Influence of Iron Powder and Water Content on Geotechnical and Electrical Properties

Abstract

Adding iron powder to soil affects its electrical and geotechnical properties and has numerous uses across various engineering domains. The purpose of this study is to examine how water content and iron (Fe) metal powder affect the electrical and geotechnical characteristics of soil, including plasticity, resistivity, dielectric constant, friction angle, and cohesion. The microstructure and elemental content were characterised using SEM-EDX analysis. The hydrometer method was employed to determine texture. This study investigates the combined impact of moisture levels (0-50%) and metal powder concentration (0-10%) on soil resistivity and other electrical characteristics by precisely varying both. Iron powder increases soil bulk density and decreases soil porosity. As the amount of moisture and iron powder increases, the soil’s cohesiveness, friction angle, and resistivity decrease while its dielectric constant and plasticity rise. Applications include electrical grounding, electromagnetic surveys, and soil stabilisation. These results provide new information on how to modify soil properties. Furthermore, by revealing soil moisture levels in agriculture, variations in soil resistivity due to iron and moisture content might help optimise irrigation techniques.