Assessing changes in selected Geotechinical properties of clay soil contaminated with diesel oil

This research work studied the impact of diesel oil contamination on the geotechnical properties of clay soil, which is crucial for understanding how such contamination can affect soil behavior in construction and environmental contexts. A series of tests were conducted to analyze key properties, including liquid limit (LL), plastic limit (PL), plasticity index (PI), specific gravity, bulk density, maximum dry density (MDD), and optimum moisture content (OMC) across various levels of diesel contamination. The findings reveal significant changes in the soil’s characteristics due to diesel contamination. As the level of contamination increases, both the LL and PL of the clay soil rise markedly. The liquid limit increased from 31% in uncontaminated soil to 56% at 14% diesel contamination, while the plastic limit similarly rose from 20% to 41% across the same contamination range. This indicates that diesel oil increases the soil’s plasticity, making it more deformable under pressure. In contrast, other properties like specific gravity and bulk density showed a decline with increasing diesel contamination. Specific gravity, which reflects the soil’s density, decreased significantly from 2.48 at 0% contamination to 1.14 at 14%. Bulk density also decreased, highlighting how diesel's lower density affects the overall structure of the soil. The maximum dry density (MDD) also declined, suggesting that diesel oil makes it more challenging to compact the soil effectively. Overall, the study underscores the pronounced influence of diesel oil on the engineering properties of clay soil. These changes have important implications for construction and environmental management in areas affected by diesel contamination, emphasizing the need for careful consideration of soil properties in such scenarios.