Austin Strickland

#57

CEG 4011-Soil Mechanics Extra Credit Paper

Dr. Townsend touched on a variety of topics in soils as they related to the Civil
Engineering field. It stood out that he stated that soils was in fact the most difficult Civil
Engineering material to completely master. This can be chalked up to the fact that much is
unknown about any given soil sample. For example, substances like concrete and water are given
a known specific weight along with a density. For a soil sample, the value of ranges can be quite
variable. The way Dr. Townsend was able to present his research in the geotechnical engineering
field was also very engaging and intuitive. Its important to be able to keep someones mind
engaged while presenting new information, and he was able to do this almost flawlessly.
One of the concepts Dr. Townsend touched on which I found interesting was the topic of
flocculation. Flocculation is essentially the process wherein the soils individual particles stick
together to form clumps. If the attractive forces happen to be greater than the repulsive forces,
flocculation is the scientific phenomena which occurs. Similarly, if the repulsive forces are
greater than the attractive forces dispersion is the end result. The specific clumps are commonly
known as aggregates. Often times, the amount of flocculation which has occurred may indicate
whether a soil has a strong or weak structure. Whether a soil is flocculated or not is dependent
also upon the types of cations which are present in the soil itself. We know that soils are
compactible due to the polar molecules which exist within them. Alcohols are non-polar which
means clay can not stick to it.
Another key topic which Dr. Townsend touched on was the concept of compaction. Why
exactly is clay compaction a thing? Well, for one you it is because of the double water layer
which is present in clays. We have learned before about the idea of permeability. Permeability
refers to how quickly in which water can flow through a certain soil. Soils have varying k values,
the coefficient for permeability. Clay in general is known to have a low permeability value,
meaning water seeps through it very slowly. The double water layer itself holds in the water,
reducing the value of k in the process. Having this low permeability value can be helpful when it
comes to maintaining geotechnical structures. Its also important to keep in mind that soils
actually absorb energy, as opposed to dissipating it. The proctor curves are not doubled for this
very specific reason. Another reason why clay have a low value for k is because clays have a
very small particle size. Dispersed particles will also result in a low value for k. If you happen to
compact on the dry side of the clay, you are in turn taking advantage of the strength of the clay.
Generally, when it comes to clays, the denser they are the stronger they are. Its necessary
in the field of geotechnical engineering to make a decision based on wet versus dry clay. The
other thing to be concerned about is what type of equipment to use. Wet clay will be more sticky
naturally, which may bog the equipment itself down. If you are in an equipment heavy site, it
might be best to use a dry clay just for this reason. A sheepsfoot roller is the best for this kind of
thing. Sheepsfoot rollers are also very common when it comes to the compacting of silts as well.
A small area is allowed to be compacted with each foot. Even then, there can be various types of
sheepsfoot rollers themselves. There is the vibratory rollers, tamping foot rollers, and the
pneumatic-tired rollers. They also have different speeds and specifications as well.

Austin Strickland
#57