Geochemical Quantification and Appraisal of Three Genetically Different Derived Lateritic Soils

Abstract

This study was carried out at Federal Polytechnic; Ado Ekiti in Ekiti state on geochemical appraisal of three different genetically derived lateritic soils from south western Nigeria and their respective engineering performance in 2019. Twelve (12) disturbed soil samples were collected from granite (GDS), gneiss (GNS) and migmatite (MGS) rock terrains. These samples were collected at four different horizons of 0.5m intervals, resulting into a maximum depth of 2.0m for each of the three trial pits for geochemical analysis. The results showed that the soil samples were characterized by high proportion of SiO2, Al2O3 and Fe2O3 with an average (SiO2 + Al2O3 + Fe2O3) of 94.8% with trace amounts of MnO, MgO, CaO, Na2O, P2O5, TiO2 and K2O, indicating a high depletion degree. The geochemical quantification results showed that laterization range from 0.68 to 1.66%, Clayeness from 0.37 to 0.53 %, Siliceousness from 1.88 to 2.70%, Stabilization from 34.30 to 56.57%, Bonding Strength 36.29 to 57.80%, and Weathering Indices from 84.42 to 96.44. The results showed that the GDS has highest Clayeyeness, bonding strength, stabilization, best laterization and lowest siliceousness properties, indicating lowest permeability, best bearing capacity and mechanical stability followed by MGS and GNS, respectively. This result revealed that GDS and MGS soils are more suitable as mineral seal while GNS possesses preferred properties as foundation fills.