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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbus, Ohio » Soil Drainage Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #113193

Title: FRACTURED GLACIAL TILL GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING CHARACTERISTICS

Author
item Allred, Barry

Submitted to: Water Research
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/3/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Glacial tills cover large parts of Ohio and the rest of the Midwestern United States. While once thought to be impervious, detailed studies have shown that the tills have cracks called fractures. Fractures can have a strong impact on the hydraulic and mechanical properties of glacial till material. Their presence increases dydraulic conductivity and the coefficient of consolidation, while reducing shear strength. The extent to which these properties are effected depends on fracture width and spacing. Fractured glacial tills are quite common and their geotechnical properties need to be carefully considered before many construction projects are initiated, including landfills, open channels, building foundations and roadway embankments to name a few. This, in turn, requires proper determination of the overall engineering properties and not just measurements on material located between the fractures.