Laboratory Study on Leaching of Calcareous Soil from Kuwait

Leaching of calcareous soils due to dewatering is a problem that needs to be addressed because of the cemented nature of Kuwait soils and the numerous projects that incorporate pumping water from the ground. A laboratory investigation is initiated to understand the process of leaching of cementing salts and to study the factors controlling it. Leaching is found to be directly proportional to both soil density and percentage of fines. The flow rate has an insignificant effect, although brackish water has slightly less leaching capability than distilled water. Throughout the testing program the leaching process became essentially complete after a volume of water equivalent to approximately 3.5 times the pore volume passed through the soil.