Characterization of Marine Clay for Road Embankment Design in Coastal Area

Abstract

The sub-soils in Northwestern Peninsular Malaysia consist of sedimentary soil deposits which form alternate layers of clay and sand. In this paper, the characteristics of marine clay in Northwestern Peninsular Malaysia are investigated based on field and laboratory test data gathered from the ground investigations. Empirical relations between the index properties and compressibility properties are presented. Regression analyses are conducted to propose new empirical relationships to predict the compressibility behaviors of marine clay. Furthermore, the role of soil properties, geological conditions and other aspects are discussed. This paper will also highlight some regional marine clay parameters with the aim for enhancing geotechnical design of road embankment in coastal area.