A considerable surface area of Woliso town is covered by expansive soils which have a tendencyrnto undergo volume change due to change in water content with seasonal moisture variation. Civilrnengineering structure built on such soils show damage due to uneven movement caused byrnswelling and shrinking of the soil.rnThe focus of this study is to develop correlation between index properties and swelling potential ofrnthe expansive soils found in Woliso town. Conducting swelling pressure and swelling potentialrntests is time taking and expensive when compared with a simple index property tests. Therefore, itrnis helpful and has engineering applications to develop correlation formulas for estimating thernswelling potential from simple index properties tests.rnThe thesis investigated the feasibility of single linear regression analysis and multiple linearrnregression analysis in correlating swelling potential with soil index properties. A total of 19rndisturbed and 19 undisturbed samples were collected from different localities of Woliso town andrnthe necessary laboratory tests were conducted in order to develop the empirical correlations.rnIn this research regression analysis is used to explore the significance of individual independentrn(index) soil variables. The empirical correlation is given in the form of an equation of swellingrnpotential as a function of natural moisture content, dry density, grain size analysis, AtterbergrnLimits .This is done by considering the effect of an individual soil index properties and effect of arncombination of soil index properties on the swelling potential results. The empirical correlationrnusing single regression analysis results in a determination coefficient of R-square (R 2) =0.3864rnand mean confidence level of (CL)=96.78%, whereas multiple regression analysis gaverncomparatively a better correlation with determination coefficient of R-square (R 2) =0.4886 withrnmean confidence level of (CL) =95.82%. Results of the validity of the newly developed correlationrnwith control test results shows that, the correlation of swelling potential value with soil indexrnproperties is valid only for preliminary design purposes and estimation of swelling potential of thernsoils.