Geotechnical properties of termite mound soils from Idoma area of Benue State
Department OF Chemistry, GeoEnvironmental Research Network, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria.
Research Article
World Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2024, 04(02), 019–026.
Article DOI: 10.53346/wjcps.2024.4.2.0029
Publication history:
Received on 03 June 2023; revised on 29 May 2024; accepted on 01 June 2024
Abstract:
The aim of this research was to examine the geotechnical properties of the termitaria from the Idoma area of Benue State, Nigeria. The samples were collected from four termitaria and their surrounding soils in the sampled locations, air dried, ground and used for the analysis.
The geotechnical tests carried out on the termite mound soil samples included grain size, atterberg limits, compaction and triaxial tests. The range of values of the determined parameters vary in sizes: particle size indices show high disparity in values with uniformity coefficient [Cu] having wide range of values from 0.001mm in Oju termite mounds to 73.14mm in Agatu surrounding soil; coefficient of curvature [Cc] shows more linear range of values from 0.03 mm in Otukpo surrounding soil to 3.20 mm in Ogbadibo surrounding soil. From the results, Oju and Ogbadibo termite mounds could be regarded as clay while the mound soils from other sampled locations are coarse, poorly graded and poorly sorted. The results of the Atterberg limits show that the values of plasticity index vary from 2.81% in Otukpo surrounding soils to 33.37% in Agatu termite mounds. These values indicate that the mound soils have low plasticity to medium plasticity. The liquid limit (LL) varies from 23.56% in Otukpo termite mounds to 59% in Agatu termite mound while plastic limit varies from 14.63% in Otukpo termite mounds and peaked at 26.21% in Agatu termite mounds; plasticity index varies from 2.81% in Otukpo surrounding soil to 33.37% in Agatu termite mounds; plasticity limit ranges from 14.63% in Otukpo termite mounds to 26.21% in Agatu termite mounds; linear shrinkage ranges from 5.70% in Oju termite mounds to 7.90% in Ogbadibo termite mounds; optimum moisture content ranges from 11.20% in Otukpo surrounding soil to 13.10% in Ogbadibo termite mounds; maximum dry density ranges from 1.61g/cm3 in Ogbadibo termite mounds to 1.89 g/cm3 in Otukpo surrounding soil; angles of friction from 0.53° in Ogbadibo surrounding soils to 21.08° in Otukpo surrounding soil and cohesion of up to about 2.00 KN/m2 in Otukpo surrounding soils to 89.00 KN/m2 in Oju surrounding soils. The specific gravity of the mound soils vary within a narrow range; 2.15 in Oju surrounding soils to 2.62 in Otukpo termite mounds and within the organic soil range (1.0 ϴ - 2.65 ϴ). The results suggest that the termite mound soils analysed may have limited geotechnical applications.
Keywords:
Geotechnical properties; Termite mound soils; Idoma area; Benue state
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