Evaluation and Mastery of the Risks of Swelling of Clayey Soils of the Khô Depression in the South-Benin

Abstract

To find an adequate solution to master the risks of swelling is a more and more recurring question generally for the engineers and geo-technicians in particular. This study at first allowed to determine the physical characteristics of the soils of the district of Massi and allowed to summarize that the samples contain some strong proportion of clayey particles with a potential of variable swelling. Clays of the district of Massi are active and have an important pathological risk. So, the mechanical characteristics of the studied grounds, revealed that to fight against the swelling in the district of Massi, the works have to bring pressures of the order from 5 to 63 kPa when they are set up between 0.00 and 0.50 m; 3 to 111 kPa for 0.50-1.00 m; 56 to 136 kPa for 1.00-2.00 m; 151 to 265 kPa for 2.00-3.00 m. These pressures are inferior to the stress of pre-consolidation of the soils of the district of Massi and allow to limit the excessive subsidence of the massif of soil.