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Geological Society, London, Engineering Geology Special Publications

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Chapter 8 Swelling and shrinking soils

Lee Jones, Vanessa Banks and Ian Jefferson
Geological Society, London, Engineering Geology Special Publications, 29, 223-242, 9 June 2020, https://doi.org/10.1144/EGSP29.8
Lee Jones
1British Geological Survey, Environmental Science Centre, Nicker Hill, Keyworth, Nottingham, NG12 5GG
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  • For correspondence: ldjon@bgs.ac.uk
Vanessa Banks
1British Geological Survey, Environmental Science Centre, Nicker Hill, Keyworth, Nottingham, NG12 5GG
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Ian Jefferson
2School of Civil Engineering, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT
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Abstract

Swelling and shrinking soils are soils that can experience large changes in volume due to changes in water content. This may be due to seasonal changes in moisture content, local site changes such as leakage from water supply pipes or drains, changes to surface drainage and landscaping, or following the planting, removal or severe pruning of trees or hedges. These soils represent a significant hazard to structural engineers across the world due to their shrink–swell behaviour, with the cost of mitigation alone running into several billion pounds annually. These soils usually contain some form of clay mineral, such as smectite or vermiculite, and can be found in humid and arid/semi-arid environments where their expansive nature can cause significant damage to properties and infrastructure. This chapter discusses the properties and costs associated with shrink–swell soils, their formation and distribution throughout the UK and the rest of the world, and their geological and geotechnical characterization. It also considers the mechanisms of shrink-swell soils and their behaviour, reviewing strategies for managing them in an engineering context, before finally outlining the problem of trees and shrink–swell soils.

  • © 2020 [BGS © UKRI All rights reserved]. Published by The Geological Society of London. All rights reserved
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Geological Society, London, Engineering Geology Special Publications: 29 (1)
Geological Society, London, Engineering Geology Special Publications
Volume 29
2020
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Chapter 8 Swelling and shrinking soils

Lee Jones, Vanessa Banks and Ian Jefferson
Geological Society, London, Engineering Geology Special Publications, 29, 223-242, 9 June 2020, https://doi.org/10.1144/EGSP29.8
Lee Jones
1British Geological Survey, Environmental Science Centre, Nicker Hill, Keyworth, Nottingham, NG12 5GG
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: ldjon@bgs.ac.uk
Vanessa Banks
1British Geological Survey, Environmental Science Centre, Nicker Hill, Keyworth, Nottingham, NG12 5GG
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Ian Jefferson
2School of Civil Engineering, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site

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Chapter 8 Swelling and shrinking soils

Lee Jones, Vanessa Banks and Ian Jefferson
Geological Society, London, Engineering Geology Special Publications, 29, 223-242, 9 June 2020, https://doi.org/10.1144/EGSP29.8
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  • Article
    • Abstract
    • 8.1 Introduction
    • 8.2 Properties of shrink–swell soils
    • 8.3 Costs associated with shrink–swell clay damage
    • 8.4 Formation processes
    • 8.5 Distribution
    • 8.6 Characterization of shrink–swell soils
    • 8.7 Mechanisms of shrink–swell
    • 8.8 Shrink–swell behaviour
    • 8.9 Strategies for engineering management: avoidance, prevention and mitigation
    • 8.10 Shrink–swell soils and trees
    • 8.11 Conclusions
    • Acknowledgements
    • Funding
    • Appendix: Definitions and glossary
    • Footnotes
    • Recommended further reading
    • Useful web addresses
    • References
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