One of the most problematic unsaturated soils is the collapsible soil. Owing to their high void-ratio characteristics, these soils exhibit significant strength and low compressibility at in-situ water content. They also collapse significantly under constant load when wetted. Damages to constructions often result from the differential deformations which have been neglected in the design process. Therefore, the identification of collapsible soils or estimation of the collapse potential and shear strength become major aspect in the design of structures in moisture-sensitive soil sites. A laboratory test is commonly used for the identification of collapsible soils. The aim of the work presented in the paper was to obtain a quantitative estimate of collapse potential for estimating potential settlements of a structure and soil shear strength. The shear strength parameters for an unsaturated soil were then measured using a modified direct shear apparatus with the facility to control matric suction. The water content was also measured. Both collapse potential and shear strength are strongly related to the loading history and soaking history.
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