DETERMINING THE SUITABILITY OF CLAY AT ITU, AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA FOR ROAD CONSTRUCTION
DOI: 10.26480/gbr.02.2022.80.87
archive: archived pipeline: cataloged verified
Get this paper ↗ (DOI — opens at the source; we link to it, we don't host it)
Summary
This study investigates the geotechnical suitability of clay samples from Ntak Inyang, along the Calabar-Itu highway in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, for road construction. The research is motivated by the persistent failure of road infrastructure in Nigeria and the lack of published data regarding the properties of earth materials in this specific location. The primary objective was to determine if the local clay could serve as a viable sub-grade material or if it possessed other industrial applications. The researchers collected clay samples and subjected them to standard geotechnical laboratory tests, including Proctor’s compaction test, sieve analysis, California Bearing Ratio (CBR) test, and Atterberg limit tests. The compaction test determined the optimum moisture content and maximum dry density. Sieve analysis assessed particle size distribution using a series of standard sieves ranging from 75 mm down to 0.075 mm. The CBR test evaluated load-bearing capacity at varying moisture levels (10%, 12%, and 14%), while Atterberg limits measured the liquid limit, plastic limit, and plasticity index to classify the soil’s behavior. The results indicated that the clay sample had an optimum moisture content of 13.53% and a dry density range of 1580–1650 kg/m³. Particle size analysis revealed that 43.36% of the sample consisted of particles smaller than 0.075 mm, with no particles retained above 5.0 mm. The Atterberg limits yielded a liquid limit of 45.63%, a plastic limit of 22.15%, and a plasticity index of 23%. Consequently, the soil was classified as A-7-6 under the AASHTO classification system. The CBR values were low, recording 9.0% at 10% moisture content, 6.7% at 12% moisture content, and 2.0% at 14% moisture content. These low bearing ratios and high plasticity indicate that the material is unsuitable for use as sub-grade, sub-base, or base course in road construction. Despite its unsuitability for civil engineering applications, the study concludes that the clay’s properties make it a potential raw material for the production of ceramic wares and tiles. The findings provide critical data for local construction firms, advising against the use of this specific clay for road building while highlighting its value in the ceramics industry. This contributes to the broader understanding of local soil resources in Nigeria, aiding in more informed infrastructure planning and industrial material sourcing.
Provenance
The full processing record for this entry. Every stage of this paper's journey through the pipeline is logged — what ran, with which tool and model, how many attempts it took, and when it last completed.
| Stage | Outcome | Tool | Model | Prompt | Attempts | Completed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| discover | success | DOAJ | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-25 |
| archive | success | unpaywall | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-26 |
| extract | success | cached | — | — | 2 | 2026-06-26 |
| clean | success | clean | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-25 |
| chunk | success | chunk | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-25 |
| embed | success | embed | Qwen/Qwen3-Embedding-8B | — | 1 | 2026-06-25 |
| promote | success | — | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-25 |
| summarize | success | llm | qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant | summ-v5 | 1 | 2026-06-26 |
| tag | success | vector_similarity | — | — | 6 | 2026-06-25 |
| verify | success | — | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-26 |
Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-26; verification: verified.
Topics
Ranked by relevance to this paper. Hover a topic for its definition.