Predicting Soil Swelling Potential Using Soil Classification Properties

Abstract Despite extensive research on unsaturated soil behavior in recent decades, the field of transportation engineering still lacks technically and economically feasible methods for identifying expansive soils along roads, particularly regions with limited laboratory infrastructure that are distant from developed areas Brazil. This situation is evident state Acre, located southwest Brazilian Amazon, where subgrade predominantly consists fine, plastic faces challenges availability crushed stone high precipitation levels. The volumetric variation Acre has resulted significant financial losses affected lives local population. paper proposes a simplified method preliminary identification clays, which based geotechnical characterization tests can be performed at laboratories. proposed utilizes correlation between plasticity index (PI) silt/clay content to determine ranges express highest probability occurrence susceptible shrink-swell behavior. was by correlating parameters 321 samples EMBRAPA's SiSolos database 100 samples.