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Influence of Soluble Sodium Sulphate Contamination on Physical and Strength Behavior of Untreated and Lime Treated Soil

  • Geotechnical Engineering
  • Published:
KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering Aims and scope

Abstract

The susceptible behavior of sulphatic soil with lime treatment is explored mostly by using gypsum. However, the effect of varying sulphate cations contamination in the behavior of chemically treated soils with calcium based stabilizers has not been given attention properly. Hence, the present study explores the influence of soluble monovalent sodium sulphate (Na2SO4) on the physical and strength behavior of untreated and treated expansive soil with lime. Further, research works are extended to establish the soluble Na2SO4 concentration that can affect adversely to the lime treatment in comparison to untreated soil and its mechanism is elucidated using detailed physicochemical and microanalyses. The results reveal that the soluble Na2SO4 contamination of both untreated and lime treated soil has shown an increase in the MDD and reduction in OWC with a marginal effect on the plasticity characteristics. The soluble Na2SO4 contamination accelerates the early strength in the treated soil as compared to the same with untreated soil. On the contrary, longer curing periods and higher sulphate concentrations beyond 20,000 ppm lead to distress in the strength of untreated and treated soil. Multiple factors that can control the behavior of both untreated and treated soil upon soluble Na2SO4 concentration such as cation position in lyotropic series, ionic reactions and its products are evidenced using the microanalyses (SEM, XRD, EDAX, TGA, FTIR) and physicochemical changes (pH and EC).

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the editor/reviewers for their critical and valuable remarks, suggestions, and comments which helped significantly to improve the quality of the paper.

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  1. Dept. of Civil Engineering, School of Civil and Chemical Engineering, Manipal University Jaipur, Jaipur, Rajasthan, 303007, India

    Shivanshi & Mohammad Parwez Akhtar

  2. Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Patna, Patna, Bihar, 801103, India

    Arvind Kumar Jha

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  1. Shivanshi
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Correspondence to Arvind Kumar Jha.

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Shivanshi, Jha, A.K. & Akhtar, M.P. Influence of Soluble Sodium Sulphate Contamination on Physical and Strength Behavior of Untreated and Lime Treated Soil. KSCE J Civ Eng 26, 3815–3830 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-022-1964-6

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