Effect of Percolation Water Quality on Physical and Mechanical Characteristics of Marls

The objective of this work is to study the evolution of marls from the Tigzirt landslide, which represents one of the active and spectacular landslides that the Wilaya of Tizi-Ouzou (Algeria) has experienced in recent years; under the effect of environmental conditions and the quality of the percolating water (polluted and unpolluted water). The alteration of rocks subjected to chemical attacks or wet/dry cycles can have a negative impact on the stability of slopes. An experimental study composed of plasticity tests (Atterberg limits), shear tests and odometer tests and was carried out on materials having undergone wetting–drying cycles initially soaked in water containing nitrates and sulfates. The results of the shear tests showed a decrease in the mechanical characteristics of the marl in contact with water containing the salts compared to those of the marl only. The analyses of the odometer tests show that the salts tend to nullify the swelling pressure.