The aim of this work is to study the effect of swelling clays on the instability of two soils, quicksand and quickclay, famous for their high damaging effect. The complex flow behavior of these materials is based on the X-Rays diffraction characterization results and the preparation of laboratory quicksand and laboratory quickclay, which mimic exactly the flow behavior of these two natural soils. 

We show that a spectacular liquefaction of the Quicksand and Quickclay occurs when a stress is applied to the material. By constructing both 'laboratory quicksand' and ‘laboratory Quickclay’, we demonstrate that the liquefaction is due to the structure of these two soils. The presence of both swelling clays and salt play a key effect on the instability of the two soils.