Behaviour of Peat Soil in Instrumented Physical Model Studies

The engineering structures are mostly constructed directly in contact with the ground and the response between the soil and the structure is termed as soil-engineering structure interaction. Peat is considered as unsuitable soil for supporting foundations in its natural state due to the high moisture content (>100%), high compressibility (0.9 - 1.5) and low shear strength (5-20 kPa) values. Peat also contains high organic matter (>75%), large deformation, high compressibility and high magnitude and rates of creep. Settlement is a common phenomenon in peat soil. The objectives of this study are to investigate and to analyse the deformation behaviour of the peat soil based on physical modelling and to critically compare it with sand. A model size of 200cm x 50cm x 90cm was used with instrumentation (Displacement Transducers) to investigate and observed the deformation. The two different materials that were used are peat (remoulded hemic) and sand. Based on the results, deformation in sand corresponds to general bearing capacity failure and deformation in peat shows punching shear failure. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.