Effect of Ground Disruption on the Strength of Gatch Soil in Kuwait

Abstract

Kuwait soil is commonly known as ‘Gatch’ and classified as very dense cemented sand Kuwait sand has sulphates and calcium carbonated in form of gypsum components that caused cementation bonds with environment aids such as highly evaporation of rainfall in winter season. This soil is used as a backfill material and it is important to know the effect of excavation and recompaction on the strength characteristics. The present study provides experimental results on the effect of ground disruption on strength parameters of cemented sand in Kuwait, such as the are the cohesion c, and the angle of friction ϕ’ and stress strain characteristics. The triaxial test was used to determine these parameters on undisturbed and remolded specimens at different depths. The results show a disturbance of cemented sands cause loss of the cohesion component of strength and a minor reduction in the angle of shearing resistance.