CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The study of geotechnical
properties of lateritic soil in Osun State is our main focus and objective, the
lateritic soil materials that were investigated was taken in six different
locations as follows:
1.
Ikirun to Osogbo road
2.
Ikirun to Iree road
3.
Ikirun to Ada road.
The investigation helps to
describe the sub-surface condition along the three locations and it provide an
indication of the availability of materials suitable for pavement structure
construction. The geotechnical properties of lateritic soil is important for an
highway engineer to enable him to identify and classify the soil, measure its
strength, evaluate its drainage properties and help in processing the soil as a
highway material. Lateritic soil in the engineering field refers to all
unconsolidated material in the earth crust i.e. all materials above bedrock.
A
soil sample contains:
I.
Mineral and organic particles.
II.
Water
III. Air
The relative amounts of these
three phases are indications of the soils properties and conditions. Lateritic
soil is found in most area of Nigeria and constitutes the main construction
material for roads, bridges, dams and residential and industrial building. The
soil testing and quality control of material are designed and performed to
ensure adequate quality of constitution as the construction project is being
executed.
However, this involves laboratory
and in-situ testing of materials and preparation and analysis of test results
to ensure that works are performed strictly in accordance with the
specification requirement. This project work therefore deals with all the
laboratory tests which could be used to analyze the lateritic soil geotechnical
properties.
1.1 AIMS OF STUDIES
The
aim of this project work is to determine the geotechnical properties of the
lateritic soil used for the construction of road in Osun State.
1.2 OBJECTIVES OF STUDIES
1.
To determine the suitability of the modified soil on
civil engineering project.
2.
To determine some physical properties of the lateritic
soil for road construction in any civil engineering project.
3.
To improve the strength of the soil in case of poor soil quality.
1.3 SCOPE OF THE PROJECT
WORK
The
scope of the project work formed to Osun State using Boripe and Ifelodun Local
Government as a case studies. Two samples were take from each of three
different locations namely, Ikirun to Osogbo road, Ikirun to Iree road, Ikirun
to Ada road.
1.4 LIMITATION OF THE WORK
The following problems were
encountered:
1.
First problem of transportation from one sample
location to the other.
2.
Another problem encountered was non-stability of
electricity at the soil laboratory where carrying out the test.