Influence of domestic sewage leakage on the collapse of tropical soils

• Published in: Bulletin of engineering geology and the environment Vol. 66; no. 2; pp. 215 - 223
• Main Authors: Rodrigues, Roger Augusto, de Lollo, Jose Augusto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-05-2007
• Subjects: Collapse; Densification; Domestic; Fluid dynamics; Leakage; Settlements; Sewage; Sodium; Soils
• ISSN: 1435-9529; 1435-9537
• DOI: 10.1007/s10064-006-0065-y

In the studied region, 35% of the soil collapses are related to leakage from sewage ducts. The paper describes the soils from this part of Brazil and a series of laboratory tests undertaken using water and domestic sewage fluid as the wetting agents. It is considered that the presence of soaps and detergents as recorded by the sodium concentration facilitates the densification of the soils and hence has a major effect on the surface settlement/collapse.