Similarity topics of soils with sensitivity to wetting based upon data gathered from laboratory tests

Abstract

Special problems occurred in several areas of Romanian territory, where the intensive urbanization process involves building foundations on soils with high sensitivity to wetting. The paper includes the data gathered from geotechnical laboratory tests carried out on samples collected from different sites located along the Danube river shore. The aspects regarding the similarity of geotechnical properties for identification and behavior were analyzed. The results have allowed for establishing the variation intervals of certain parameters depending on depth and soil class, which have led to the statistical processing of data input. The research direction which is part of the present paper consists in creating a comprehensive database required for difficult soil zoning at the national level and providing basic information for urban planning. Also, in the present context of sustainable development, it is imposed for the estimation of real foundation conditions and therefore the widespread use of correlations between physical indices, which define the soil nature and state, and mechanical ones, involved in the assessment of foundation settlement or in the estimation of bearing capacity of soil foundation.