Geotechnical and Geochemical Study of Shatt Al-Hilla Banks’ Soil in Babylon Governorate, Middle of Iraq

This research deals with the engineering and geochemical features of Shatt Al-Hilla banks' soil. Six samples are collected to study the chemical properties of the banks soil such as pH, Gypsum, EC, SO3, and heavy metals. As well as physical and engineering properties of PI, LL, MC, dry and saturated density, and trace elements in the soil of the Shatt Al-Hilla banks provide a clear view of the geotechnical properties of the Shatt Al-Hilla banks. According to the study's findings, the LL percentage ranges from 20.0 to 18.7% with an average of 19.46%. All of the soil samples are classified as having poor plasticity. The PI percentage ranges from 21.0 to 16.0 with an average of 18.88% indicating that the banks soils in Shatt Al-Hilla are classified as having low plasticity throughout the research region. The banks soils in the research region are characterized as having low swelling capability in all stations along the Shatt Al-Hilla Banks. The values of dry density range from 1.684 g/cm3 to 1.433 g/cm3 with an average of 1.522 g/cm3, and the EC ranges from 0.75 to 1.13 with an average of 0.97 indicating that the soil of Shatt Al-Hilla banks has very low salinity. The pH ranges from 8.6 to 9 with an average of 8.76, the gypsum ranges from 1.92 to 1.09% with an average of 1.36%, and the sulfate percentages vary from 3.75 to 0.99% with an average of 2.25%.