Characterization of expansive soils and mitigation of swelling phenomena

Expansive soils, typically clays, represent a problematic soil category. This is because when they are subjected to wetting-drying cycles, they exhibit swelling and shrinkage phenomena. The latter often leads to severe pathology of lightweight constructions and buried infrastructures. After several case histories, a total repairing of constructions affected by extreme damages (macro-cracks, dislocations of structural elements, heave etc.) attributed to the swelling-shrinkage cycles was reported. Implementation of related retrofit solutions are with the high cost and impose the stoppage of operations of the affected structures.

Therefore, studying the behavior of foundations on expansive soils is a theme with high interest for many regions worldwide. The designing of foundations on expansive clays calls for special attention; it shall cover their characterization; solutions for mitigating induced disorders and proposals of specific design and methods of construction.

The scope of the special issue comprises three main items. The first is an intensive bibliographic review to provide an update on the characterization methods of expansive soils. The second item covers experienced construction methods to mitigate the swelling phenomena, which attracted several investigators to try and explain how it occurs. Then, which suitable methods enable the measurement of swelling pressure? In this regard, several contributions were published. One of the main issues is to find out how to mitigate the swelling phenomenon for foundation projects on expansive soils. Chemical treatment and other alternatives, like using granular material, were trialled. However, new alternatives can also be considered.

In the third item, contributions will focus on either advanced or updated proposals of countermeasures and construction methods to help civil engineers form a successful design of foundations on expansive soils, i.e. not followed by the appearance of disorders in a lifetime period.

A tentative list of potential authors has been set-up by the Guest Editor. However, submissions are welcome from all authors interested in contributing to the suggested special issue on expansive clays.

With regards to the specific length of the papers, a range of four article types are proposed as outlined in further detail here: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/built-environment#article-types. The article type determines the specific Article Processing Charges applied to the manuscript: https://www.frontiersin.org/about/publishing-fees.