iosr-JMCE   Volume-4 ~ Issue-4

Abstract: This paper examines the relationship between geotechnical properties and road failure along Ilorin-Ajase Ipo road, Kwara State Nigeria. Soil samples were collected from Five (5) portions of the road that are severely damaged by road failure. These portions include: Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI) 17+800km, Kabba Owode 18+00Km, Idofian 23+700Km, Koko 29+700Km and Omupo 35+700Km axis of the road. The soil samples collected were analyzed based on four geotechnical analysis: particle size distribution (PSD),atterberg limit, compaction test california bearing ratio (CBR).Results from geotechnical properties showed that, road foundation has a poorly graded gravel( GP),Well graded gravel (GW),Well graded sand(SP) and poorly graded sand(SP).The result were further subjected to statistical analysis: the stepwise regression indicated that only two (2) variables coefficient of curvature and coefficient of Uniformity contribute to 99.7% of road failures. The overall results showed that problems soils are the major causes of road failure and the study also observed that poor engineering construction also contribute to the incessant road failures along Ilorin –Ajase-Ipo road.
Keywords:Road failure, bitumen, structural failure, problem Soils.

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[4] Durotoye .B. (1983) Geomorphology and quaternary deposits of Nigeria.In: Ola.S.A (ed) Tropical Soils of Nigeria in Engineering Practice.1-15
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[6] O'Flaherty C.A (1979) Highway Engineering Edward Arnold – London
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Abstract: Grouting is the process of ground improvement techniques which is used to improvise the foundation where there is loose state of the soil. Grouting can be classified as permeation grouting, compaction grouting or hydraulic fracturing. Permeation grouting is an effective way to send the grout into the ground without disturbing the soil structure. In this investigation, an attempt is made to study the effect of cement grout in improving the bearing capacity of the sandy soil. Cement grout with different ratio of 10:1 ( Water: Cement) , 9:1, 8:1, 7:1, 6:1, 5:1, 4:1 are injected into the soil. Grouting experiment is performed with perforated PVC pipe in a tank of 20cm x 20cm x 20cm sandy soil. To study the improvement in the strength property of the grouted soil the plate load test is performed with 5cm x 5cm plate on the grouted sand after 3 days curing and 7 days curing. The experimental results revealed that the increase in cement content increases load carrying capacity of the sandy soil.

[1] Suat Akbulut and Ahmet Saglamer (2002), " Estimating the grouta bility of granular soils: a new approach", Tunnelling and
Underground Space Technology, 17, pp 371 – 380
[2] Purbi Sen, Sina Kazemian, Bujang.B.K.Huat , (2011), "Assesment and Comparision of grouting and Injection Method in
Geotechnical Engineering", European Journal of Scientific Research, Vol 27 No. 2 (2011), pp 234-247.
[3] Dr. Abdel-Monem Moussa, Dr. Fatma El-Zaharaa Baligh, Dr. Tahia Abdel-Monem Awad, Asmaa El- Rokh (2007), "Sandy soil
improvement using grouting", 12th ICSCE, Cairo, Egypt.
[4] Costas A. Anagnostopous (2005), "Laboratory study of an injected granular soil with polymer grouts", Tunnelling and
Underground Space Technology, 20, pp 525 – 533.
[5] Standard test method for Marsh Funnel Viscosity of clay slurries (2004), ASTM, D6910-04.

Abstract: Handling and preservation of composite briquettes, most especially during transportation, required adequate knowledge of its mechanical properties, such as density, stress, strain, young modulus and breaking strength. In this work some mechanical properties of composite briquettes, made out of sawdust, palm kernel shell and paper paste, were examined. The composite briquettes were prepared in such as way that the densities within the samples range between 1.0 g/cm3 and 1.1 g/cm3. This is to minimize the effect of density variation. Also the preparations were done under the same temperature, so that the effect of temperature on the mechanical properties can be removed at the unset of the experimentation. Experimental results show that, the young modulus of the composite briquettes increases with increase in the value of palm kernel shell and decreases with increase quantity of paper paste when the samples were loaded in compression. A difficult situation was met when the samples were loaded in tension because of the brittleness of the samples. However this shows that the addition of palm kernel shell increases hardness of the composite briquettes, while the addition of paper paste improves handling effect. On the other hand, as the quantity of paper increases more energy is required to form the briquettes.
Key words: composite, briquettes, mechanical properties, stress, strain, deflection, handling, transportation.

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[3] Ajuitse, ON (2012), "Investigation of sawdust briquette as high grade fuel Ph.D Thesis, Department of Mechanical Engineering, the Federal University of Technology, Akure. (Unpublished).
[4] Akintunde, MA and Seriki, ME (2012), "Effect of paper paste on the calorific value of sawdust briquette". International Journal of Modern Engineering Research (IJMER), Inpress.
[5] DoD (2002), Department of Defence. "Composite materials handbook". 3: 35. (MIL-HDBK – 17 – 3F). www.lib.ucdavis.edu/dept/pse/resources/fulltext/HDBK17-3F.pdf. (as at November 6, 2012).
[6] Kakits, A; Nulle; I; and Ancans, D (2011), "Mechanical properties of composity biomass briquettes". Proceedings of the 8th International Scientific and Practical conference, pp 175 – 183.
[7] Kaliyan, N; Morey, RV; White, MD and Doering, A (2009), "Roll press briquettes and pelleting of corn stover and switchgrass". Transaction of the ASABE. Vol. 52 No 2, pp 543 – 555.
[8] Karunanithy, C; Wang, Y; Muthukumarappan, K and Pugalenghi, S. (2011), "physiochemical characterization of briquettes made from different feedstock". Biotechnology Research International. Article ID 165202, pp 1 – 9.
[9] Kuti, OA (2003), "Evaluation of composite sawdust briquettes as a high grade fuel for Domestic Cooking". Journal of Engineering and Engineering Technology, FUTA. Vol 2, No 2, pp 109-115.
[10] Krizan, P; Matus, M; Soos, L; Kers, J; Peetsalu, P; Kask, U; and Menind, A (2011), "Briquetting of municipal wastes by different Technologies for quality and properties evaluation". Agronomy Research, Vol. 19, pp 115 – 123.