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Geotechnical properties of Quaternary deposits in the Belfast area

Abstract Soils deposited during the Quaternary era occur widely in Northern Ireland. Those in the Belfast area pose particular Engineering problems owing to their wide Variation, and the increasingly diverse range of construction activities in this major city. The soil types identified in the city area include two cohesive till sheets, separated by laminated clays and glacial sands. Overlying the glacial deposits is a soft, sensitive, post-glacial, estuarine clay known locally as Sleech. A field and laboratory-based programme of research has been conducted with the aim of improving understanding of the geotechnical behaviour of these deposits, and of identifying relevant Engineering properties. This paper presents results from this research, describing the soil types, common Engineering problems associated with them, and laboratory measured properties. The properties investigated relate to strength and deformation, including elastic yield parameters derived from stress path tests, and consolidation characteristics. The results show that the measured parameters depend on sampling techniques and preparation, as well as sample size and test procedure adopted. Thus any results require careful Interpretation and the practical applications of the findings are discussed in the paper.