Sustainability Issues in
Sustainability Issues in
Sustainability Issues in
com
Sustainability Issues in
Environmental Geotechnics,
Proceedings of the 2nd GeoMEast
International Congress and
Exhibition on Sustainable Civil
CLICK LINK TO DOWLOAD
Infrastructures, Egypt 2018 Hesham
https://textbookfull.com/product/sustainabili
ty-issues-in-environmental-geotechnics-
proceedings-of-the-2nd-geomeast-
international-congress-and-exhibition-on-
sustainable-civil-infrastructures-
egypt-2018-hesham-ameen/
textbookfull
More products digital (pdf, epub, mobi) instant
download maybe you interests ...
Hesham Ameen
Tamer Sorour Editors
Sustainability Issues
in Environmental
Geotechnics
Proceedings of the 2nd GeoMEast
International Congress and Exhibition
on Sustainable Civil Infrastructures,
Egypt 2018 – The Official International
Congress of the Soil-Structure
Interaction Group in Egypt (SSIGE)
Sustainable Civil Infrastructures
Editor-in-chief
Hany Farouk Shehata, Cairo, Egypt
Advisory Board
Khalid M. ElZahaby, Giza, Egypt
Dar Hao Chen, Austin, USA
Sustainable Infrastructure impacts our well-being and day-to-day lives. The
infrastructures we are building today will shape our lives tomorrow. The complex
and diverse nature of the impacts due to weather extremes on transportation and
civil infrastructures can be seen in our roadways, bridges, and buildings. Extreme
summer temperatures, droughts, flash floods, and rising numbers of freeze-thaw
cycles pose challenges for civil infrastructure and can endanger public safety. We
constantly hear how civil infrastructures need constant attention, preservation, and
upgrading. Such improvements and developments would obviously benefit from
our desired book series that provide sustainable engineering materials and designs.
The economic impact is huge and much research has been conducted worldwide.
The future holds many opportunities, not only for researchers in a given country,
but also for the worldwide field engineers who apply and implement these
technologies. We believe that no approach can succeed if it does not unite the
efforts of various engineering disciplines from all over the world under one
umbrella to offer a beacon of modern solutions to the global infrastructure. Experts
from the various engineering disciplines around the globe will participate in this
series, including: Geotechnical, Geological, Geoscience, Petroleum, Structural,
Transportation, Bridge, Infrastructure, Energy, Architectural, Chemical and
Materials, and other related Engineering disciplines.
Editors
Sustainability Issues
in Environmental
Geotechnics
Proceedings of the 2nd GeoMEast
International Congress and Exhibition
on Sustainable Civil Infrastructures,
Egypt 2018 – The Official International Congress
of the Soil-Structure Interaction Group
in Egypt (SSIGE)
123
Editors
Hesham Ameen Tamer Sorour
Housing and Building National Research Ain-Sham University
Center Cairo, Egypt
Cairo, Egypt
This Springer imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Switzerland AG
The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland
Contents
v
vi Contents
Hesham Ameen
Geo-Institute of HBRC is considered one of the largest
geotechnical institutes in the Middle East that has ISO
certificate. Professor Hisham had been selected to chair
the institute many years ago. This selection had been
done based on his activities, accuracy, awareness, and
hard work in the research. He is specialized in
geotechnical testing, neural networks for the geotech-
nical engineering, and soil improvement.
Tamer Sorour
Assistant Professor Tamer Sorour, Faculty of
Engineering, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
Assistant Professor Tamer Sorour is a Geotechnical
Engineer graduated from the Faculty of Engineering,
Ain Shams University, and obtained his PhD from the
Faculty of Engineering, Ain Shams University in 2009.
He performed various researches in different fields of
geotechnical engineering, such as soil dynamics includ-
ing the hazards accompanied with pile driving in
different soil formations as well as the design of
machine foundations and soil liquefaction, and the
stability of soil slopes under the effect of earthquakes.
The field of deep excavations includes different shoring
and anchorage systems. The field of soil improvement
using stone columns and the effect of the installation
vii
viii About the Editors
1 Introduction
Soil is a natural body comprised of solids (minerals and organic matter), liquid, and
gases that occurs on the land surface, occupies space, and is characterized by one or
both of the following: horizons, or layers, that are distinguishable from the initial
material as a result of additions, losses, transfers, and transformations of energy and
matter or the ability to support rooted plants in a natural environment. The most
important realization of present time is that soils must be regarded as system with
interacting and independent physical, chemical and biological components. This is
exemplified in study of various properties of soils, specifically water quality and
thermal issues. The fate of substance which has the potential to be transported from
near the soil surface region to the water table is influenced by chemical and microbial
transformations, movement between liquid phase and solid phase through sorption
reactions, volatilization & uptake by plants. These processes are in turn influenced by
characteristics of soil such as mineralogical and organic composition and temperature.
With the preceding sentiment as motivation the present study involved the devel-
opment of a measurement method for soil thermal properties along with a means to
develop a mechanism to examine the interaction between the thermal and hydraulic
aspects of a given soil system.
Lee’s and Charlton’s apparatus is based on the principle that the steady state rate of
heat flowing into a system being equal to rate of heat flowing out of the system. Here
the rate of heat conducted by poor conductor to the Lee’s disc below it is equated to
rate of heat radiated by the Lee’s disc itself.
The study was divided broadly into two segment: Study of thermal property
(conductivity) of soil in its virgin state, as collected; and effect of various carbonates on
the conductivity of virgin soil.
above S. The bottom of the steam chamber is thick circular metal slab. Thermocouple
T1 and T2 are inserted into holes drilled towards the base of C and into B respectively,
to record their temperatures. A 5 litre round bottomed Durasil flask is placed in the
heating mantle to generate steam. Soil samples of 10 cm diameter and 1 cm thickness
is prepared at density 90% & 95% MDD on wet side of the OMC.
Fig. 2. Lee’s and Charlton’s disc sample Fig. 3. Part of Lee’s and Charlton’s apparatus
2.3 Procedure
The mass of the aluminium disc B (Lee’s Disc) was measured using a balance, whereas
the diameter and thickness was measured with a vernier caliper. The arrangement of the
entire setup is shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4. The soil sample was kept between the two
metal discs with the thermocouples inserted in the disc itself with the steam chamber as
well as the lower metal disc. Figure 4 shows the setup for generation of steam and the
connection for the steam to be delivered to the steam chamber. The thermocouples
measure the temperature of the steam chamber as well as the discs at set time intervals.
The steam rate is set so as to achieve a constant temperature in the steam chamber.
Effect of Density and Carbonates on Thermal Properties of Virgin Soil 5
Once the temperature becomes constant i.e. steady the soil sample is removed between
the disc and the steam chamber. The steam chamber was placed directly over the metal
disc until the temperature of the lower discs rises 10 °C above the selected steady
temperature. Temperature versus time reading are noted till the time that the temper-
ature of the disc falls 10 °C below its steady state. These measurements are then used to
calculate the thermal conductivity of the soil (Fig. 5).
Fig. 4. Steam passing to steam chamber Fig. 5. Heating mantle for steam
generation
KAðh1 h2 Þ
Q¼ ð1Þ
d
Qd
K¼ ð2Þ
A ð h1 h2 Þ
6 V. B. Muchhara et al.
In the present method, the rate of cooling of the disc B is determined without the
experimental disc S on it. So on it, so, to obtain the correct value of dh/dt at h2 under
the condition of the experiment, the quantity dh/dt is multiplied by a correction factor f,
due to Bedford. This factor is given by
ðr þ 2d1 Þ
f¼ ð4Þ
ð2r þ 2d1 Þ
Tables 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 show calculations for thermal conductivity of all the three soils
with carbonates (Table 7).
Figure 6 shows the thermal conductivity of Kaolinite samples prepared with
potassium carbonate at different percentages. For potassium carbonate thermal con-
ductivity increases and then decreases and then remains almost constant.
Effect of Density and Carbonates on Thermal Properties of Virgin Soil 7
Figure 7 shows that thermal conductivity with ammonium carbonate increases with
increase in percentage of carbonate. Values of thermal conductivity at 2%, 6%, 10% are
(2 10−4), (3 10−4), (2 10−4)W/m K which shows that for 6% it is the highest
and then it decreases Thus after a certain amount of ammonium carbonate there is no
increase on thermal conductivity of kaolinite.
Figure 8 shows thermal conductivity for black cotton soil with sodium carbonate,
follows the same trend as that of thermal conductivity for kaolinite with sodium
carbonate.
Figure 9 shows that thermal conductivity of silt with sodium carbonate. The value
of thermal conductivity of silt with sodium carbonate at 2%, 4%, 6% are (5 10−4),
(4 10−4), (3 10−4)W/m K respectively which shows that thermal conductivity of
silt with sodium carbonate decreases with addition in percentage of chemical.
Effect of Density and Carbonates on Thermal Properties of Virgin Soil 9
Fig. 9. Thermal conductivity of black cotton with sodium carbonate, at 95% MDD
Figure 10 compares the thermal conductivity of kaolinite, black cotton soil and silt
mixed with sodium carbonate. For 2% addition of sodium carbonate thermal con-
ductivity for kaolinite, black cotton soil, and silt is (4 10−4), (4.3 10−4),
(5.4 10−4) W/m K respectively. A similar trend of increase in the conductivity value
was observed for varying percentages of sodium carbonate added to the three soils.
Fig. 10. Thermal conductivity of kaolinite, black cotton, silt with sodium carbonate at 95% MDD
Effect of Density and Carbonates on Thermal Properties of Virgin Soil 11
Fig. 11. Temperature v/s time (cooling rate) for kaolinite with potassium carbonate for two trials
Fig. 12. Temperature v/s time (cooling rate) for kaolinite with ammonium carbonate for two trials
12 V. B. Muchhara et al.
Fig. 13. Temperature v/s time (cooling rate) for kaolinite with sodium carbonate for two trials
Fig. 14. Average temperature v/s cooling rate for kaolinite with potassium carbonate for two trials
Effect of Density and Carbonates on Thermal Properties of Virgin Soil 13
Figure 10, 11 and 12 below indicates the decrease of temperature with respect to
time for kaolinite with carbonates. The change of temperature with respect to time i.e.
rate of cooling is calculated from the graphs. For kaolinite with sodium carbonate, the
temperature range is between 80 °C to 90 °C. Similar trends were observed with black
cotton soil and silt with sodium carbonate.. For other virgin soils with and without
chemical mixtures temperature range is between 70 °C to 90 °C. Also, the cooling rate
for virgin soils and Kaolinite with Potassium Carbonate, is between 0 to 900 secs. For
all other soils with chemical mixtures cooling rate is 0 to 800 s.
The coefficient of co-relation i.e. R2 value for polynomial trendlines are best suited
when it is 1. This is in good correlation of periodic heat flow in a medium being
described as propagation of thermal waves in the medium, wherein these thermal
waves have characteristics similar to the characteristics of other typical waves. These
plots can be further used to study waver propagation and its verification in deep soils or
field conditions for study of water flux movements.
Figure 13 shows graphs of cooling rate versus average temperature for kaolinite
with Potassium Carbonate. Similar graphs were drawn between other virgin soils and
carbonates. The cooling rate is between 0.01 °C/sec to 0.023 °C/sec (Fig. 14).
4 Conclusions
• Thermal conductivity of kaolinite at 95% MDD is 0.0005 W/m K & at 90% mdd is
0.0003 W/m K. Similar results were observed for thermal conductivity of black
cotton soil and silty soil. The observed results show that as density increases,
thermal conductivity increases.
• Thermal Conductivity of virgin Kaolinite at 95% mdd is 0.0005 W/m K whereas its
value drops down to 0.0002 W/m K on addition of potassium carbonate or for that
matter of fact any salt used in the entire study. A comparable trend was observed for
black cotton and silty soil used in the study.
• Values of thermal conductivity of Kaolinite with Ammonium Carbonate at 2%, 6%,
10% are 0.0002, 0.0003, 0.0002 W/m K respectively. It shows that for 6% addition
of Ammonium Carbonate thermal conductivity of Kaolinite is highest and then it
decreases after which any further increase in salt concentration fails to raise or
decrease its value in any soil.
• Thermal Conductivity of silty soil with addition of 2, 4 and 6% of sodium carbonate
decreases with values of 0.0005, 0.0004, 0.0003 W/m K respectively.
References
Abdulagatov, I.M., Emirov, S.N., Abdulagatov, Z.Z., Askerov S.Y: Effect of America journal,
Soil Sci Soc America, pp. 8–14 (2006)
American Society of Testing Materials: ASTM D5334 “Standard Test Method for Determination
of Thermal Conductivity of Soil and Soft Rock by Thermal Needle Probe Procedure”, Annual
Book of ASTM Standards, vol. 0409 (2000)
Farouki, O.T.: Thermal Properties of Soils. Trans Tech Publications, New York (1986)
14 V. B. Muchhara et al.
Aramide, F.O.: Production and characterization of porous insulating fired bricks from Ifon clay
with varied sawdust admixture. J. Minerals Materials Characterization Eng. 11, 970–975
(2012)
Flynn, D.R., Watson, T.W.: Measurements of the thermal conductivity of soils to G. Ed., vol. 1,
pp. 305–343. Springer, Berlin (1969)
Bhojani, P.: Thermal conductivity of various types of soil. Maharaja Sayajirao University,
Baroda, India (2014)
Salomone, L.A., Kovacs, W.D.: Thermal resistivity of soils. J. Geotech. Eng. 110(3), 375–389
(1984)
Xiao, S.: Hydraulic conductivity investigated with Van Genuchten model (2014)
Zhenshuang, W.: Thermal properties of paraffin/SiO2 composite phase change materials.
University of Finance and Economics, China
Enviro-Economic Evaluation of Dumpsite
Rehabilitation Solutions
in Developing Countries
A. Galaa(&)
1 Introduction
The features of the solid waste management (SWM) system in Egypt were ill defined
for a long period leading to aggravated health, environmental, economic, and social
problems. Part of the inefficiencies in SWM system lay in the lack of a unified legal
framework and the other part in the poor coordination between relevant public as well
as private sectors. Moreover, other factors such as capital, human resource and data
restrictions contribute to the problem (Zaki et al. 2013). Thus, the foundation for the
decision-making process will be missing.
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019
H. Ameen and T. Sorour (Eds.): GeoMEast 2018, SUCI, pp. 15–37, 2019.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-01929-7_2
16 A. Galaa
Uncontrolled disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW) is one of the problems that
resulted from SWM system deficiencies during the past decades and is continuously
growing. According to the SWEEP-NET report (Zaki 2014), 80 to 88% of the gen-
erated MSW in Egypt is open-dumped in uncontrolled dumps, 7% are disposed in
landfills, and the rest is recycled and/or composted. According to the same report, out
of 22 planned sanitary landfills only 7 are hitherto operational while 2 are still under
construction. An urgent need exists forbetter waste management strategies to attain
higher rates of waste recycling and reuse, and lower rates of disposal. At such poor
recycling and reuse rates as well as insufficient landfill capacities, giant open dumps
grew across the country, which poses serious threat to the environment and public
health.
This report focuses on the current situation of uncontrolled open dumps in Egypt
and the possible solutions to reduce the associated negative impacts. While imple-
menting such solutions may only solves temporary and local issues, holistic changes to
the SWM system should be considered and executed to ensure the sustainability of the
implemented solutions.
5. Fauna in and around dump sites may be impacted, either by direct consumption of
the solid waste, or by consumption of contaminated plants and/or animals, or as a
result of leachate pollution to groundwater and surface water.
6. Plants near open dump sites can be impacted directly by the waste, dust or smoke
from burning.
1. Rising smoke from dumps due to uncontrolled fires may cause chest diseases,
respiratory disorders, and potentially heart diseases and cancers. Several dumpsites
in Egypt are located close to residential areas which elevates such risks.
2. Polluted water and soil can directly or indirectly harm water users.
3. Infections can spread due to direct contact of scavengers with waste. In addition,
vectors such as animals, rodents, birds and flying insects.
4. Waste can also slide underneath loads from moving on-site machinery causing fatal
accidents.
The previous sections addressed the possible harmful impacts of uncontrolled dumps
and the associated practices on the public health and safety as well as on the envi-
ronment. The required remedial measures range from decommissioning of the dump,
whether by removal or capping, to the upgrade to a more controlled waste disposal
facility. Choice of the most appropriate remedial measure depends on environmental as
well as economic factors. In this section, the sources of possible economic return will
be presented.
soil contamination is a costly, complicated and lengthy process. The good side is
having several suitable uses for the affected land. The location and post-closure use of
land defines the potential value of the salvaged land through removal or capping of the
open dump. There have been examples in Egypt where a capped dump has been used
for recreational purposes after decommissioning (closure). For example, EL-Darassa
dumpsite was capped and turned into what is currently known as Al-Azhar Park giving
live example of turning a dumpsite to a profit generating project when the location is
lucrative. Al-Fustat garden is another example on a smaller scale. If the location is not
as lucrative as in the previous cases, the dump could be partially or totally removed and
land can be utilized in a more efficient waste management system. For example,
transfer stations; sorting, composting, and/or recycling plants could be built on the
cleared section of the salvaged land. This was the solution adopted for Al-Montazah
dumpsite in Alexandria.
The peculiar fact that the one true indigenous class of American folk-
song is the product of an African race is, as we have seen, due to
circumstances alone. It is no reflection upon the capabilities of the
other races for artistic expression. It simply demonstrates the fact
that folk-song grows under certain conditions and no other. A nation
that is prosperous, that is plunged headlong into the feverish
activities of industrial progress, cannot be expected to bring forth
melancholy 'complaints' or gems of contemplative lyricism. But there
come even to such nations moments of national stress that give rise
to unusual outbursts. While these are usually voiced by single
individuals, they reproduce so vividly the spirit of the people that they
often rank with folk-songs in spontaneity and directness. Such are
the patriotic songs, whose creation accompanied every war and
every revolution. Often they are mere adaptations of freshly
composed words to old but stirring tunes, which thus take on a new
significance—often these very tunes are 'captured' from the enemy
and annexed to the country's flag. Such was the case in the War of
the Revolution, in the War of 1812, and again in the Civil War. These
songs—not strictly folk-songs—might better be described as 'songs
in the folk manner,' a distinction indicated in German by the adjective
volkstümlich or volksmässig.
Such songs in the folk manner follow in the wake of every
considerable folk-song tradition. They have not failed to do so in
America, and it is significant that the spirit which they reproduce or
aim to reproduce is the spirit of the negro folk-song. The movement,
or after-movement, started with the imitation of negro ditties by white
composers in connection with the so-called negro minstrel troupes
which, beginning about 1845, became a favorite form of amusement
in the United States. Its culmination must be recognized in the work
of such men as Stephen Foster and Henry Clay Work, whose works
are part of the permanent stock of American lyrics. Beyond this the
negro song has had an influence upon the so-called American
popular song, a degenerate type which has appropriated, often in
distorted form, some of the character of plantation song, notably the
peculiar form of syncopation known as 'ragtime.'
II
The discussion of the negroes' claim to the title 'American' would be
perhaps out of place at this late date, and particularly in this place,
were it not that a considerable class of American citizens has denied
to them not only social equality but equal consideration and
opportunity as a native citizen of the country. The preponderance of
European blood in the nation hardly justifies this any more than it
would justify the exclusion of the large number of Americans that are
of anciently oriental origin. In contrast with this the name 'American'
is never denied to the Indian, but priority of settlement can hardly be
argued in his favor, for by such reasoning the negro has superior
claims over some of the 'elect' of the white elements among
Americans. Negroes were sold into slavery in Virginia before the
landing of the Pilgrims in 1790. The first census of the United States
showed 759,208 negroes, and to-day they constitute nearly 13 per
cent. of the entire population. Their intellectual powers have been
amply proved by the achievements of individual members of the
race, in science, in education, and in the arts. It is hardly necessary
to name such men as Booker T. Washington, Paul Lawrence Dunbar,
and Dr. Burghardt DuBois in support of this. Mr. Krehbiel, however,
does well in quoting the last-named of these in proving the present
contention:
Hottentot Melody.
You may bur-y me in the East, You may bur-y me in the West;
But I'll
hear the trump-et sound In that morn-ing. In that morn-ing, my
Lord,
How I long to go, For to hear the trump-et sound, In that
morn-ing.
And, as a last example of tunes that have little in common with any
other kind of folk-song, a melody worthy of the sophistication of an
ultra-modern composer, let us add 'O'er the Crossing':
Practically all of the songs are in duple and quadruple rhythm, triple
time is extremely rare. The rhythmic propulsion is always strong. The
persistent excitement of rhythm is evidently an African relic and the
sense of it is so strong as to overcome the natural tendencies of the
text. 'The negroes keep exquisite time,' says Mr. Allen, 'and do not
suffer themselves to be daunted by any obstacle in the words. The
most obstinate hymns they will force to do duty with any tune they
please and will dash heroically through a trochaic tune at the head of
a column of iambs with wonderful skill.'
Besides this, the negro's chief instrument was the drum, as already
indicated. There were two principal sizes, made of a hollowed log
(the smaller one often of bamboo sections) over the end of which
sheep or goat skin was stretched. These drums were played in a
horizontal position, the player sitting on the instrument astride. Then
there were rattles, some like the Indians', some consisting of a jaw-
bone of an animal, across which a piece of metal was 'rasped'; also
the morimbabrett, consisting of a small shallow box of thin wood,
with several sections of reed, of graduated lengths, placed across it,
the ends of which were plucked by the player. The familiar Pan's
pipes, made from two joints of brake cane ('quills') and various noise
instruments—'bones,' triangle, tambourine, and whistles—were all
made to do duty. But when the negro had become thoroughly
civilized the violin became his favorite instrument, and the 'technique'
he achieved upon it without any real training has often astonished
the white listener.
III
Attention was not directed to the value of negro songs till the middle
of the nineteenth century. Considerable research resulted finally in
the publication of several collections, of which the 'Slave Songs of
the United States,' already mentioned above, was the first. This
collection of songs represents every phase in the gamut of
expression. The so-called 'sorrow' songs, the oldest surviving negro
songs, are perhaps the most expressive. Some of them have sprung
from the memories of a single act of cruelty, or an event of such
tragedy as to create a really deep impression. Others echo simply
the hardships encountered day by day. There are songs, too, that
reflect the sunshine and gaiety that was not altogether foreign to
plantation life, but those inspired by grief are the most beautiful.
Then there are the 'occupational' songs suggested by the rhythm of
labor which form a part of every kind of folk-song the world over. The
value of such songs was fully recognized by the slaves' masters, for
they were unfailing accelerators of labor, and it is known that the
slaves who led the singing in the field were given special rewards. In
consequence of this the negroes generally came to abhor that class
of songs, and it is significant that very few of the 'corn songs,' 'reel
tunes,' 'fiddle songs,' and 'devil songs' have been preserved, while
hundreds of the religious songs—'spirituals,' etc.—are now common
property.[70]
A special class of labor songs were the so-called 'railroad songs,'
which originated during the Civil War, when negroes were employed
in building earth works and fortifications. They consisted of a series
of rhythmic, protracted chants, upon words usually originated by a
leader. Railroad tracks were laid to these same strains—hence their
name. Their originality of thought and the fact that they represent the
last spontaneous outburst of the negro under rapidly changing
conditions, lends them a special interest. The railroad itself naturally
stimulated the negro's imagination. He introduced it metaphorically
even in his religious songs: the Christian was a traveller, the Lord
was the conductor and the ministers were the brakemen. At gospel
stations the train stopped for those that were saved, or to supply the
engine with the water of life. All of the negro's power of imagery was
here brought into play.
The love songs of the negro are few and those few lack depth, and
sometimes border on frivolity. An exception is usually made for 'Poor
Rosy,' concerning which one old negress has said that 'it cannot be
sung without a full heart and troubled spirit.'
His religion became the negro's one relief, comfort, and enjoyment.
His daily life became tinged with his belief; in his very sufferings he
saw the fulfillments of its promises. Nothing but patience for this life,
nothing but triumph in the next—that was the tenor of his lay.
Emancipation he thought of in terms of ultimate salvation rather than
earthly freedom. Thus he sang:
Often biblical words were garbled into mere nonsense. Thus 'Jews
crucified him' became 'Jews, screws, defidum,' etc. The personality
of the Prince of Darkness assumed a degree of reality which reminds
us of the characters of mediæval miracle plays. One of the songs
personifies him thus:
'But the benches are pushed back to the wall when the formal
meeting is over, and old and young, men and women, sprucely
dressed young men, grotesquely half-clad field hands—the women
generally with gay handkerchiefs twisted about their heads and with
short skirts—boys with tattered shirts and men's trousers, young girls
barefooted, all stand up in the middle of the floor, and when the
"sperichil" is struck up begin first walking and by and by shuffling
around, one after the other, in a ring. The foot is hardly taken from
the floor, and the progression is mainly due to a jerking, twitching
motion which agitates the entire shouter and soon brings out
streams of perspiration. Sometimes they dance silently, sometimes
as they shuffle they sing the chorus of the spiritual, and sometimes
the song itself is sung by the dancers. But more frequently a band,
composed of some of the best singers and of tired shouters, stand at
the side of the room to "base" the others, singing the body of the
song and clapping their hands together on the knees. Song and
dance are alike extremely energetic, and often, when the shout lasts
into the middle of the night, the monotonous thud, thud of the feet
prevents sleep within half a mile of the praise house.'
Closely related to the shout songs are the funeral songs which
accompanied the 'wakes' and burials of the negroes. They were
sung in a low monotonous croon by those who 'sat up' and are
particularly noted for their irregularity in everything except rhythm.
The negroes are especially inclined to voice their sorrow in nocturnal
song, as their savage ancestors did before them, and likewise they
indulged in funeral dances at night. Mrs. Jeanette Robinson Murphy,
writing in 'The Independent,' speaks of a custom in which hymns are
sung at the deathbed to become messengers to loved ones gone
before and which the departing soul is charged to bear to heaven.
'When a woman dies some friend or relative will kneel down and sing
to the soul as it takes flight. One of these songs contains endless
verses, conveying remembrances to relatives in glory.' Often these
funeral songs convey deep emotion in a nobly poetic vein. An
example recorded by Colonel Thomas Wentworth Higginson has the
following words:
Few of the secular songs have survived. Even these, it seems, were
often made to do service in the religious meeting, on the Wesleyan
principle that it would not do to let the devil have all the good tunes.
Some songs, on the other hand, were used to accompany rowing as
well as 'shouting'—probably because of the similarity of the rhythm in
the two motions. In 'Michael, Row the Boat Ashore,' which was a real
boat-song, not a human Michael but the archangel himself was
meant. Other tunes used for rowing were 'Heav'n Bell a-ring',' 'Jine
'em,' 'Rainfall,' 'No Man,' and 'Can't stay behin'.' Similarly, other
spirituals were used as working songs, for their rhythms were hardly
ever sluggish. As a good specimen of purely secular songs—'the
strange barbaric songs that one hears upon the Western
steamboats'—Mr. W. F. Allen points to the following:
The negro's natural impulse for dancing seems to have found its
outlet in the 'shout,' as far as the Atlantic seaboard states are
concerned at least, for the Christian sects promptly stamped out the
dances which were connected with primitive superstition. In
Louisiana, however, the negro came in contact with a very different
sort of people, the Spanish and French settlers—southern races of a
more sensuous turn than the Anglo-Saxon. The musical result was
the superposition of Spanish and French melody over negro rhythms
—the two ingredients of the Creole folk-songs, which are to a large
extent dance songs.