To determine if there is a correlation between the shrink swell index and atterberg limits for soils within the Shepparton Formation

Abstract

Currently there is a belief within the Engineering Profession that there is not any form of correlation between the shrink swell index and the atterberg limits or linear shrinkage properties for a soil. This research project will concentrate on soils from one particular geological structure which is known as the Pleistocene Quaternary Shepparton Formation. The soils in this formation have been placed using sedimentary techniques and predominately consist of clays, silts, sands and gravels. The analysis to determine if there is a relationship between this index and any of the atterberg limits or linear shrinkage results was undertaken using a sampling and testing program for 29 soils that had different characteristics. The soils that were tested all originated from this formation and are located in the Goulburn Valley and Murray Valley Regions in Northern Victoria. The soils that were tested ranged from silts with sands and extended through to highly reactive clays.