The influence of suction on lateral stress and on collapse of a non-saturated soil

At rest lateral stress and collapse strains of a compacted lateritic soil is referred to in the text through results of laboratory tests under controlled suction. Larger collapse strains are related to zero suction, but strains of appreciable magnitude can also arise during gradual wetting of the sample. Lateral stress seem to be commanded by suction and overconsolidation, being lower for higher suction, when soil is first loaded. During gradual collapse of soil, lateral stress tended to increase leaching, at zero suction, values corresponding to those of saturated soil.