Pattern of Volume Change Development

Abstract

If volume changes followed a definite pattern of development, the ability to predict the behavior of structures, schedule construction, select techniques and make decisions would be greatly improved. This note shows that all types of volume change follow a unique trend of trilinear development with time on a log-log plot. Laboratory and field data from literature on swelling, field settlement, heave and rebound are used to illustrate the trend of three-phase development of volume change. In addition, laboratory measurements of volumetric and one-dimensional linear shrinkage of compacted clay are presented to show that shrinkage also follows a three-phase development.