GIS-Based Mapping and Geodatabase Development for Expansive Soils: A Case Study of Selected Towns in the Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Ashenafi Bergene Balango; Fitsum Markos; Eyob Shanka

doi:doi:10.11648/j.earth.20261505.12

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GIS-Based Mapping and Geodatabase Development for Expansive Soils: A Case Study of Selected Towns in the Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Ashenafi Bergene Balango^*

, Fitsum Markos

, Eyob Shanka

Published in Earth Sciences (Volume 15, Issue 5)

Received: 27 September 2026 Accepted: 8 October 2026 Published: 23 October 2026

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Abstract

Expansive soils cause costly damage to infrastructure through seasonal moisture-driven swelling and shrinkage, yet in many developing regions the geotechnical data needed to manage this hazard remains fragmented across paper records and individual project reports. This study addresses that gap by evaluating the engineering properties of expansive soils in three rapidly urbanizing towns in the Wolaita Zone of southern Ethiopia, namely Tebela, Wolaita Sodo, and Boditi, and consolidating the results into a spatially referenced ArcGIS geodatabase to support preliminary engineering design. Fourteen test pits were investigated following ASTM and AASHTO standards, combining ten newly collected field samples with four secondary data sources; index and strength properties, including Atterberg limits, free swell index, swelling pressure, and California Bearing Ratio, were determined in the laboratory, and all test-pit locations were captured by GPS and georeferenced onto rectified imagery in UTM Zone 37N. The results classified the soils at Tebela and Wolaita Sodo as highly plastic clays (CH, AASHTO A-7-5) with high fines contents of 91.8 to 95.1%, free swell indices exceeding 100%, and swelling pressures of 145 to 170 kPa, while the Boditi soils were similarly classified as high-plasticity clays (CH, A-7-6) but showed low California Bearing Ratio values of 2.2 to 2.8%, indicating weak subgrade support. These laboratory results, together with the GPS coordinates, were structured in an ArcGIS file geodatabase organized by town and test pit, with fully searchable laboratory attributes. The resulting system converts scattered paper-based geotechnical records into an interactive, query able geospatial tool and offers an adaptable workflow that can be extended to manage expansive soil risk in other regions facing similar infrastructural and data-management challenges.

Published in	Earth Sciences (Volume 15, Issue 5)
DOI	10.11648/j.earth.20261505.12
Page(s)	224-233
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2026. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Atterberg Limits, ArcGIS, Expansive Soil, Geodatabase, Geotechnical Data Management, Swelling Pressure

References

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[16]	Gaenamo, E. A., Dirate, D. D., Dasho, D. K. and Pampana, V. R. (2022). Experimental investigation and mapping of index and shear behavior of soils: A case in Gimbichu town, Ethiopia. Indian Journal of Science and Technology, 15(4), 166–174. https://doi.org/10.17485/ijst/v15i4.1868
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APA Style

Balango, A. B., Markos, F., Shanka, E. (2026). GIS-Based Mapping and Geodatabase Development for Expansive Soils: A Case Study of Selected Towns in the Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Earth Sciences, 15(5), 224-233. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.earth.20261505.12

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ACS Style

Balango, A. B.; Markos, F.; Shanka, E. GIS-Based Mapping and Geodatabase Development for Expansive Soils: A Case Study of Selected Towns in the Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Earth Sci. 2026, 15(5), 224-233. doi: 10.11648/j.earth.20261505.12

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AMA Style

Balango AB, Markos F, Shanka E. GIS-Based Mapping and Geodatabase Development for Expansive Soils: A Case Study of Selected Towns in the Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Earth Sci. 2026;15(5):224-233. doi: 10.11648/j.earth.20261505.12

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@article{10.11648/j.earth.20261505.12,
  author = {Ashenafi Bergene Balango and Fitsum Markos and Eyob Shanka},
  title = {GIS-Based Mapping and Geodatabase Development for Expansive Soils: A Case Study of Selected Towns in the Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia},
  journal = {Earth Sciences},
  volume = {15},
  number = {5},
  pages = {224-233},
  doi = {10.11648/j.earth.20261505.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.earth.20261505.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.earth.20261505.12},
  abstract = {Expansive soils cause costly damage to infrastructure through seasonal moisture-driven swelling and shrinkage, yet in many developing regions the geotechnical data needed to manage this hazard remains fragmented across paper records and individual project reports. This study addresses that gap by evaluating the engineering properties of expansive soils in three rapidly urbanizing towns in the Wolaita Zone of southern Ethiopia, namely Tebela, Wolaita Sodo, and Boditi, and consolidating the results into a spatially referenced ArcGIS geodatabase to support preliminary engineering design. Fourteen test pits were investigated following ASTM and AASHTO standards, combining ten newly collected field samples with four secondary data sources; index and strength properties, including Atterberg limits, free swell index, swelling pressure, and California Bearing Ratio, were determined in the laboratory, and all test-pit locations were captured by GPS and georeferenced onto rectified imagery in UTM Zone 37N. The results classified the soils at Tebela and Wolaita Sodo as highly plastic clays (CH, AASHTO A-7-5) with high fines contents of 91.8 to 95.1%, free swell indices exceeding 100%, and swelling pressures of 145 to 170 kPa, while the Boditi soils were similarly classified as high-plasticity clays (CH, A-7-6) but showed low California Bearing Ratio values of 2.2 to 2.8%, indicating weak subgrade support. These laboratory results, together with the GPS coordinates, were structured in an ArcGIS file geodatabase organized by town and test pit, with fully searchable laboratory attributes. The resulting system converts scattered paper-based geotechnical records into an interactive, query able geospatial tool and offers an adaptable workflow that can be extended to manage expansive soil risk in other regions facing similar infrastructural and data-management challenges.},
 year = {2026}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - GIS-Based Mapping and Geodatabase Development for Expansive Soils: A Case Study of Selected Towns in the Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia
AU  - Ashenafi Bergene Balango
AU  - Fitsum Markos
AU  - Eyob Shanka
Y1  - 2026/10/23
PY  - 2026
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.earth.20261505.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.earth.20261505.12
T2  - Earth Sciences
JF  - Earth Sciences
JO  - Earth Sciences
SP  - 224
EP  - 233
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-5982
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.earth.20261505.12
AB  - Expansive soils cause costly damage to infrastructure through seasonal moisture-driven swelling and shrinkage, yet in many developing regions the geotechnical data needed to manage this hazard remains fragmented across paper records and individual project reports. This study addresses that gap by evaluating the engineering properties of expansive soils in three rapidly urbanizing towns in the Wolaita Zone of southern Ethiopia, namely Tebela, Wolaita Sodo, and Boditi, and consolidating the results into a spatially referenced ArcGIS geodatabase to support preliminary engineering design. Fourteen test pits were investigated following ASTM and AASHTO standards, combining ten newly collected field samples with four secondary data sources; index and strength properties, including Atterberg limits, free swell index, swelling pressure, and California Bearing Ratio, were determined in the laboratory, and all test-pit locations were captured by GPS and georeferenced onto rectified imagery in UTM Zone 37N. The results classified the soils at Tebela and Wolaita Sodo as highly plastic clays (CH, AASHTO A-7-5) with high fines contents of 91.8 to 95.1%, free swell indices exceeding 100%, and swelling pressures of 145 to 170 kPa, while the Boditi soils were similarly classified as high-plasticity clays (CH, A-7-6) but showed low California Bearing Ratio values of 2.2 to 2.8%, indicating weak subgrade support. These laboratory results, together with the GPS coordinates, were structured in an ArcGIS file geodatabase organized by town and test pit, with fully searchable laboratory attributes. The resulting system converts scattered paper-based geotechnical records into an interactive, query able geospatial tool and offers an adaptable workflow that can be extended to manage expansive soil risk in other regions facing similar infrastructural and data-management challenges.
VL  - 15
IS  - 5
ER  -

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Author Information

Ashenafi Bergene Balango

Department of Civil Engineering, Tebela TVET College, Humbo Tebela, Ethiopia

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0000-7130-5782
Fitsum Markos

Department of Civil Engineering, Wolaita Sodo University, Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia

http://orcid.org/0009-0002-5016-3847
Eyob Shanka

Department of Civil Engineering, Wolaita Sodo University, Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia

http://orcid.org/0009-0006-3110-818X

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APA Style

Balango, A. B., Markos, F., Shanka, E. (2026). GIS-Based Mapping and Geodatabase Development for Expansive Soils: A Case Study of Selected Towns in the Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Earth Sciences, 15(5), 224-233. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.earth.20261505.12

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ACS Style

Balango, A. B.; Markos, F.; Shanka, E. GIS-Based Mapping and Geodatabase Development for Expansive Soils: A Case Study of Selected Towns in the Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Earth Sci. 2026, 15(5), 224-233. doi: 10.11648/j.earth.20261505.12

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AMA Style

Balango AB, Markos F, Shanka E. GIS-Based Mapping and Geodatabase Development for Expansive Soils: A Case Study of Selected Towns in the Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Earth Sci. 2026;15(5):224-233. doi: 10.11648/j.earth.20261505.12

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@article{10.11648/j.earth.20261505.12,
  author = {Ashenafi Bergene Balango and Fitsum Markos and Eyob Shanka},
  title = {GIS-Based Mapping and Geodatabase Development for Expansive Soils: A Case Study of Selected Towns in the Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia},
  journal = {Earth Sciences},
  volume = {15},
  number = {5},
  pages = {224-233},
  doi = {10.11648/j.earth.20261505.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.earth.20261505.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.earth.20261505.12},
  abstract = {Expansive soils cause costly damage to infrastructure through seasonal moisture-driven swelling and shrinkage, yet in many developing regions the geotechnical data needed to manage this hazard remains fragmented across paper records and individual project reports. This study addresses that gap by evaluating the engineering properties of expansive soils in three rapidly urbanizing towns in the Wolaita Zone of southern Ethiopia, namely Tebela, Wolaita Sodo, and Boditi, and consolidating the results into a spatially referenced ArcGIS geodatabase to support preliminary engineering design. Fourteen test pits were investigated following ASTM and AASHTO standards, combining ten newly collected field samples with four secondary data sources; index and strength properties, including Atterberg limits, free swell index, swelling pressure, and California Bearing Ratio, were determined in the laboratory, and all test-pit locations were captured by GPS and georeferenced onto rectified imagery in UTM Zone 37N. The results classified the soils at Tebela and Wolaita Sodo as highly plastic clays (CH, AASHTO A-7-5) with high fines contents of 91.8 to 95.1%, free swell indices exceeding 100%, and swelling pressures of 145 to 170 kPa, while the Boditi soils were similarly classified as high-plasticity clays (CH, A-7-6) but showed low California Bearing Ratio values of 2.2 to 2.8%, indicating weak subgrade support. These laboratory results, together with the GPS coordinates, were structured in an ArcGIS file geodatabase organized by town and test pit, with fully searchable laboratory attributes. The resulting system converts scattered paper-based geotechnical records into an interactive, query able geospatial tool and offers an adaptable workflow that can be extended to manage expansive soil risk in other regions facing similar infrastructural and data-management challenges.},
 year = {2026}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - GIS-Based Mapping and Geodatabase Development for Expansive Soils: A Case Study of Selected Towns in the Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia
AU  - Ashenafi Bergene Balango
AU  - Fitsum Markos
AU  - Eyob Shanka
Y1  - 2026/10/23
PY  - 2026
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.earth.20261505.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.earth.20261505.12
T2  - Earth Sciences
JF  - Earth Sciences
JO  - Earth Sciences
SP  - 224
EP  - 233
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-5982
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.earth.20261505.12
AB  - Expansive soils cause costly damage to infrastructure through seasonal moisture-driven swelling and shrinkage, yet in many developing regions the geotechnical data needed to manage this hazard remains fragmented across paper records and individual project reports. This study addresses that gap by evaluating the engineering properties of expansive soils in three rapidly urbanizing towns in the Wolaita Zone of southern Ethiopia, namely Tebela, Wolaita Sodo, and Boditi, and consolidating the results into a spatially referenced ArcGIS geodatabase to support preliminary engineering design. Fourteen test pits were investigated following ASTM and AASHTO standards, combining ten newly collected field samples with four secondary data sources; index and strength properties, including Atterberg limits, free swell index, swelling pressure, and California Bearing Ratio, were determined in the laboratory, and all test-pit locations were captured by GPS and georeferenced onto rectified imagery in UTM Zone 37N. The results classified the soils at Tebela and Wolaita Sodo as highly plastic clays (CH, AASHTO A-7-5) with high fines contents of 91.8 to 95.1%, free swell indices exceeding 100%, and swelling pressures of 145 to 170 kPa, while the Boditi soils were similarly classified as high-plasticity clays (CH, A-7-6) but showed low California Bearing Ratio values of 2.2 to 2.8%, indicating weak subgrade support. These laboratory results, together with the GPS coordinates, were structured in an ArcGIS file geodatabase organized by town and test pit, with fully searchable laboratory attributes. The resulting system converts scattered paper-based geotechnical records into an interactive, query able geospatial tool and offers an adaptable workflow that can be extended to manage expansive soil risk in other regions facing similar infrastructural and data-management challenges.
VL  - 15
IS  - 5
ER  -

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