THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
CEE9522 Advanced Soil Mechanics
Assignment #1 (due 12th February 2015)
The relationship between Atterberg limits and the engineering properties
of clayey soils

The engineering properties of soils are strongly influence by both the percent clay (if present) and
the clay mineralogy. For example, Figure 1 (Kenney, 1967) shows the impact of clay fraction (%
dry weight) on the residual friction angle of quartz-clay mixtures. Referring to Figure 1, the
residual friction angle (constant volume friction angle) of quartz only is about 35 (e.g. tanres =
0.7). The addition of small quantities of Na-Montmorillonite, in this case about 20%, can cause
the friction to decrease from 35 to between 6 and 21 depending on the pore fluid chemistry
(see NaCl concentrations).
Q1. Explain why the Kaolinite-quartz and Na-Montmorillonite-quartz mixtures exhibit different
behaviour. In addition, why does the addition of salt (NaCl) in the pore fluid of NaMontmorillonite influence the behaviour?
Q2. What are the three most common occurring clay minerals? Draw the schematic crystal
structure of the minerals.
Q3. What are typical values of for the three main minerals?

(In your answers, make sure you relate the observed behaviour to such factors as the crystal
structure, particle charge, double layer and fabric).
Starting Reference:
Mitchell, J.K. 1976. Fundamentals of Soil Behaviour. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York,
London, Sydney and Toronto.

Figure 1 Residual friction angle for clay-quartz mixtures and natural soils (Kenney 1967).

There seems to be an approximate correlation between effective friction angle, , and Plasticity
Index, PI. Figure 2 shows an example.
Q4. Find at least five journal papers (e.g. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, Geotechnique, etc.) in
which the Atterberg limits and the effective friction angle, , are measured for a natural clay.
Plot the plasticity index and on Figure 2 for each clay (at least 5 points). How do the results
compare? Can you infer the clay mineralogy from the papers and if so discuss how? (Use
additional parameters such as Activity and Liquidity Index to justify your answers.)

Figure 2

Relationship between sin and plasticity index (from Olson, 1974 and Kenney,
1959)

Figure 3 shows remolded strength versus Liquidity Index for several natural clays.

Q5. Explain the inverse relationship between liquidity index and remolded strength. Again
relate your answer to the mineralogy and fabric where possible.
Q6. What is fabric?
Q7. Find (in the literature) at least 3 examples of clays that have low liquidity index and three
clays that have a high liquidity index. What does the liquidity index tell you as an engineer?

Figure 3

Remolded shear strength versus liquidity index.