%0 Journal Article
%T Geotechnical and Mineralogical Characterization of Soils Derived from Schist along Shango-Chanchaga Highway, Minna, Central Nigeria
%A Salome Hephzibah Waziri
%A Abdullahi Idris-Nda
%A Irmiya Samson Amoka
%A Yusuf Ishaq
%J Journal of Minerals and Materials Characterization and Engineering
%P 363-366
%@ 2327-4085
%D 2013
%I Scientific Research Publishing
%R 10.4236/jmmce.2013.16056
%X Geotechnical studies were carried out on soils from Shango-Chanchaga highway in Minna, in relation to the petrographic characteristics of the parent rock. Samples were obtained from 5 trial pits at 1 km interval for geotechnical analysis. The moisture content varies from 35.0% to 58.5%, liquid limit ranges from 29.0% to 43.0%, plastic limit ranges between 9.0% and 26.5%, while plasticity index ranges from 12.0 to 33.5. The optimum moisture content (OMC) ranges from 12.0 to 14.0, and California Bearing Ratio (CBR) ranges from 2 to 21. The diffractograms showed that the dominant minerals were clinochore (Mg,Fe)<sub>6</sub>(Si,Al)<sub>4</sub>O<sub>10</sub>(OH)8, quartz (SiO<sub>2</sub>), cordierite (Mg<sub>2</sub>Al<sub>4</sub>Si<sub>5</sub>O<sub>18</sub>Ar<sub>0.625</sub>), and albite (Na<sub>0.98</sub>Ca<sub>0.02</sub>Al<sub>1.02</sub>Si<sub>2.98O18</sub>). The results showed that there exists a relationship between the mineral composition, the texture of the rock, and the geotechnical characteristics of the soil types.
%K Minerals
%K Petrographic Characteristics
%K Rock
%K Soil
%U http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=40083