PROPERTIES AND BEHAVIOR OF ARID CLIMATE SOIL DEPOSITS IN KUWAIT
Nabil Ismael
unpublished
The properties and behavior of natural soil deposits in Kuwait and their spatial variability are examined . These deposits include the windblown surface dune sands, cemented sand (Gatch ). and coastal salt bearing soils (Sabkha ). Typical soil profiles from comprehensive site investigations are examined along with details of the basic properties, soil composition date, strength and compressibility with depth. The response of these deposits to structural loads, and their unique characteristics
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... ll be presented based on the results of plate load tests and the instrumentation monitoring data on recently completed structures . The volume changes occurring in these soils will be discussed and related to the environmental factors in and lands, which affect the deposits mineral and chemical composition. IN'T'RODUC'T'ION With major economic development in and lands, and oil and mineral exploration, interest in the properties and behavior of the ground soils has intensified. Numerous environmental factors affect the characteristics of these soils and their response to structural loads. Among these factors are the hot weather during the long summer months which reduces the moisture content of near surface soils to very low values. The excess of evaporation over rain fall, even in the winter months, leads to upward movement of the ground water of high salinity, precipitation of carbonates, sulphates and other salts in the soil matrix and the formation of crusts or layers of cemented sands. The strong dry wind in the desert results in the formation of fine rounded or subrounded sand grains in the surface layers. The three main soil deposits in Kuwait include surface windblown sands, cemented sands, and coastal salt bearing soils (Sabkha). Over the past 20 years these deposits were investigated in great detail, and their geotechnical properties and behavior were determined. This paper presents a review the geotechnical properties, composition and natural spatial variability of these deposits. Emphasis is placed on the unique and interesting characteristics of each deposit, and the relation between the soil behavior and its density, moisture content, stress state, and composition.
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