Soil deformation and shear strength characteristics of the Sana'a soil, Yemen Arab Republic

Deformation and strength characteristics of the soil of Sana'a, the Yemen Arab Republic, were investigated. Undisturbed soil samples were collected fro used in consolidation, collapse and strength tests. The classical and critical state compressibility parameters were determined using a one-dimensional collapsing potential of the investigated soil was determined by using both qualitative and quantitative analysis. Consolidated undrained triaxial tests different types of samples: saturated samples and samples at natural moisture content. The stress history of the fine soils are in the range of normal except for the stiff fissured lean clay which exhibited a relatively high overconsolidated stress history. The loess formations exhibited a moderate to under wetting and loading. The investigated soils are characterized by having high shear strength when they have low moisture content and a drastic dec content increases.