Correlations between compression index and basic soil parameters for fine grained soils in Peninsular Malaysia

Abstract

Soil compressibility is very important element to be observed and analyzed in geotechnical design. Nowadays the young geotechnical engineers always encounter problems in using some geotechnical properties of fine grained soil. The study is based on data collected from proposed construction of upgrading roads in Perak, Melaka and Shah Alam. From the Soil Map of Peninsular Malaysia, the site chosen can be classified as decomposed limestone and granitic residual soil. By using Microsoft Excel, a set of correlations that have been obtained from the study were correlations between compressibility characteristics with basic soil properties which consisted of natural moisture content,Wn, liquid limit, LL and plasticity index, Ip. When combined the soil data of three regions in Peninsular Malaysia, it is shown that the highest value of coefficient of determination R2 is the correlation of compression index versus liquid limit. This shows that the liquid limit figures were more consistent than others. When comparing the present study with same type of soils in Peninsular Malaysia, the correlation developed for soft soil in East Coast Expressway Kuala Terengganu and other regions Peninsular Malaysia best describes the characteristics of soils in this study. They had similar gradient and even the correlations were ± 5% difference. Meanwhile when comparing the present study with different type of soils in Malaysia, it was found that the present study were generally less compressible compared to marine clay in Peninsular Malaysia and Samarahan Alluvium soil in Sarawak. However, they were more compressible compared to granite residual soil in Peninsular Malaysia. From the equations established in this study, the proposed correlations showed not much different but still have some deviation with correlations from previous researchers. These findings are beneficial for further researchers especially on the compressibility study of the soft soils.