INFUENCES OF DIATOM MICROFOSSILS ON ENGINEERING PROPERTIES OF SOILS

D. R. Shiwakoti, H. Tanaka, M. Tanaka and J. Locat

ABSTRACT: This paper examines how geotechnical characteristics of soils can be influenced by the presence of diatom microfossils, using the artificially prepared mixture of soil and diatomite. Test results indicate that the presence of diatom microfossils substantially alters the index properties as well as other fundamental engineering behaviours of a soil, owing to predominantly hollow structures of microfossil skeletons having rough and interlocking surfaces. For example, with the increase in diatomite content, compressibility and internal friction angle of a soil increases. This study has also made an attempt to quantify the diatom microfossils present in natural soils.

Key words: diatom microfossil, diatomite, diatomaceous soil, index properties, shear strength, compressibility (IGC: D1)