Problematic soils brings together in one volume a collection of papers presented at the Problematic Soils symposium, organised by East Midlands Geotechnical Group of the Institution of Civil Engineers. The papers discuss the behaviour and characteristics of problematic soils (particularly those found in the UK), and they also offer guidance on possible treatment techniques that could be applied for their successful engineering.The proceedings of this symposium are split into three sections.

This volume comprises select papers presented during the Indian Geotechnical Conference 2018. This volume focuses on discussing the many challenges encountered in geoenvironmental engineering. The book covers sustainability aspects related to geotechnical engineering, problematic soils and ground improvement, use of geosynthetics and concepts of soil dynamics. The contents of this book will be useful to researchers and professionals working in geo-environmental engineering and to policy makers interested in understanding geotechnical concerns related to sustainable development.

The soils which possess characteristics that make them uneconomical for the cultivation of crops without adopting proper reclamation measures are known as problem soils. For the management of problematic soils, some general principles have to be considered for proper implementation of the reclamation measures. Some soils have serious physical and chemical limitations to cultivation. Physical limitations can be managed by irrigation, drainage, mulching, manuring, tillage, and soil conservation measures such as terracing, contouring, and cover crops, whichever is appropriate. Some chemicals are also added to the soil as an integral part of the reclamation program adopted to improve the saline, alkali and other soils. This book contains 19 chapters on Soil quality and health, Distribution of Waste land and problem soils in India and Jharkhand, Soil forming factors and Processes Reclamation and management of Saline and sodic soils, Acid soils and Acid Sulphate soils, Calcareous soils, Eroded and Compacted soils, Flooded soils, Polluted soils, Irrigation water-quality and standards, Efficient utilization of saline water in agriculture, Remote sensing and GIS in diagnosis and management of problem soils, Multipurpose tree species, Bio remediation through MPTs of soils, land capability land suitability classification, Problematic soils under different Agro-ecosystems, etc

Soils are neither good nor bad, but some have inherent or acquired characteristics that may or may not suit our intended use. Unsuitable characteristics are considered to be soil problems, soil constraints or soil limitations. Only twelve percent of global land is right for agricultural production without much limitation. Some soils have severe limitations for crop production. These soils are so called ‘problem soils’. Many of them do not have enough fertility to be productive; some are arid and saline; some are very sandy and dry; and some are wet and waterlogged for most of the growing season. The global demand for food, wood, fuel, fiber, medicine and other plant products for the 7.2 billion current world population has created such an immense pressure on global soil resources that even the most fertile soils are losing their productive capacity. We are being compelled to bring more and more unsuitable or marginally suitable soils under cultivation. Unless innovative and integrated soil, crop and environmental management practices are adopted for their improvement and sustainable use, further degradation is inevitable. This book, Management of Soil Problems, identifies the problems and discusses management options in a smooth and reader-friendly style. It will be useful for students and professionals of soil science, agriculture, forestry, geography and environmental sciences.

This is a unique book that deals with the problem soils, their constraints and management in the Indian context. The book starts with the introduction on problem soils and the classification of these soils are included there under. In India, there is wide spread occurrence of soils with different types of constraints for crop production. Such soils are popularly called as “Problem Soils”. Cultivation in these soils is not so easy as several problems have to be tackled during cultivation. It may be either soil droughtiness or acidity or salinity etc. An attempt has been made in this book to cover most of the problematic soils in India. The classification of problem soils has been done based on the limitations they possess and the most dominant limitation is taken into consideration for grouping it under a particular class. Here five broader classes have been identified viz., soils with climatic problems; soils with physical problems; soils with chemical problems; soils with biological problems and soils with problems due to anthropogenic reasons. Note: Taylor and Francis does not sell or distribute the print editions of this title in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Dirt, soil, call it what you want—it's everywhere we go. It is the root of our existence, supporting our feet, our farms, our cities. This fascinating yet disquieting book finds, however, that we are running out of dirt, and it's no laughing matter. An engaging natural and cultural history of soil that sweeps from ancient civilizations to modern times, Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations explores the compelling idea that we are—and have long been—using up Earth's soil. Once bare of protective vegetation and exposed to wind and rain, cultivated soils erode bit by bit, slowly enough to be ignored in a single lifetime but fast enough over centuries to limit the lifespan of civilizations. A rich mix of history, archaeology and geology, Dirt traces the role of soil use and abuse in the history of Mesopotamia, Ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, China, European colonialism, Central America, and the American push westward. We see how soil has shaped us and we have shaped soil—as society after society has risen, prospered, and plowed through a natural endowment of fertile dirt. David R. Montgomery sees in the recent rise of organic and no-till farming the hope for a new agricultural revolution that might help us avoid the fate of previous civilizations.

This book covers the field of applied geotechnology related to all aspects of construction in ground, including compacted fill, excavations, ground improvement, foundations, earth retaining systems and geotechnical site characterization. It suits the first year of a graduate course on ground improvement and geoconstruction and will suit practicing engineers, both consultants and contractors. Distinctively it covers the identification of problematic soils and appropriate mitigation measures, and the inspection of ground construction work. It combines the technical and the practical in applied geotechnology.