The work is designed to provide a method by which differential soil movement can be predicted in expansive soils beneath slab-on- grade foundation influenced by climate. Its ultimate objective is to mitigate structural damage resulting from expansive soil movement. The work plan consist of theoretical, laboratory and field studies, and will continue the field measurements obtained during a recently completed research project. Monthly measurements will be made of soil moisture content, soil suction, surface elevation and depth of shrink/heave, and the long-term development of the distorted shape of swelling soil beneath slabs will be measured and compared with that predicted by a model developed from the field data acquired from the previous study. These results of the work will elucidate and relate soil differential movement as a function of climate, soil suction and clay mineralogy with actual measured field values.
