Hypothetical clay model to describe free swell in active clays

Great emphasis has been placed on the proviaion of adequate mass housing. The large number of these houses that would be constructed on active clay places a responsibility on the engineer to come up with an optimum foundation design. In this paper a clay model, with which it is possible to explain the free swell of an active clay, was presented. The clay model was used to postulate the existence of a swell threshold suction in active clay and then to prove it using laboratory results. This threshold suction holds implications for the more advanced heave prediction methods. Lastly, a few simple but rational free swell prediction equations were also presented.