ABSTRACT

Rheology is a science dealing with the study of deformation-time properties of materials in response to applied stresses. It refers to the study of the change in the form and flow of the soil, embracing elasticity, plasticity, and viscosity. These are the dynamic properties of the soil and are expressed in terms of soil movement as a result of external forces. Soil response to applied stress may be perfectly elastic, perfectly plastic, elastoplastic, viscoelastic, and viscoplastic. Soil has both elastic and plastic behaviors. Soil properties that affect rheological characteristics include texture, structure, the nature of clay minerals, exchangeable cations, properties of the diffused double layer, saturation void ratio, and moisture content.