Effects of Heavy Metal Pollution on Soil Index Properties: Implications for Foundation Site Assessment Implications for Foundation Bearing Capacity
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33003/fjs-2026-1017-5672Keywords:
Heavy Metal Contamination, Soil Index Properties, Atterberg Limits, Foundation Site Assessment, Geotechnical EngineeringAbstract
Heavy metal contamination can modify the engineering behaviour of soils and may complicate foundation site assessment. This study evaluated the association between selected heavy metal concentrations and soil index properties using six disturbed soil samples (1A–1F) collected from the Uwelu Spare Parts Market, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) was used to determine Pb, Cd, Zn, Mn, As, Cr, Ni and Cu concentrations, while particle size distribution and Atterberg-limit tests were conducted using standard geotechnical procedures. Across the six samples, Pb ranged from 0.680–0.765 ppm, Cd from 0.691–0.870 ppm and Zn from 0.526–0.590 ppm. Liquid limit increased from 18.8% to 26.5%, plastic limit decreased from 15.7% to 11.5%, and plasticity index increased from 3.1% to 15.0%. The AASHTO classification changed from A-2-4 at 1A through A-2-5 at 1B–1C to A-2-6 at 1D–1F. Pearson correlation and simple linear regression were retained only as exploratory analyses because the six observations are insufficient for robust multivariable inference. The results show that heavy-metal concentrations and soil consistency properties vary together across the sampled locations, whereas particle-size distributions are comparatively similar. The findings support the inclusion of geoenvironmental screening alongside conventional index-property testing during preliminary foundation site assessment; they do not constitute a direct determination of foundation bearing capacity.
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Copyright (c) 2026 David Idiata, Jude Ufuah, Omenaimen Ikhide, Christopher Eichie
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