Things to know about Soil Stabilization

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Introduction

Working on problematic soil in the field of the construction industry is a challenging part from the very beginning. A considerable land is covered with problematic soil. This challenge leads us towards the identification of its possible solution to utilize it in the industry. There are several ways to overcome this problem. One of the most ideal solutions is to improve the properties of problematic soil up to our desirable criteria. Soil Stabilization is a widely used and accepted method for the improvement of soil properties. Stabilization of soil is the process of improving or enhancing the properties using physical, chemical or non-chemical additives [1]. In other words it can also be described as a method to achieve a stable mix of the soil mass and admixture content which can improve the geotechnical properties of soil.

Advantages of Stabilization

  • Provides a working platform for the project
  • It improves the strength of soil
  • It helps to stabilize the soil volume change
  • Improvement in workability of the soil
  • Reduction in the dust in the work environment
  • Improvement in the durability of soil
  • Conservation in aggregate materials
  • It reduces the overall cost of the geotechnical property improvement process

Research & Materials

Discussing the research it is considered that stabilization is a traditional method and also lots of research work has already proved that stabilization gives an improvement in the geotechnical properties of problematic soil. In spite of numerous research works it is still an interesting topic to work on. Completed researches have considered various locally available materials for the identification of the impact of that material on the soil property. Using local materials makes it significant to identify the other local materials for a particular region to make the stabilization process more economical. Rather than working on only experimental base in the laboratory now, stabilization has also evolved. Micro-structure analysis and the numerical modeling/analysis also take place in the industry to identify the suitability of the material as well as its behavior under particular circumstances like slope, abutment, approaches, pavements, filling, etc.

Numerous studies have been conducted on the stabilization from which different types of material have been identified like cement, cement kiln dust, lime, gypsum, fly ash, various chemicals, rice husk ash, mine tailing mixtures, coal metakaolin, industrial metal waste, locust bean waster ash, coir fibres, sisal fibres, glass polymer fibres, geopolymers, bentonite clay, asphalt emulsion, natural pozzolana, brick dust, marble powder, geosynthetic materials, nanomaterials and many more. The crucial task during the stabilization process is to select appropriate material that should be harmless to the environment. It is also important to identify natural and or waster material to reduce the economy of the project.

Analysis of Stabilization

There are two types of analysis can be conducted on the soil specimen to analyze the effect of stabilizer on the soil.
  1. Experimental Analysis
  2. Numerical/Analytical Modeling

Experimental analysis includes following tests

  • Sieve analysis
  • Standard / Modified Proctor test
  • Liquid Limit
  • Plastic Limit
  • Plasticity Index
  • Linear Shrinkage
  • Swelling Potential
  • Unconfined Compression Strength test
  • Compression Strength test
  • Weathering test (Durability analysis)
  • XRF (X-ray fluorescence)
  • Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)

Numerical/Analytical Modelling

  • Wrinkler Model
  • Lumped Parameter on elastic half-space model
  • Numerical methods - Finite Element Method

Applications in Construction Industry

Stabilization is useful at every phase where the soil is being used in the construction industry, some of them are mentioned below

Pavement Construction:

Pavement or Road construction is the field where the maximum application of stabilization can is used in the layer of sub-grade and sub-base to stabilize the bottom base of the pavement wherever problematic soil is found. It can provide better and economic solutions for the problems of expansion as well as the settlement of the base. Moreover, geosynthetic materials are also widely used for stabilization with the addition of additives.

Filling Material:

To overcome the problems of an excessive settlement of the base in the construction field in the foundation as well as in other platforms use of stabilization makes soil a better filling material. The process makes utilization of existing material with the addition of some additives which reduces the overall cost of the process.

Construction Material:

Soil is a versatile construction material. It is used as filling earth, making bricks, making earthen blocks, as binding in stone/rock-based wall. Stabilization of soil increases its suitability in those mentioned regions where better results can be obtained through it.
Image Source: Peakpx.com

Rammed Earth Construction:

Rammed earth construction is among the traditional construction practices in which soil performs a vital role as a main ingredient of the construction. Stabilizing soil will help to achieve desirable properties in the rammed earth construction where natural or green materials can also be used to build the element. It also helps in improving the stability of the structure along with its strength characteristics.
Image Source: Flickr

Earthen Dam & Slope:

As we already know that soil is the key ingredient in the earthen dam where well-compacted soil is used with the other earthen materials to get sustainable water-resistant structure. Stabilizing soil can help to make a waterproof layer through reducing its permeability also it will help to improve the stability of the upstream and downstream slopes.
Image Source: Wikimedia

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