| dc.description.abstract | Generally, soil characteristics have a significant influence on landslide
occurrence. This issue has, however, not yet been adequately analysed in Kigezi
highlands of South Western Uganda. In this study, soil properties such as disper sion, grain size distribution, Atterberg limits, shear strength and clay mineralogy
were analysed to establish their contribution to the spatial distribution of landslides
in Kigezi highlands. The results demonstrate that deep soil profiles ranging between
2.5 and 7 meters were dominated by clay-pans at a depth between 0.75 and 3 meters.
Although the uppermost surface horizons of the soil profile are loamy sand, the clay
content is more than 35% especially in the sub soil. This suggests that the soil
materials are Vertic in nature. In addition, the upper soil layers predominantly
contain quartz, while subsurface horizons have considerable amounts of illite as the
dominant clay minerals, ranging from 43–47%. The average liquid limit and plas ticity index was 58.43% and 33.3% respectively. Besides, high average computed
weighted plasticity index (28.4%) and expansiveness (38.6%) were obtained. These
soil characteristics have great implication on the timing and nature of landslide
processes in the study area. A change in soil material due to varying moisture
content is thought to be a major trigger of landslides in Kigezi highlands of
South Western Uganda. This understanding of soil characteristics is a key step in
mitigating landslide hazards in the area | en_US |
