Potential role of soil density and clay mineralogy in assessing the suitability of soils for mole drainage

Summary The failure mechanisms causing mole channel deterioration or collapse, which are controlled mainly by the shear, swell/shrink and apparent viscosity properties of soils, are shown to be sensitive to the influence of soil density and clay mineralogy. These two properties have, therefore, a clear potential role in helping to assess the suitability of soils for mole drainage and in helping to define the particular failure mechanisms which are most likely to be active in given situations.