Experimental research on expansion characteristics of Mengzi expansive soil with water, salt and acid immersion

Swelling tests of Mengzi remolded expansive soil inundated with different types of wetting fluids (distilled water, saline water and acidic water) were carried out using advanced consolidometer. Swelling characteristics of expansive soil under different initial conditions were studied. The dose-response model was used to fit the rules of swelling time interval for expansive soil with water immersion. The quantitative relationships between the swelling deformation and initial conditions (initial water content, initial dry density and overburden pressure) were attained using 3D regression analyses. The differences in deformation rules of expansive soil with water immersion in each region are bigger for the differences of genetic types, mineral compositions, chemical characteristics of soils and sample preparation techniques and instrument error. The expansion deformation rules of soil immersed in salt and acid solution are the same as the rules of soaked soil. The important indices obtained can be provided to the engineering design, construction and stability evaluation of expansive soil slopes.