2023 Wilmington NC USA


  Contributed Session 2:  PDEs and Applications
Some new results and developments on the stabilization of swelling soils by employing different damping mechanisms
Adel M Al-Mahdi
The Preparatory Year Program, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia
  Co-Author(s):    
  Abstract:
 

Swelling soils are one of the environmental problems that have attracted many researchers due to their structural damage or destruction. It is characterized by a swell in soil volume when subjected to moisture. The clay minerals in them naturally attract and absorb water. When water is introduced to swelling soils, the water molecules are pulled into gaps between the soil plates. As more water is absorbed, the plates are forced further apart, leading to an increase in soil pore pressure. Consequently, swelling soils significantly lead to geotechnical and structural challenges to the environment and society. Swelling soils exist all over the world. More recently, the American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that one in four homes have some damage caused by swell soils. Typically, such soils cause property owners more significant financial loss than earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes combined. Consequently, it is crucial to study the practical ways and means to eliminate or minimize the damages caused by swelling soils. In this talk, we present some new results and developments on the stabilization of swelling soils by employing different damping mechanisms proven to be a very effective, economical, and friendly environment. These results are significant to engineers and architects as they might help swiftly attenuate the harmful effects of swelling soils. Furthermore, these results. will be a basis for further work and broaden the scope of damping technology.