| Method | Name | Key Procedure | |--------|------|----------------| | | Swell under a specified constant surcharge | Sample inundated at a fixed vertical stress (e.g., 1 psi or user-specified). | | B | Swell under a sequence of applied loads after wetting | Wetting occurs first, then loads are applied incrementally to measure swell potential. | | C | Collapse potential | Sample loaded to field stress, then inundated to see collapse strain. |
Expansive soils cause billions of dollars in damage to infrastructure annually, often resulting in cracked foundations, heaving roadways, and broken pipelines. Conversely, collapsible soils can lead to sudden settlement disasters. Astm D4546-21 Pdf