SEASONAL HEAVE OF CLAY SOILS.

Seasonal heave is affected by in-situ soil properties and site conditions, and environmental factors introduced by the development proposed. The importance of these factors is highlighted by a comparison of long term seasonal heave records at a number of instrumented sites in the Melbourne area. The methods of seasonal heave prediction available to the design engineer are then classified according to their approach. They are also critically reviewed. An evaluation of some of these prediction methods is presnted for two Melbourne sites. It is concluded that the empirical prediction methods are generally inadequate, and that for design purposes. Richard's simple relationship between seasonal heave and moisture content (or suction), or swell testing in conventional consolidometers incorporating a moisture correction factor, appear to provide the most reliable prediction.