An examination of the effects of geological and glacigenic controls on the engineering properties of till using a domain based approach

Ferley, Simon Julius John (2014). An examination of the effects of geological and glacigenic controls on the engineering properties of till using a domain based approach. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

Glacial deposits as a whole are some of the most widespread near surface soils in the northern hemisphere, covering large areas of Canada and the United States, eastern and northern Europe and Asia. In Britain during the final Devensian glaciation, significant accretions of stationary ice developed over most upland areas. The resulting materials derived from the attritional action of the base of the moving ice were deposited as till over approximately 60% of the UK. These soils are generally heterogeneous and unsorted, containing varying proportions of clay to boulder size material. This variation in composition has a commensurate effect on the engineering properties of tills.

Commercial investigation data from seven sites in Cumbria overlying different bedrock geology were examined in detail using a variety of statistical and graphical techniques to determine whether differences occurred due to bedrock and glacigenic origin. The results of the data analysis confirm the thesis that the bedrock geology, the history of glacigenic deposition and the post glacial history all affect the geotechnical properties of the resulting till. As a corollary, the commonly used empirical relationship between SPT and shear strength used in deriving undrained shear strength was found not to hold for Cumbrian tills.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

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