Experimental Study of Strip Footings Rested on Kerosene Oil- and Gas Oil-Contaminated Sand Slopes

In recent years, due to the increasing use of hydrocarbons by humans, soil contamination has become a concern in environmental and geotechnical engineering fields. Accordingly, in the oil-rich regions of the world, a great deal of research is devoted to the study of soil refinement, bearing capacity and instability caused by soil contamination. An experimental study was undertaken to achieve an accurate and realistic response. After determining the bearing capacity, the effect of petroleum products, including gas oil and kerosene oil, on the bearing capacity of strip footings adjacent to sand slopes was investigated. In this study, variables such as the type and percentage of contamination and the thickness of the contaminated layer have been investigated. The results show that a thicker contaminated layer and a greater degree of contamination will decrease the bearing capacity of the strip footing. The correlation relationships were presented at the end of the research. By these equations and by knowing the type, depth and percentage of contamination, one can predict the bearing capacity of a strip footing with a specific width on the kerosene- and gas oil-contaminated sand slope.