Geotechnical foundations on expansive soils pose significant challenges in construction projects, especially in arid regions with high evaporation rates and fluctuating humidity levels. Sudan is one such region where expansive clays are prevalent, leading to settlement issues that can undermine the stability of structures. Field investigations were conducted to characterize the expansive soils using standard tests such as water content, swell pressure, and shrinkage strain. Laboratory tests assessed the strength and deformation characteristics of the soil samples under varying moisture conditions. A geotechnical software model was employed to simulate foundation performance over time, incorporating uncertainties in soil parameters. The laboratory results indicated that expansive soils could cause up to 15% settlement under dry conditions, with swelling pressures reaching up to 20 kPa. The simulation models predicted a maximum of 30 mm settlement after 5 years for the proposed foundation design. The study concluded that an alternative foundation type, incorporating soil stabilization measures and reinforcement elements, was necessary to mitigate expansive soils' adverse effects on infrastructure stability in Sudan. It is recommended that future projects in similar geotechnical conditions adopt a phased construction approach with regular monitoring of the foundations. Additionally, ongoing research into innovative stabilization techniques should be encouraged. Geotechnical Engineering, Expansive Soils, Foundation Design, Sudan The maintenance outcome was modelled as Y₈ₓ=₀+₁X₈ₓ+uᵢ+₈ₓ, with robustness checked using heteroskedasticity-consistent errors.
Hewitt-Hartley et al. (Mon,) studied this question.