Assessment of Termite mound Additive on Soil Physical Characteristics
Keywords:
Termite mound, Additive, laterite soil, clay soil, Physical characteristicsAbstract
This study was performed to assess termite mound inherent property as additive for
improvement of soil strength in Nigeria. The mound on the Rhodic Acrisol was sampled from
top at 0 - 60 cm, 60 - 120 cm and 120 - 180 cm intervals through a vertical section. For the
Rhodic Acrisol, three samples were sampled from depth at 0 – 60 cm, 60 – 120 cm and 120 –
180 cm intervals through a vertical section.Termite mound sample was mixed with the two
soil samples separately, that is, termite mound and clayey soil in one part and termite mound
and laterite soil in another part. Twenty trials experiment were conducted on the soils during
compact test for soil mix ranging from 0 to 100 % at interval of 5 %. The optimum moisture
content obtained from the compaction test was used to carry out compressive strength test.
The Triaxial machine model HM -5020 was used for determination of the compressive
strength. The soil samples were examined in accordance with the American Public Health
Association. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and one way ANOVA. The
findings indicated that: termite mound was classified as sandy clay loam soil while the
laterite soil was sandy loam; the termite mound has the highest maximum dry density and
compressive strength than other two soil samples; increases in termite mound ratio has is
significant increase in maximum dry density and little effect on optimum moisture content for
both soil samples; termite mound as an additive has much more effective in laterite soil than
clay soil in term of compressive strength and maximum dry density; the compressive strength
of the laterite almost doubled that of the clay soil at the same termite ratio. Termite is
recommended as an additive for laterite soil for building construction only.