What are the properties of lateritic soil?

What are the properties of lateritic soil?

“laterite is a highly weathered material rich in secondary oxides of iron, aluminium or both. It is nearly void of bases and primary silicates but it may contain large amounts of quartz and kaolinite. It is either hard, or capable of hardening on exposure to wetting and drying.”

What are index properties of soil?

Coarse-grained (non-cohesive) soil index properties are: particle shape. relative density. consistency. clay and clay minerals content.

What are the components of laterite soil?

Laterite soil is reddish to yellow in color with a lower content of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, lime, and magnesia with 90–100% of iron, aluminum, titanium, and manganese oxides. The word laterite has been derived from the Latin word that means brick.

What is the composition of laterite?

Typical laterite is porous and claylike. It contains the iron oxide minerals goethite, HFeO2; lepidocrocite, FeO(OH); and hematite, Fe2O3. It also contains titanium oxides and hydrated oxides of aluminum, the most common and abundant of which is gibbsite, Al2O3·3H2O.

What is the pH value of laterite soil?

The subsoil layers of the laterite soil are often very strongly acid (pH 4.5 and less) resulting in solubilisation of exchangeable Al and deficiency of Ca and Mg.

What is the Index property?

Index properties are the properties of soil that help in identification and classification of soil for general engineering purpose. These properties are generally determined in the laboratory. Disturbed samples or remoulded samples can be used to determine the index property of the soil.

How many index properties soil are there which are they?

There are mainly 3 types of Index properties of soil and are as follows : Particle size distribution ( coarse grained soil )

How are lateritic rocks formed?

Laterites are formed by the decomposition of different kind of rocks, under conditions yielding aluminum and iron hydroxides. The different theories of origin are discussed, as well as the chemical process of laterization, and the geographic distribution of this peculiar type of clay.

What is the density of laterite?

The maximum dry density of the laterites is 1778.5 kg/m3 while the moisture content is 17.65%.

Is laterite soil acidic or alkaline?

Answer: Laterite soil is formed under conditions of high temperature and heavy rainfall with alternate wet and dry periods, which leads to leaching of soil. The mechanism of leaching involves acid dissolving the minerals found in the parent rock. They produce a pH value less than 7 hence the soils are acidic.

Is laterite soil acidic or basic?

acidic
– Laterite soil is acidic in nature and has less water-retaining capacity. – The soil lacks nitrogen, potash, urea and phosphoric acid and contains more iron, aluminium, manganese making it not fit for cultivation purposes.

What is the chemical composition of arid soil?

Subsurface horizons in arid soils that are uniquely different include horizons dominated by calcium carbonate, secondary silica, gypsum, and soluble salts, while horizons common to both arid and humid soils include those with weak structural and color development and accumulations of illuvial clay and sesquioxides.

What minerals are found in arid soil?

Mineralogy: Arid soils typically contain high levels of calcium carbonates, gypsum, as well as sodium.

What is soil density index?

DEFINITIONS. Relative density or density index is the ratio of the difference between the void ratios of a cohesionless soil in its loosest state and existing natural state to the difference between its void ratio in the loosest and densest states.

Which minerals are found in lateritic rocks?

The mineralogical and chemical compositions of laterites are dependent on their parent rocks. Laterites consist mainly of quartz, zircon, and oxides of titanium, iron, tin, aluminum and manganese, which remain during the course of weathering. Quartz is the most abundant relic mineral from the parent rock.

What is the texture of laterite soil?

The Laterite soils in India are not very fertile and are can be only used with sufficient manure and fertilizers dosage. They are coarse in texture and poor in nitrogen, phosphoric acid, potash and urea. These soils are red in colour as it is mixed with iron oxides.

What is the specific gravity of laterite soil?

The lowest (average of 2.38 gf/cm3), and the highest values (average of 2.83 gf/cm3) of the specific gravity are found in UCL and INL samples, respectively. The results of studies conducted on lateritic soils (eg.

What is the pH value of the laterite soil *?

What type of soil is laterite soil?

Laterite is both a soil and a rock type rich in iron and aluminium and is commonly considered to have formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are of rusty-red coloration, because of high iron oxide content.