International Journal of GEOMATE, May., 2021, Vol.20, Issue 81, pp.

125-131
ISSN: 2186-2982 (P), 2186-2990 (O), Japan, DOI: https://doi.org/10.21660/2021.81.GX169
Geotechnique, Construction Materials and Environment

GEOTECHNICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF ALLUVIAL SOIL AS

AN ALTERNATIVE ROADWAY CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL

*Emerzon S. Torres1 and Mary Ann Q. Adajar1

1
Department of Civil Engineering, Gokongwei College of Engineering, De La Salle University, Philippines

* Corresponding Author, Received: 28 May. 2020, Revised: 03 Jan. 2021, Accepted: 13 Feb. 2021

ABSTRACT: The rapid infrastructure development in the Philippines over the past years poses problem on
construction cost due to the limited supply of suitable road foundation materials within economic haul distances.
An economic and sustainable solution is to use locally available but suitable materials. This study utilized the
naturally-occurring alluvial soil along the Angat Riverbanks as a potential road foundation material.
Geotechnical characterization of the alluvial soil was performed including direct shear and California bearing
ratio (CBR) tests. The findings of the index properties showed that the alluvial soil is 92% sand, non-plastic,
and was classified as poorly-graded sand. A CBR of 41% makes the river sand a suitable subbase course
material. However, the sample failed on the gradation requirement for subbase application due to lacking of
coarse aggregates. From the direct shear tests, the soil showed brittle failure that yields peak shear stress and
dilative volume change behavior. The critical state friction angles for dry and saturated conditions are 37.52°
and 36.61°, respectively. Morphological analyses were also performed to further evaluate the material
composition of the alluvial soil. The sedimentological analysis found that the sample is both texturally and
compositionally immature. Sediments are angular to subrounded and moderately sorted. Correspondingly, the
SEM-EDX revealed flocculation with flakey particles and small inter granular voids that justifies the shear
strength of the sand. It is recommended to blend coarse aggregates with the alluvial soil to meet the gradation
requirements and possibly increase its bearing strength for base course applications.

Keywords: Alluvial soil, Road foundation, CBR, Direct shear strength, Morphology

1. INTRODUCTION land uses or restricted from mining due to public

perception and conservation efforts, and (3) higher
The "Build, Build, Build" program of the quality standards may further reduce the amount of
Department of Public Works and Highways usable aggregates mined from specific sources [3,4].
(DPWH) of the Philippines promises a significant Searching for alternative construction materials
construction development in the Philippines. In the is considered a sustainable way of development if
recent Philippine Infrastructure Report of 2017, secondary material is free from hazardous
strong growth in the construction and infrastructure components and does not have any adverse long-
industry was predicted to occur over the next five term effects [5,6]. Road construction costs can be
years. The report shows that the real growth will very high because of the limited opportunity of
reach 12.5% between 2017 and 2021, while the locating suitable road base material within
average annual growth will reach 11.2% for the economic haul distances [3]. It is preferable and
construction sector [1]. The Philippine economical to use and to stabilize, if necessary,
Development Plan launched in 2017, aims to locally available but abundant materials than to
change the Philippine income trend as an upper- import conventional aggregates.
middle-income country by 2022 [1]. This trend One thing that is abundant in the Philippines is
resulted in the urge to developing infrastructure and its alluvial deposits of soils. The alluvium occupies
therefore boost the construction industry in the approximately 15 percent of the land surface of the
country [2,3]. archipelago [6]. The alluvium is the soil transported
It follows that there is a greater need for by water and settled along riverbanks. It is usually
construction materials such as embankment and most extensively developed in the lower part of the
road foundation aggregates. However, there are course of a river, forming floodplains and deltas, but
three emerging challenges on sourcing of aggregate may be deposited at any point where the river
materials for road construction: (1) geographical overflows its banks.
distribution of natural deposits of high-quality Alluvial soil was already researched for its
aggregates needed for road construction is uneven suitability as an alternative road foundation
in nature and not found in some areas, (2) in areas aggregate in various countries [7,8]. However,
where high-quality aggregates exist, gravel mines alluvial soils in the Philippines are yet to be
and rock quarries are being either lost to another explored. Due to its archipelagic characteristics,

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Philippine lands is composed of approximately 15% Table 1 DPWH Standards for road foundation [10]
alluvium. The country experiences the rise of rivers
and streams during the rainy season, which results Parameter Requirement
in the formation of floodplains and thick alluvial Subgrade course
deposits. Gradation All not more than 15
The province of Bulacan alone, the house of the particles mass percent will
153-km Angat River with a catchment area of 1,085 are finer pass the 0.075
km2, is composed mainly of alluvial orders of soil. than 75mm mm sieve
Alluvial soils along the rivers are considered part of Atterberg PI not LL not more than
the lowland soils, and these soils represent the limits more than 30
heavy use of land resources being easily accessible 6
to the general populace. Unit weight greater than 7.85 KN/m3
Alluvial soils are mainly used for agricultural Subbase course
purposes. However, problems arise when some of Gradation All not more than 12
the soils possess high permeability that crops cannot particles mass percent will
grow. This is attributed to the sandy soil types, such are finer pass the 0.075
as Quingua and Obando soil series, present along than 50mm mm sieve
the Angat River [9]. With a thickness of 2 to 4 Soaked CBR not less than 30% at MDD
meters and covers more than 810 hectares, this fine condition
sandy soil is a potential source of road embankment Dust ratio Less than or equal to 2/3
materials [9]. Atterberg PI not LL not more than
The main objective of this study was to limits more than 35
characterize and assess the potential of the naturally 12
occurring alluvial soils when used as a road
Select granular backfill
subgrade, subbase course, and embankment
Gradation all particles must be smaller
materials. The DPWH Standards was the major
than 100mm
reference on the classification of the alluvial soil on
particles finer than 0.0425mm
its suitability [10]. Table 1 shows the parameters
must be 0 – 60 percent by mass
and requirements based on the DPWH
specifications for subgrade, subbase course, and for at most 15% of the particles are
select granular backfill of mechanically stabilized finer than 0.075mm
earth. Friction
not less than 34%
angle
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
The laboratory tests performed on the samples
2.1 Source of Alluvial Soil are enumerated in Table 1. These procedures were
based from either ASTM or AASHTO standards to
The alluvial soils were gathered from a vacant establish a reference in evaluating the index
land in Brgy. Laog in the municipality of Angat, properties and strength of the alluvial soil.
Bulacan. The soils are located along the riverbanks. Morphology includes the SEM-EDX analyses,
Disturbed samples were used since the roadway texture, and mineral identification. These material
construction materials are actually blending of analyses supported the results of laboratory tests
different materials with specific gradation. The and explained the soil behavior that is important for
oven-dried and moist-tamped soil is shown in Fig. long-term applications.
1. CBR tests in accordance with AASHTO T193
were performed for the alluvial soil compacted at
the maximum dry density and under soaked
conditions to simulate the worst possible scenario in
the field. Moreover, specimens were soaked for 96
hours (4 days). However, a shorter immersion
period of not less than 24 hours was applied, as
suggested by the AASHTO standards, if the shorter
period did not affect the test results.
a. oven-dried soil b. moist soil Direct shear tests in accordance with ASTM D
3080 were performed for the alluvial soil to
Fig. 1 Soil sample used in this study complete its geotechnical characterization. This
study considered fully saturated conditions to
2.2 Experimental Program simulate the worst-case scenario and dry condition
to see the strength of the alluvial soil at the most

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possible condition. The samples were subjected to course materials. The alluvial soil reached a
varying vertical stresses: 13.63 KPa, 27.75KPa, and maximum dry density of 19.66 KN/m3 at an
83.25 KPa. The first vertical stress would capture optimum moisture content of 10.65%. It absorbs
the low-stress condition while the second and third water and produces a wide range bell-shaped curve
vertical stress will simulate the 1.5m and 4.5m that falls on well-graded to fine sands [11].
overburden pressure in the field. The relative
compaction will be 60%, 80%, and 90% to represent
the medium dense, dense, and very dense conditions, 100%
respectively. Moist tamping was done to achieve 80%

Percent passing
the desired density of the reconstituted sample. For
the saturated condition, the specimen was soaked in 60%
distilled water before transferring to the direct shear
apparatus tank filled with water. Unconsolidated 40%
undrained condition was performed because of the
non-plastic and cohesionless property of the soil 20%
sample. The test ran at 1.25 mm/min rate of
shearing. 0%
100 10 1 0.1 0.01
Table 2 Experimental program for alluvial soil Grain size diameter (mm)

Test Test Standard Fig. 2 Particle size distribution curve

Grain Size Analysis ASTM D6913
Specific Gravity Test ASTM D854 Table 3 Soil Constants
Atterberg Limits Test ASTM D4318
Compaction test ASTM D698 Soil Property Value
Max. Index Density Test ASTM D4253 Specific Gravity, Gs 2.60
Min. Index Density Test ASTM D4254 Liquid Limit, LL % Non-plastic
CBR Test AASHTO T193 Plastic Limit, PL % Non-plastic
Direct Shear Test ASTM D3080 Min. Void Ratio, e min 0.48
SEM-EDX - Max. Void Ratio, e max 0.91
Sedimentology - Max. Dry Unit Weight,γ dmax kN/m3 19.66
Optimum Moisture Content, ω opt % 10.65
3. RESULTS
3.3 Soil Classification
3.1 Particle Size Distribution
According to the Unified Soil Classification
Figure 2 shows a typical particle size
System (USCS), the alluvial soil is a poorly-graded
distribution curve. Generally, a soil is referred to as
sand. On the other hand, the AASHTO classified it
well graded if the uniformity coefficient (Cu) is
under A-1-b with group index of zero. Considered
larger than about 4–6 and coefficient of curvature
granular material, the alluvial soil had a rating of
(Cc) is between 1 and 3 [11]. The alluvial has a Cu
excellent to good subgrade material according to the
of 5.11 and Cc of 1.2. It has an effective grain size
AASHTO classification system.
(D 10 ) is 0.29. Based on its D 10 , the soil falls on a
medium size sand [11]. The alluvial soil comprises
3.4 Soil Strength
of 92% sand, 6% gravel, and 1% silt. Based on the
gradation requirements of DPWH, the soil is not
3.4.1 California bearing ratio
suitable for subbase course application due to its Stipulated by the DPWH (2013) standard
insufficient amount of coarse particles. specifications, the bearing strength is defined by the
CBR value obtained from AASHTO T93 provisions.
3.2 Soil Constants The alluvial soil obtained CBR values at 2.54mm
and 5.08mm penetrations of 30.77% and 41.03%,
The material constants is presented in Table 4.
respectively. These values correspond to the typical
The specific gravity of 2.60 is common to sandy
CBR of poorly graded sand classified by the USCS
soils [13]. The zero plasticity that is common to
and of A-1-b soils identified by AASHTO [10].
sand – silt particles complies with the low plasticity
Based on these CBR values, the alluvial soil had a
requirement for the road foundation materials. The
bearing strength suitable for subbase course
modified effort was employed during compaction to
application as per the DPWH specifications.
concur with the DPWH standards for subbase/base

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3.4.2 Direct shear strength From the direct shear test, the critical state
In regards with the direct shear test, for both friction angle for dry condition is 37.52° while the
dry and saturated conditions, it was observed that as saturated alluvial possess a 36.61° angle of internal
the normal load increases the value of the critical friction. These values fittingly fall on the typical
state shear stress or the shear stress at failure range of friction angle for sand of 27° to 37° [12,13].
increases. The shear strength or the critical state From the DPWH standards, the soil sample used in
shear stress is the shear strength at which the this study is a suitable select granular backfill
volume change ceases. material.
For the dry condition, stress-strain curves 100
follow a similar pattern. As the shear strain starts to Relative density = 90%

shear stress, τ (KPa)

manifest, the dry soil behaves elastically (linear 80
curve) until yielding occurs. At this point, the linear
region starts to form a curvature as it approach a 60
peak as shown in Fig. 3a. This phenomenon is
called strain-hardening. Furthermore, after the soil 40
reach a peak shear stress, a strain-softening
phenomenon happened before it approach the 20
critical state. This is attributed to the particle
crushing and reorientation [12,13]. It can also be 0
5 10 0
15 20
observed from the volumetric strain-shear strain shear strain, γ (%)
plots in Fig. 3b that during strain hardening the soil
a. Shear stress – shear strain curve
changes its volumetric behavior from compression
to expansion. Moreover, the dry samples exhibit -0.04
dilation continuously until the graphs -0.035
volumetric strain, εv (%)

asymptotically approach a critical region where -0.03

<---- compression

volume change stops. This is known as the critical -0.025

state. -0.02
It is noticeable that the 13.63 kPa normal load -0.015
soil sample experiences the greater volumetric -0.01
expansion. Thus, it is concluded that the increasing -0.005
normal load directly affects the volumetric 0
0.005
expansion of the soils.
0 5 10 15 20
Figure 4 displays the stress-strain and volume shear strain, γ (%)
change relationships of the saturated alluvial soil
subjected to direct shear test. Slight variations from
the results of the dry condition can be observed. b. Volumetric strain – shear strain curve
First, the reduction of shear strength is very obvious
since at saturated condition soil loses strength Fig. 3 Stress-strain and volume change behavior of
because of the presence of water as shown in Table alluvial soil for very dense dry conditions.
4. Second, the stress-strain curves for the 60%
relative-density soils show no peak stress under the 3.5 Morphology
highest normal load (83.25KPa). In addition,
dilation were not observed in this test sample. The 3.5.1 SEM-EDX
reason for this is that a higher normal load can Figure 6 depicts the micrographs of the alluvial
suppress the peak stress and the dilatancy [12,13]. soil sample. The soil contains many components
From Table 4, critical shear strength at such as blocks of minerals, clay, clay accessory
different initial relative densities are almost the minerals, and organic materials. There are highly
same for a particular effective normal stress. varied shapes and size ranges as shown in Fig. 6a.
Secondly, the effective normal stress varies directly Soil exhibits small inter granular voids. It has
with the critical shear strength. Moreover, the flocculation with flakey particles usually associated
densest soil specimens (Relative density = 90%) with clay as well as plagioclase laths and an
experience the largest volumetric expansion. indication of early stages of weathering as shown in
Negative values of volumetric strain denotes soil Fig. 6b. Lastly, Fig. 6c revealed inter granular voids
expansion. The idea is that dense soil has the with flakes and that is common to clay minerals in
greater chance to expand than to compress upon sedimentary soils [11].
shearing [12,13].

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Table 4 Critical state values how rounded and sorted the sample is. Composition
Alluvial Normal Dr Dr Dr describes how much the soil composition is
soil effective = = = changing towards more stable minerals and
stress, 90% 80% 60% components. An immature soil has the greater
KPa chance to breakdown and undergo weathering. The
Critical state shear strength (kPa) grain-size curve as shown in Fig. 2 validates the
Dry 13.63 15.58 15.58 15.63
immaturity of the alluvial soil grains [11].
condition 27.75 23.11 24.44 24.05
83.25 62.16 59.58 64.97
Saturated 13.63 13.61 12.28 11.55
condition 27.75 22.45 21.44 23.05
83.25 60.96 57.69 64.02
Critical state volumetric strain (mm/mm)
Dry 13.63 -0.035 -0.026 -0.018
condition 27.75 -0.029 -0.024 -0.017
83.25 -0.022 -0.021 -0.012
Saturated 13.63 -0.013 -0.014 -0.009
condition 27.75 -0.009 -0.008 -0.002
83.25 -0.001 0.002 0.009

80 Relative density = 60%

shear stress, τ (KPa)

60 a. 500x magnification

40

20

0
10 0 20
shear strain, γ (%)
a. Shear stress – shear strain curve
-0.01
volumetric strain, εv (%)

-0.005
<---- compression

0
0.005 b. 5,000x magnification (larger than 0.075mm)

0.01
0.015
0 10 20
shear strain, γ (%)

b. Volumetric strain – shear strain curve

Fig. 4 Stress-strain and volume change behavior of

alluvial soil for medium dense saturated conditions.

3.5.2 Sedimentology
The analysis revealed a texturally and
compositionally immature sedimentary soil. c. 5,000x magnification (finer than 0.075mm)
Texture and composition are two components to
Fig. 6 SEM micrographs of the soil sample
describe maturity. Texture provides a description of

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and the help of Mr. Michael Torres for the

About the composition, the altered material acquisition.
fragments are composed mainly of silicified,
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laboratory testing assistance of DPWH-BRS,

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