Title : Effects of copper sulfate contamination on the geotechnical behavior of clayey soils

Page : PP.47-52

Author(s) : Mahdi O. Karkush and Shahad D. Ali

Keyword : Geotechnical properties, Copper sulfate, soil contamination, clayey soil

Abstract : 

In this research, the effects of contaminant copper sulfate (CuSO4•5H2O) on the chemical and engineering properties of cohesive soil are investigated. Intact soil samples are obtained from the site of the Al-Ahdab oil field in Iraq. The soil samples are contaminated artificially with three quantities of copper sulfate (100, 200, and 400 g). Each quantity of copper sulfate is dissolved in 10 liters of distilled water and added to the surface of disturbed intact soil samples and left soaked for 30 days. A set of laboratory tests is conducted on both intact and contaminated soil samples to determine the impacts of copper sulfate on the chemical and engineering properties of clayey soil samples. The copper sulfate leads to a decrease in the percentage of fines, Atterberg’s limits, permeability, and optimum water content but leads to an increase in specific gravity and maximum dry density. As the concentration of copper sulfate in soil samples increases, the copper sulfate contamination leads to a decrease in the shear strength parameters, cohesion (c), and angle of internal friction (φ) but leads to an increase in the initial void ratio and the compression and recompression indexes.

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