A FEASIBILITY STUDY OF MASS MOVEMENT, DISAGGREGATION, AND STABILIZATION OF SOIL.
Abstract
Soils which are marginal or too weak for trafficability of conventional military construction equipment were of primary interest. Included in this category are soils which exhibit very high cohesive or 'sticky' characteristics, at least within certain moisture content ranges, making them extremely difficult if not impossible to handle by conventional methods. The disaggregation of these cohesive soils by some explosive means is explored. Rather than use a mono-propellant, and introduce a logistics problem, it was proposed that hydrocarbon fuels be employed by combining them with compressed air to create the explosive pressures necessary to disaggregate the soil. By employing compressed air it is not necessary to transport the weight of the oxidizer as in the case of a monopropellant. Transporting large masses of soil, after displacement and disaggregation from its natural state, is often difficult if not impossible using conventional equipment, particularly in high cohesive soils when the moisture content level is between the plastic and liquid limit. One feasible means proposed of accomplishing both rapid transit and heating of the soil was to use the exhaust gases from an aircraft jet engine to convey the soil in a high velocity gas stream conducted through pipes or ducts. It was proposed that this means of soil transport also be evaluated. Finally, the disaggregated soil should be stabilized whether it is to be transported (by exhaust gases) or not. It was proposed that an investigation be conducted into the feasibility of using liquid sulphur as one means of accomplishing this stabilization.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 24, 1964
- Accession Number
- AD0631560
Entities
People
- A. R. Nye
- John M. Clark Jr.
Organizations
- Southwest Research Institute