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Physicochemical behavior of tropical laterite soil stabilized with non-traditional additive

Acta Geotechnica volume 11, pages 433–443 (2016)Cite this article

Abstract

Non-traditional soil stabilizers are widely used for treating weak materials. These additives are cost- and time-effective alternatives to more traditional materials such as lime and cement. It has been well established that the treatment of natural soil with chemical additives will gradually affect the size, shape, and arrangement of soil particles. Furthermore, the degree of improvement is dependent on the quantity and the pattern of new products formed on and around the soil particles. In this paper, unconfined compressive strength (UCS) test was performed as an index of soil improvement on mix designs treated with calcium-based powder stabilizer (SH-85). The time-dependent changes in shear strength parameter and compressibility behavior of treated soil were also studied using standard direct shear and one-dimensional consolidation tests. In order to better understand the shape and surface area of treated particles, FESEM, N2-BET, and particle size distribution analysis were performed on soil-stabilizer matrix. From engineering standpoint, the UCS results showed that the degree of improvement for SH-85-stabilized laterite soil was roughly five times stronger than the untreated soil at the early stages of curing (7-day period). Also, a significant increase in the compressibility resistance of treated samples with curing time was observed. Based on the results, less porous and denser soil fabric was seen on the surface of clay particles. FESEM images of the treated mix designs showed the formation of white lumps in the soil fabric with the cementitious gel filling the pores in the soil structure.

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Acknowledgments

The author wish to acknowledge the financial supports given by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), and the supports from the Construction Research Alliance and Construction Research Centre UTM.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geotechnic and Transportation Department, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, UTM Skudai, 81310, Johor, Malaysia

    Nima Latifi, Aminaton Marto & Amin Eisazadeh

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  1. Nima Latifi
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  2. Aminaton Marto
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  3. Amin Eisazadeh
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Correspondence to Nima Latifi.

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Latifi, N., Marto, A. & Eisazadeh, A. Physicochemical behavior of tropical laterite soil stabilized with non-traditional additive. Acta Geotech. 11, 433–443 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-015-0370-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-015-0370-3

Keywords

  • Calcium-based stabilizer
  • Compressibility
  • Laterite soil
  • Morphology
  • Surface area