Suitability techniques for transforming marginal lands to support building infrastructures in parts of Rivers State, Nigeria

This study examined sustainability techniques for transforming marginal lands to support building infrastructures in parts of Rivers State, Nigeria. The study adopted the cross-sectional survey research design method employing the use of standard penetration approach utilizing Geographic Information System analysis. Marginal lands were delineated as margins of watrbodies using the polygon method in ArcGIS, and were created as a feature class for polygon data (shape file). The locations, river margins and roads formed point data, polygon data and line data respectively. Digitisation was achieved using Orthophoto Image in ArcGIS 10.0 software where seven geotechnical boreholes were located and drilled using permission rig to a depth of 10.5m in five local government areas of Rivers State. In-situ standard penetration testing and soil sampling for laboratory geotechnical properties was done using standard laboratory techniques. Findings of the analysis show that silty and sandy clay are the dominant soil within the foundation depth of 1-2.5m which are underlained by clays and sands of varying densities and grain sizes with their specific gravity value of ranges of 1.9 – 2.66 depicting that the areas are underlined by organic, diatomaceous and high porosity permeability soils deposits under water logged conditions. The cohesive strength of the soils vary from 65KN/m 2 - 115KN/m 2, angle of internal friction ranged from 0o – 10o and shear strength ranged from 110KN/m 2 – 147.46KN/m 2 and the allowable bearing capacities of 180.22KN/m 2 – 236.05KN/m 2. The stability techniques for the transformation of the land to support building infrastructures are pre-construction soil stabilization and marginal land reinforcement. The study thus recommends for building summation of consolidated techniques for sustainability of infrastructures.