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Utilizing bottom ash, lime and sodium hexametaphosphate in expansive soil for flexible pavement subgrade design

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Abstract

The current study examines the effective use of bottom ash, which is mixed with lime and sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP), to stabilize the expansive soil in order to make a composite subgrade material for flexible pavement design. The study involves performing laboratory tests on expansive soil samples containing bottom ash and lime alone and along with (NAPO3)6. The tests such as differential free swell, consistency limits, compaction characteristics, unconfined compressive strength tests and California bearing ratio are performed. The results showed that adding an optimal amount of bottom ash (15%), lime (6%), and (SHMP) (4.5%), both alone and in combination, reduces the differential free swell and consistency limits of expansive soil and increased the CBR values, accomplishing it into an effective subgrade material. The thickness of flexible pavement was designed using IITPAVE software. The design was done by utilising obtained CBR values, it met the required parameters based on the IRC: 37-2018 recommendations. The software analysis revealed a reduction in pavement thickness for different commercial vehicle traffic volumes (1000, 2000, and 5000), with the highest reduction in layer thickness and construction costs observed when expansive soil was combined with bottom ash (15%), lime (6%), and (SHMP) (4.5%). This technology not only improves the geotechnical characteristics of subgrade soil, but it is also cost-effective and tackles the bottom ash disposal issue. Overall, this research proposes a novel method for developing a composite soil subgrade material for flexible pavement.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Civil Engineering Department, Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab, India

    Shiwani Rana, Sandeep Singh & Abhishek Sharma

Authors
  1. Shiwani Rana
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  2. Sandeep Singh
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  3. Abhishek Sharma
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Contributions

SR have done all the experiments in the laboratory physically and written the manuscript with the help of other authors. SS have given the guidance in writing manuscript. AS give his contribution in whole laboratory work and also helped in writing manuscript.

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Correspondence to Sandeep Singh.

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Rana, S., Singh, S. & Sharma, A. Utilizing bottom ash, lime and sodium hexametaphosphate in expansive soil for flexible pavement subgrade design. Multiscale and Multidiscip. Model. Exp. and Des. (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41939-023-00210-8

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