taken into account by converting the values from a weight basis to a volume basis. In the second series of experiments, one-dimensional consolidation tests were co!1ducted on specimens 76 mm in diameter and 20 mm in height. The initial state of the consolidation specimens prepared by static compaction corresponds to proctor optimum conditions. A moisture equilibrium time of two weeks was allowed before the specimens were compacted. Table 3 gives the details of specimen conditions. The inside of consolidation ring was coated with silicone grease to minimize the side friction. Water or any dther desired solvent was then poured into the cell, and the specimen was allowed to swell under a nominal surcharge of 6.1 kPa. The solvents, other than water, used in this investigation replace the water initially present in the pore spaces during the swelling process. When the specimen reached its equilibrium in swelling, which generally took place in about 15 days, the percent swell was recorded as I;hange in thickness
percent swell = :_,.,-, .L'_' X 100

The method of obtaining the modified free swell index therefore consists of fiDding the swollen volume of a known quantity of oven dry soil. A dry weight of lO-g natural soil is suggested for the test. The soil can be transferred slowly to a lOO-mL jar containing distilled water. If swelling in any other solvent is needed, that solvent can be used in place of distilled water. For highly expansive clays, like bentonite. a lesser weight of dry soil, say 3 to S g, may be used to contain the swollen volume within I OO-mL jar. or else, the same measuring jar . lO-g dry soil could be used with a higher capacity

Experiments The testing procedure adopted for determining swollen volume was as follo..-s: IO-g oven dried clay powder was transferred into a IOO-mL graduated jar containing distilled water or any other organic solvent. The suspensions were repeatedly stirred for thor. ough mixing and allowed to settle. The cylinders were then stoppered and left undisturbed. At the end of 24 h. the sediment vol. ume or swollen volume was measured against the graduations of the jar, In the case of expansive bentonite. the initial dry weight of the specimen was only J g, The first series of experiments index for different determines the modified free swell free swell inabo\'e was persoils in different solvents. The second series of of the modified

The recorded values of percent swell {oedometer} ble 3.

are listed in Ta-

experiments establishes correlations dex with other soil properties.

The modifted free swell index test as described

Results and Discussion In Fig. 1, the liquid limit (volume basis 0/0) and percentage free swell (Holtz and Gibbs) are plotted. No definite correlation is visible mainly on account of aluminum hydroxide gel (Tests 17, 18. and 19). In Fig. 2, the modified free swell index has be~n used instead of the percent free swell index. A clear and unique relation-

rormed on different soils. both natural and commercially available clays. Aluminum hydroxide gel also has been !ncluded since it is found invariwly in all soils. Different solvents. water. benzene, ethanol, methanol, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), dimethylforma. mide (DMF). dioxane. and different concentrations of sodium chloride salt solutions. have been used. Table 1 summarizes the results of S\\-dJ tests in water. Free swell percentage. differential free swell index (percent), free swell index, and the modified free swell index ~ given in different columns of the table. The specific

TABLE

l-Resu/ts

of swell

tests

in

water.

Test

Type

of

Soil

Specific Gravity of Solids

2.61

Liquid Limit. Volume basis .'0

133.5 95.0 152.0 330.0 535.0 295.0 968.0

Percent Free Swell (Holtz) and Gibbs)

0 0 9.5 210.0 10.5 110.0 3650

Differential Free Swell.

Free

Swell cmJ/g

"1.

Index.

Modified Free Swell!ndex 2.26 1.78 1.90 6.70 17.80 5.00 106.60

2 3 4 S 6 7

2.78 2.58 2.56 2.50 2.85 2.87

-31.00 -9.10 0
1.82 91.00 2500.00

1.25 1.0 1.2 4.0 7.0 2.1 37.5

,.
r

82

GEOTECHNICAL

TESTING JOURNAL

T ABLE

2-Resu/ts

of free swel/ tests conducted

with their liquid Liquid Limit.

limit "J.

in different

solHnts. Modified Free S~.ell Index 2.: ~6 S.! IS 2./ !0 2.; !6 2.' 13 2./ !0 2.; !6 3.' 10 106"/ ) S.< )4 5.1!2 5.1!2 3.: 10 2.. 77 2." 77 3.' '8 17.' 75 9.( ) IS," 7 6.',75 13"~'3 39.1 18 10.' 18 8.20 2.26 2.26 2.40 2.92

Test
I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

Soil kaolinite kaolinite kaolinite kaolinite kaolinite kaolinite kaolinite kaolinite bentonite bentonite bentonite bentonite bentonite bentonite beotonite bentonite aluminum aluminum aluminum bentonite bentonite bentonite bentonite bentonite hydroxide hydroxide hydroxide gel gel gel water DMSO DMF methanol ethanol acetone dioxane benzene water DMSO DMF methanol ethanol acetone benzene dioxane

Solvent

(Volume

Basis)

Percent F~ Swell (Holtz and Gibbs) 0.0 !!0.0 !0.0 0.0 5.0 !0.0 0.0 35.0 36S0.0 164.3 !7!.4 !7!.4 7!.4 50.0 50.0 78.6 !0.5 -0.40 0.0 !iO.O 420.0 !300.0 3SS.0 264.0 0.0 0.0 4.0 20.0 16.0 110.0 0.0 9.5 209.0

133.5 314.5 165.7 152.2 155.3 160.4 160.3 170.4 968.0 328.4 325.0 266.2 257.0 279.0 213.0 197.0 535 356.3 445.7 325.4 435.0 667.2 423.7 353.3 121.2 124.6 125.3 136.8 134.6
295.0 95.0 152.0 330

water rormamide 1"/. orthophosphoric I N NaCI solution 0.1 N NaCI solution 0.01 N NaCI solution 10;. orthophosphoric acid solution 40;. orthophosphoric acid solution I N NaCI solution 0.1 N NaCI solution 0.01 N NaCI solution 10;. orthophosphoric acid solution 4"/. orthophosphoric acid solution water water water water

acid

ii

23

25 26 27 28 1"

kaolinite kaolinite kaolinite kaolinite kaolinite black cotton soil red earth chlorite muscovite mica

29
30 31 32 33

2.78
5.0 1.78 1.90 6.70

T ABLE

3-Results

of oedomeler

teStS.

Test I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Type

of

Soil

Solvent water DMSO DMF ethanol dioxane DMSO DMF benzene dioxane water

Optimum Water Content, .'0

26.4 26.4 26.4 26.4 26.4 31.0 31.0 31.0 31.0 33.0

Optimum Density.
1.45 1.45 1.45 1.45 1.45 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.23

Dry (g/cmJ)

Percent

Swell

(Oedometer)

Percent Free Swell (Holtz Gibbs) 0.0 110.0 10.0 5.0 0.0 164.3 171.4 50.0 78.6 110.0

Modified Free Swell Index 2.26 5.85 2.60 2.43 2.26 5.6 5.8 2.8 3.5 5.0

kaolinite kaolinite kaolinite kaolinite kaolinite bentonite bentonite bentonite bentonite black cotton soil

4.2 36.8 6.0 2.5 5.1 34.0 37.6 11.2 16.2 30.0

;-

SIVAPULLAIAH

ET AL. ON A FREE SWELL INDEX

83

.,~,-=r

"""'-',--'--' ,...~.."'

laX>r .9

!
8001

22 .

~ 6001
617

;~ e
.21

I LOOI .
i~33 11.. r.30 13. .15 , A.lb ~ X .12

Figur~s number .B~ntonlt o

closR to thR symbol5 shown in table 2 ~ Kaolinit~ hydrox cotton earth Chlorite Mica cotton, soi( soil

indicate

test

..Aluminium ~ .Red D Black

id~ gel

200

~ -100 O 800
1600 Prrcent FIG. l-Relationship between the percent free frer swell

.Muscovite X I Blac,k
21.00 SWRI( (Holtz and ( Holtz

(Sa,xena 3200

~tial.1977),

'000

Gibbs and the

) liquid limit. % I

Gibbs)

6;

84

GEOTECHNICAL

TESTING JOURNAL

1000 I

~~

8001

In
In IG .0

~ 600 E " 0 ~ ~

17!

.E

j '001
f3 Figur~close test numbQr .Bentonite
2001

to

the

symbols in table

indicate 2

shown

o & ~ .Red

Kaollnit~ Aluminium Black Chtorl cotton earth te I 80 ind~x limit. % (volum~ ba.fisJ. I 100 I hydroxide soil g~1

1001

O I I 20 I I '0 Modifi~d FIG. 2-R~lation.fhip b~tween th~ modifi~d fr~c I .I 60

I O

Muscoyltvmic~

sw~11

free .fwe// ind~x and th~ liquid

ship becomes apparent, that is, over the entire range of soil types, the liquid limit is from 30 to 4()()"!0 (on a conventional weight basis). This clearly establishes the soundness of the definition of the modified free swell index. It is interesting to note the approximate weight volume relations as observed in the experiments. For 10cmJ volume in air, the oven dry weights of kaolinite, bentonite, and aluminum hydroxide gel are 8, 10, and 1.6 g, respectively. The

80 r-

FigurtS

clost numbtr

to

tho

symbols in tobIt )

.,d,cott

-701 .. -;
~ 0

ttst

shown

.Bontonitt 0 .Block X So.tno Kool,nlt. cotton otol (1951) soil (1911)

60

method of pouring

also affects the volume of dry soil in air; for

example, it was observed in the experiment for the same 10-g dry weight of bentonite, the poured volume varied from 8 to II cmJ. It is precisely for this reason that the earlier definition of free swell in terms of volume has been changed in this paper to weight basis. Figure 3 shows the percentage free swell (Holtz and Gibbs) versus percent swell (oedometer) index. The initial conditions of all the specimens corresponded to proctor optimum. The scatter of points in the figure only confirms the earlier observation [1,6] that no correlations exists between the two. On the contrary, the modified free swell index is seen to bear a straight line relationship with percent swell (oedometer) as shown in Fig. 4. The reasons for the percentage free swell (Holtz and Gibbs) not showing any correlation either with the liquid limit or with the perCf'nt swell (oedometer) can be attributed to (I) the variations of ~eight and density of soil solids and solvents and (2) the inherent difficulty in measuring the exact volume of dry soil powder, particularly since small quantities
r;

'; ~ c

SO

.Mohon

. .

~ '0 o Q.
301 .

-~2

j ~

.6
.,.

201

) J _0 0 ,"' o

,
I

.x x Xx

x
x

~ 100 P.rc.nt

I fr..

I 200

I JOO t. G;bbS) swell (Holtz

I LOO

sw.11 (Holtz

are involved.

FIG. J-Re1ationship between the percentj1ff and the" s..oell (oedometer).

and Gibbs)

SIVAPULLAIAH
80
Figru.s t.st close number .B.ntonit. 0 ~
~ ~

ET AL. ON A FREE SWELL INDEX

based an tlr~ modifi~dfre~ Modified F~ .,SWell Index swriI index.

85

to th. shown

symbols in t abl. J

indicet.

TABLE

4-Swelling

potential

Liquid Limit. % (Volume Basis}

<200

SweJling Potential
negligible mlxierate high v~. high

Kaolinit. Black cotton soil

200 400 >550 to to 400 550

<2.5 2.5 to 10.0 10.0 to 20.0 >20.0

-; E o ." ~ 0
~ J .

Refe~nces

c:: ~-~ W. G. and Gibbs:

-Properties of Expansive

c ~ ~ . 0.

I
6 Ir.. sw.11 e ind.x 10 12

[1]

Holtz,

H. J., "Engi~g

Clays,'. Tran-saction-s of the American Sociny of Civil Eng; r.s. Vol. 121, 1956, pp. 641-677. [2] Kruyt, H. R., Colloid Science. Elsevie:r. Amsterdam, The Nether. lands, 1952. [31 Norrish, K., "The Swelling of Montrnorillonite,.' Discum..,,-s The Faraday Society. Vol. 18, 1954. pp. 120-1J-1. (4] Nishida. y ..Nakaga...a. S., and Koike. H.. ..On Swelling Pn,ssure of Cius,'. Proceeding-s of IV ARC 011 S.\l GIld FE. Vol. I. Bangkok. Thailand, 1971, pp. 391-395. [51 Anderson, J. N. and Lade. P. V., ..The Expansion Indcx Test... Geotechnical Te-sting Journol. Vol. 4, No.2. June 1981, pp- 58-67. (6] Mohan. D.. "Consolidation and Strength Cbaracteristics 01 Indian Black Cotton Soils," Proceeding-s of the IV Int"national c-jerellce on SM and FE. Vol. I. London. 1957. pp- ;4-76. ( 7] Kinsky. J., Frydmann. ent Dielectric Liquids S.. and Zaslavasky. on the Engineering Conf~ D.. ..The Effect of Diffcr. Properties of ~... Pro. on SM and FE. Vol. ofG~chIlicol I,

1
, 0 2 FIG. 4-R..luliollsllip s-l/lo.edom""'r).

,~9 I
,

Modili.d

b..I"

1I III" modifi"d

fr""

s"."l/ ind..x and pt'rc,,111

ceeding-s of the IV A-sian Regional

Bangkok. Thailand. 1971. pp. 367-372(81 Gromko. G. J., ..Review of Expansive Soils. ."Jourllal

Soil Classlncatlon Based on the modified free swell index. a system of classification of the soil swelling potential is herein proposed. Table 4 shows classification into four groups between negligible and very high swelling potentials. The liquid limit on volume basis for different classifications is also shown. This classification has been supported by the other existing classifications based on liquid limit, free swell, differential free swell as per IS 2720, Part (XU, index [/.12,181. and the free swell

Engineering Divi-sioll. Proceedillg-s of the ASCE. Vol. 100. ~o. GT6. 1974, pp. 667-687. (91 Saxena. K. R., Venkatarao. C.. and Nansimhan. M. K.. ..F~ Swell and Swell Pressure Test on Expansive Soils. -Proceeding-s of Fust Na. tional Sympo-sium on Expan-sive Soils. V~ I. Kanpur, I~. Dec. (10] 1977, pp. 5.1-5.6. Dawson. R. F. , "Discussion on .Engineering Properties of Expansive Clays' by Holtz and Gibbs.'. Tran-sactioIU of the ASCE. ...01. 121, 1956, pp. 664-677. Chen, F. H.. Foundation-s on E.rpansi~ Soils. Elsevier ScieDrifIC Pub.

III]

lishing Co., Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 1975. (12) Sridharan. A., Sudhakar, M. R., and Munhy. N. S., "F~ Swelllndex of Soils: A Need for Redefinition.l"diIJJI Grotechnical.lournal, Voi. 15, No.2, April 1985, pp. 94-99. (131 MacEwan. D. M. C., "Complex Formafjoa Between Mont~llonite and Holloysite and Certain Organic Compounds... Tran-saCl of the (14] Faraday Society. Vol. 44, 1948, pp. 349-367. Mackenzie. R. C., "Complexes of Cla)"S with Organic Compounds,.. Transactions of the Faraday Society. Vol. 44. 1948, pp. J68-375. Green, W. J., Lee, G. F.. and Jones. R. A.. -Impact of Organic Sol. vents on the Integrity of Clay Liners f(X" Industrial Waste Disposal Pits: Implication for Ground Water ConW:lination," Repon to U.S. EPA Robert S. Kerr Environmental LabontOty. Ada, OK. 1980.

Conclusions I. The free swell test developed greater usefulness if the definition swell index. by Holtz and Gibbs provides free

[15]

is changed into a modified

2. The modified definition eliminates the inaccuracies ated with volume measurement of dry soil powder .

associ.

3. The modified free swell index bears a unique relationship both with liquid limit (by volume basis) and percent swell (oedometer) for compacted specimens.

Lambe,T. W. and Whitman, R. V ., Soil Mhanic-s. John ~yand Sons, Inc., New York, 1969. [17) Murray, R. S. and Quirk, J. P., .'The Pb.TSic:aJSwelling of Oays in Solvents," Soil Science Society of AmeriCQ.1oIIrnal. Vol. 46, 1982, pp. 865-868. [18] Chen, F. H., Proceeding-s ofthe Fir-stlnlnKa1io/Ial Resean:& and Engineering Conference on Expan-sive ~ College Station, TX, 1%5, pp. 152-171. Te~as A&M Umversity,

[16]