Impact of diesel contamination on the compressibility of a clayey soil

Abstract

Every day petrochemical activities, spills, and leaks in the storage pipes contaminate the soil. For example, if a spill occurs or there is a leak of a pipe near where there is a building, the mechanical properties of the soil can be affected, causing economic problems or, in extreme cases, loss of life due to lack of stability in the structure. It is possible to take decisions if we know the behavior of the soil in contact with some contaminant. In Mexico, some works have been initiated that evaluate the physical and mechanical properties of the soil contaminated; however, this information cannot be generalized because each place has various soil formations. In this work, we present a study of a high compressibility clayey soil (CH) contaminated with diesel to evaluate its impact on the limits of consistency and the compressibility index of the soil. We found that the liquid limit decreased when the soil was contaminated with diesel. The results showed that in the consolidation process in the contaminated soil a decrease in the compressibility index of 19% compared to the soil with water.