ABSTRACT
Mazar-e-Sharif is located in northern Afghanistan in a basin with thick alluvial sediment (loess). In its dry state, loess is rock hard, however, with an increase in water content (rainfall events), the dry soil structure collapses and sags. This leads to massive problems for construction projects.
Previous research focusses on collapse-criteria, solely for qualitative estimates on sagging potential due to the increase of water concentration (hydroconsolidation). A new method of prediction, also with a quantitative estimate, is presented by determining the influencing factors on the sagging like clay and lime percentage, pore space and macro-/microstructure of the soil in transition from semi-stable to compact. The results enable the formulation of an empirical-deductive method to predict the collapse-like deformation due to hydroconsolidation.
The intent is a practice-orientated and applicable design method that approximates the behavior of meta-stable soil structures in the event of an earthquake or the effects of weapons-related explosions.
