2nd International Conference on Civil Engineering for Sustainable Development (ICCESD-2014)

STUDY ON THE SALINITY AND PH AND ITS EFFECT ON GEOTECHNICAL PROPERTIES OF

SOIL IN SOUTH-WEST REGION OF BANGLADESH
Rahanuma Tajnin *1, Tabassum Abdullah 2 , Md. Rokonuzzaman3 and Masum Shaikh4
1

Undergraduate Student,Department of Civil Engineering,Khulna University of Engineeering & Technology,

Khulna-9203,Bangladesh, e-mail: rahanumatajnin@yahoo.com
2
Undergraduate Student, Department of Civil Engineering, Khulna University of Engineeering & Technology,
Khulna-9203,Bangladesh, e-mail: shova_77@yahoo.com
3
Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Khulna University of Engineeering & Technology,
Khulna-9203,Bangladesh, e-mail: rokoncekuet@yahoo.com
4
Lecturer, Department of Civil Engineering, Khulna University of Engineeering & Technology,
Khulna-9203,Bangladesh,e-mail: masumkuetce0701102@gmail.com

1. Introduction
Salinity and pH are common parameters used to characterize pore fluids of all geo-materials. Salinity is the
amount of dissolved salt in pore fluid. Saline soil is a non-alkali soil containing soluble salts, mostly sodium
chloride (NaCl). Other salts such as magnesium chloride (MgCl 2), potassium chloride (KCl), gypsum
(CaSO4.2H2O), sodium sulphate (NaSO4.2H2O) and magnesium sulphate (MgSO4) may also be present. (Salman
et al. 2011). After cyclonic storm AILA ripped the south-west part of Bangladesh one year ago, thousands of
acres of land are turning into a vast wasteland due to increasing salinity in these areas. Saline soils may have
some unfavourable properties such as high compressibility, low bearing capacity and swelling capability
(Chittaranjanet al. 2011). Addition of salt solution sharply increases the undrained shear resistance of soil
(Naeini et al. 2011).The soil pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity in soils. pH of soil can also be defined by
acid rain and growing industrialization in this region. The high salinity in the soils of this region may have been
consequently changing geotechnical properties of soils from the past. The soil salinity and pH in the south west
region of Bangladesh are growing day by day. So it is necessary to study the salinity and pH effect on soil
properties. The main objectives of this paper are to evaluate the variation and relationship of different properties
of soil with salinity and pH of soil in south west region of Bangladesh.
2. Methodology
3.

Collection of Soil Samples

Soil samples were collected from 22 different locations of south-west region of Bangladesh. The soil samples
were collected from different regions of Khulna, Satkhira, Borguna, Jhalkathi, Pirojpur, Bagerhat,Bhola and
Potuakhali.Then different tests were performed to determine the physical properties, engineering properties,
salinity and pH of collected soils samples and the variation of soil properties with salinity and pH of soil were
represented graphically
4. Results and Discussion
5. Variation of Physical Properties, Strength and Compressibility Characteristics of soil with Salinity
and pH
6.

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Recompression Index

ICCESD-2014

2nd International Conference on Civil Engineering for Sustainable Development (ICCESD-2014)

Figure-1: Effect of salinity and pH on recompression index

Figure-1 shows that the recompression index increases with increase of salinity and pH.
The effect of salinity and pH on the geotechnical properties of soils has been enlisted in the Table-1.
Table -1: The variation of soil property with Salinity and pH
Soil Property
Specific gravity

Increase / Decrease with Salinity

Small variation (negligible)

Moisture content

Decrease

Plastic limit
Shrinkage limit
Liquid limit
Unit weight
Undrained Shear strength
Initial void ratio
Compression index
Recompression index
Pre-consolidation Stress

Decrease
Decrease
Increase
Increase
Increase
Increase up to peak then decrease
Increase
Increase
Increase up to peak then decrease

Increase / Decrease with pH

Small / No variation
Increase up to peak then
decrease
Decrease
Decrease
Decrease
Decrease
Increase
Small / No variation
Small / No variation
Slightly increasing
Increase

7. Conclusions
The soil in the south-west region of Bangladesh has much salinity and pH. The geotechnical properties of soils
of this region are changing from the past due to high salinity and pH content in the soils of this region. The
salinity directly affects the consistency as well as strength properties of the soil. From the study, the variation of
geotechnical properties with salinity and pH has been obtained.
References
Chittaranjan, M., Srikanth, T., Lakshmi,B. Y.& D. Pavani. (2011). Effect of sea water on some geotechnical
properties of clayey soil, International Journal of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Vol. 4, pp. 161-164.
Naeini S .A. and. Jahanfar M. A. (2011). Effect of Salt Solution and Plasticity Index on undrain Shear Strength
of Clays, World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, pp. 982- 986.
Salman, F. A., Sabre, D. K. and Namir, K. S. (2011). Compressibility characteristics of saline soils treated with
cement, International Journal of the Physical Sciences, Vol. 6(33), pp.7614 7628.

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