Türkiye Jeoloji Bülteni

Consolidation Properties of the Clays at Düzce Plain and Their Relationship with Geological Evolution

Abstract: Determination of the consolidation of the Düzce clays exposed along the Gümüşova-Gerede section of the Anatolian motorwayplays an important role to assess their settlement behaviour under loads of engineering structures. For this purpose, consolidationproperties of there clay in the vicinity ofDüzce are investigated. The deepest part of the alluvial deposits at Düzce plain takes placeat the southern side of Düzce. Their thickness is about 260 m. Alluvial deposits mainly consist of clay, silty clay and clayey silts atthe central and the souter parts of the basin, while granular metarials, such as sand and gravel, become dominant at the north andnorth-east side of the plain. Based on the assessments per formed for consolidation characteristics of the clayey layers, it was cone-,luded that the upper part of these layers (up the depths of to 10 m) in the plain were over consolidated. The occurence ofov er consolidation was resulted from the movement of Düzce sedimentation basin towards south due to tectonic activity of the Düzce fault.The variation in groundwater table caused an increase in the oxidation zone and the progress of overconsolidated zones due to theeffects desiccation in the upper part of the basin.