Study and Evaluation of Geotechnical Properties of Soil Banks Slopes for Al-Masab Al-Aam Channel (Southern Sector) and the Possibility of Improving Them. Iraq

Abstract

This study is concerned with channel banks slopes in the southern sector for Al-Masab Al-Aam channel  south of Iraq. The geotechnical properties of the soil in the banks of the channel  including the physical, engineering and chemical properties of (15) stations were studied. The grain size distribution of  soil showed that the proportion of sand was higher than that of clay and silt.

Based on the USCS standards of soil  of the study area can be classified as clay with low plasticity (CL) that represents 33.3% of the soil and ,clay with high plasticity (CH) represents 20% of the soil and nonplasticity (SM) represents  46%.The dry density values ​​range between (1.51-1.86) g/cm3 , the saturated density values ​​range between (1.61-2.2) g/cm³, and the water content values ​​range between (25.2-42%), while the specific gravity values ​​range between (2.51-2.74 ).The internal friction angle (Ø°)from direct shear test ranged  between (21.5-37°). The values of unconfined compression test range between (37-126.2) kN/m² of remolded samples with 25% water, The values of chloride range between (0.053-0.195%), while the values of sulfate range between (0.053-0.195%), the carbonates concentrations range between (15-50%), the organic materials concentrations  range between (0.140-1.125%), The pH value range between (7.5-9). According to these results, the stability of the ramps of the banks of the downstream general channel (Southern District) was evaluated and appropriate solutions were proposed to support their stability and treat the unstable ones.