Geotechnical characteristics of peat

Peat soil is encountered in many areas and generally originates from plant/animal remains and is considered partly as decomposed biomass. Due to this composition, the structure of this soil is very different when compared with inorganic soils like clay, sand and gravel. Peat has a high compressibility, low shear strength, high moisture content and low bearing capacity. The behaviour and composition of peats in different geographical areas are different from one another, accentuating the need in soil engineering for a useful geological classification of peat soils. This paper focuses on presenting a comparative overview of the characteristic geotechnical properties for these soils. It also examines and discusses the effects of composition on the basic properties and behaviour of each soil, supported by case studies from Malaysia.Soft Soil