Seismic Evaluation of a Profile of Volcanic Ash From the South American Andes

2. Characterization Of Andean Volcanic Ash

Residual soil deposits generated by weathering of volcanic ash can be found near volcanic areas. It has been found that this type of soil has characteristics that are quite different from those of sedimentary soils (Rao, 1995). These soils present geotechnical problems such as cracking, high water retention capacities, workability problems due to excessive moisture and very soft consistencies (Cerda et al. 1996; Terlien 1997; Bommer et al. 2002; Betancur et al. 2013; Lizcano et al. 2006, Hernández et al. 2018). In addition, the properties of these soils vary depending on the wetting or drying path followed (Hernández et al. 2018). This can lead to different results between properties found in situ and those observed in a laboratory. Consequently, design and construction criteria for conventional geotechnical structures are not entirely reliable, so their use depends on the experience of the engineers in charge.