Geotechnical Properties of Surfactant Modified Lateritic Soils
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Date
2025-11-25
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Springer Nature
Abstract
Surfactants may exist in soils as contaminants or as additives for soil remediation and stabilization. The effect of different types of surfactants containing soaps on important geotechnical properties of lateritic soil samples from Oro and Ajase Southwestern Nigeria was investigated here. The soils in their natural state were characterized using specified standard geotechnical methods, X-ray Diffractometry (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence respectively (XRF). The soil samples were modified with liquid soap, bar soap and detergent and the effect of this contamination on important geotechnical properties such as Atterberg limits, bulk density, specific gravity, compaction, permeability, California bearing ratio (CBR), matric suction and shear strength parameters of the soils were investigated. Soils from both locations contain kaolinite, quartz and goethite in varying percentages, while silica, aluminium and iron oxide are the dominant oxides. The addition of surfactants in the three soap types resulted in an increased plasticity index of up to 93%, cohesion and optimum moisture content in soils from the locations. Bulk density, maximum dry density, angle of internal friction and permeability are reduced in them. Matric suction increased in all the soils with the greater increase recorded in the ones modified with liquid soap. These changes are attributable to the dispersion of clay minerals in the soils. Oro soil with a higher percentage of kaolinite is more sensitive to surfactants. The effect of surfactant-containing soaps on the geotechnical properties of lateritic soils vary based on mineralogy and surfactants type.
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Citation
Owoyemi, O.O., Afolagboye, L.O. & Egbeyale, G.B. Geotechnical Properties of Surfactant Modified Lateritic Soils. Int. J. Pavement Res. Technol. (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42947-025-00670-w