Impact of Geology on the Stability of Lambata-Minna and Minna-Bida Roads, North Central Nigeria

ABSTRACT The rocks and soils underlying Lambata-Minna and Minna-Bida roads in central Nigeria were mapped with the view to determine their impact on the stability of the roads underlain by them. Vertical electrical sounding was done along the roads to determine the soil profile of the roads and statistics of the roads utilization was also done to infer if the roads are overused by vehicles. The geophysical studies revealed that the soil profiles of the two roads are composed of laterite, sand and clayey soils while the road statistics revealed that the traffic densities in the two roads are within the permissible limits. A total of 5 and 4 rock samples were collected from Lambata-Minna and Minna-Bida road respectively and each subjected to thin section, XRD and XRF analyses. The thin section and XRD were used to determine the mineralogical composition of the rocks while the XRF was used to determine the chemical composition of the rocks. Thirty five (35) and twenty eight (28) water samples respectively were collected from wells along Lambata-Minna and Minna-Bida roads and subjected to hydrochemical tests to determine the variations in the ionic concentration and physical properties of the groundwater with the underlying lithologies. A total of 47 and 60 soil samples respectively were collected along the same roads and each subjected to grain size distribution test using wet sieving to determine the soil group dominating the soil occurring on each lithologic unit. Thirty nine (39) and fifty (50) samples from the above were selected and subjected to Atterberg limit tests to determine their plasticity. Twenty two (22) and nineteen (19) samples from the above were subjected to compaction, permeability and California bearing ratio (CBR) to ascertain which of the soils are suitable for sub-grade, sub-base or base material. The field mapping, thin section and XRD results revealed that Lambata-Minna road is underlain by migmatites, gneisses, granites, marble, granodiorite and schist while Minna-Bida road is underlain by granites, migmatite, schist and sandstone. The chemical compositions of the rocks indicate they are mostly acidic rocks/protholith. The physicochemical tests revealed that the groundwater occurring within the sandstone terrain of Minna-Bida road has the least ionic concentration and physical properties while that occurring within migmatite/schist terrain along Lambata-Minna road has the highest ionic concentration and physical properties. The grain size distribution test revealed that the soils occurring within the sandstone terrain are composed mostly of sandy soils (SW and SP) while those within the migmatite gneiss and granite terrain along Lambata-Minna road are gravely (GW and GP) soils. Permeability of the soils ranges from 4.73 x 10-4 to 9.78 x 10-3 cm/s. The compaction test revealed that the soils occurring within the sandstone terrain along Minna-Bida road has optimum moisture content (OMC) ranging from 9.4 to 18.0%. The OMC of the migmatite gneiss and granite terrain along Lambata-Minna road ranges from 18 to 27% while those within granite terrain ranges from 15 to 18%. The soaked CBR of soils within the sandstone terrain along Minna-Bida road ranges from 45 to 95% while those within the migmatite gneiss and granite terrain along Lambata-Minna road ranges from 0.9 to 70%. The unsoaked CBR of soils within the sandstone terrain along Minna-Bida road ranges from 70 to 144% while those occurring within the migmatite gneiss and granite terrain along Lambata-Minna road ranges from 5 to 70%. Results of the permeability tests revealed that permeability of the soils is generally low and does not vary with the different underlying lithologies. Grain size distribution, Atterberg limits, compaction and CBR reveal that soils underlying Minna-Bida road are generally more competent than those underlying Lambata-Minna road. The results also show that soils occurring within the sandstone terrain along Minna-Bida road are more stable than other portions of the studied roads and can satisfactorily serve as road sub-grade and sub-grade in their natural state. The consistent failure of the vii Lambata-Minna road portion underlain by migmatite gneiss and granite is attributed to the fact that the soils occurring within those terrains have poor geotechnical properties to serve as either sub-grade, sub-base or base material in their natural state.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page i

Certification ii

Dedication iii

Acknowledgment iv

Table of contents v

List of Tables vi

List of Figures ii

List of Plates ix

Abstract x

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background Information 1

1.2 Description of Study Area 2

1.2.1 Location and Accessibility 2

1.2.2 History of the Roads 4

1.2.3 Relief and Drainage 4

1.2.4 Climate, Vegetation and Land Use 6

1.3 Statement of the Problem 6

1.4 Aim and Objectives of the Research 8

1.5 Study Methodology 8

1.6 Previous Works 8

1.6.1 Engineering Geologic Mapping 8

1.6.2 Lateritic soils 9

1.6.3 Pavement Failures 9

CHAPTER TWO: REGIONAL GEOLOGY

2.1 The Basement Complex 13

2.2 The Sedimentary Basins 16

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY

3.1 Field Studies 18

3.1.1 Statistics of Road Utilization 18

ix

3.1.2 Water Table Inventory 18

3.1.3 Geophysical Survey 19

3.1.4 Geolocal mapping and sampling 19

3.2 Laboratory Analyses 21

3.2.1 Petrography and Geochnical analyses 21

3.2.2 Geotechnical Analyses 21

3.2.3 Physico-chemical Analyses of Groundwater 24

CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Results of Field Studies 26

4.1.1 Statistics of Road Utilization 26

4.1.2 Water Table Inventory 26

4.1.3 Geophysical Survey 31

4.1.4 Geological mapping 34

4.1.5 Soil profile 42

4.2 Laboratory Tests 45

4.2.1 Mineralogical Compositions of the Rock and Soil Samples 45

4.2.2 Chemical Composition of the Rock samples 45

4.2.3 Physico-chemical of the Groundwater Samples 48

4.2.4 Grain size distribution and Atterberg Limits 53

4.2.5 OMC, MDD, Permeability and CBR 53

4.3 Analysis on causes of failures of Lambata-Minna and Minna-Bida Roads 62

4.3.1 Lambata-Minna road portions within the Granite and Migmatite Gneiss terrain 68

4.3.2 Minna-Bida road portion occurring within the Sandstone terrain 69

4.3.3 Minna-Bida road portion occurring within the Granite terrain 70

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Summary 73

5.2 Conclusions 76

5.3 Recommendations 77

References 79

Appendices 85