Waste Engine Oil Contamination Effect on the Consistency, Compaction and CBR Behaviour of Niger Delta Lateritic Soils
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.68050/JAMS.2026.836Keywords:
waste engine oil; lateritic soil; soil contamination; California bearing ratio; Atterberg limits; compaction; subgrade; regression analysisAbstract
Used engine oil, commonly called condemned oil, is routinely discarded on open ground around vehicle repair workshops in Nigeria, where it can seep into the lateritic soils that form roadbeds and embankments. This study examined how waste engine oil changes the index and strength properties of two lateritic soils from Bori (Khana LGA) and Bomu (Gokana LGA), Rivers State. Both soils are poorly graded sands containing 2–3% fines and classify as AASHTO A-2-5 in their natural state. Samples were mixed with 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10% oil and tested for liquid limit, plastic limit, maximum dry density (MDD) and California bearing ratio (CBR) in unsoaked and soaked conditions, following British Standard and AASHTO procedures. Linear regression was used to relate each property to oil content. Raising contamination from 0 to 10% reduced the liquid limit by 34% (Bori) and 40% (Bomu), increased the plastic limit by 37% and 35%, and lowered MDD by 14% and 20%. Both soils became non-plastic at roughly 2–3% oil. Unsoaked CBR fell from 13.58% to 5.22% (Bori) and from 10.58% to 3.63% (Bomu), while soaked CBR fell from 9.94% to 3.70% and from 8.75% to 2.81%. Linear models gave coefficients of determination between 0.96 and 1.00. The results show that even modest oil contents of 2–4% weaken these lateritic materials, and that oil-contaminated laterites should not be used as subgrade or pavement fill without remediation or stabilization. Practical screening guidance for highway engineers is offered.
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