INVESTIGATION OF GEOTECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS OF SAND DUNE SOIL: A CASE STUDY AROUND BAIJI IN IRAQ

While more than half the land surface of Iraq consists of deserts covered mainly with sand dunes, little research has taken place to study the characteristics and the behaviour of dune soils. This paper investigated the Geotechnical properties of dune sands taken from Baiji city, the northwest part of Iraq. A vast laboratory testing program was carried out to achieve the purpose of this paper. The physical tests, chemical tests, X-ray diffraction analysis, permeability test, compaction characteristics, compressibility and collapsibility tests as well as the shear strength tests were included in this research. The results indicate that the soil of Baiji sand dune tends to favour the engineering properties according to their state. As such, this soil is considered suitable to use in Geotechnical constructions.