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The Effect of Olivine Content and Curing Time on the Strength of Treated Soil in Presence of Potassium Hydroxide

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Abstract

When olivine (Mg2SiO4) is activated with potassium hydroxide (KOH), it acquires the ability to improve the unconfined compressive strength of soil. This paper investigates the use of olivine for soil stabilisation through alkaline activation by focusing on the role of different alkali activated olivine contents (5–20 wt%) in stabilising native soil at different curing durations. The strength results were supported by a detailed microstructural and compositional analysis including scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Use of olivine in the presence of KOH increased the shear strength of soil up to 7.4 MPa in 90 days as a result of the formation of brucite, quartz and mullite in the structure of treated soil. This achievement implies a tremendous effect of olivine on the strength behaviour of treated soil. These results provide essential information which is significant from an environmental perspective as it offers a low energy alternative to existing technologies, for soil stabilisation.

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Acknowledgements

The authors sincerely give thanks to the University Putra Malaysia and Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS/1/2015/TK01/ UPM/01/2) entitled ‘Sustainable soil stabilisation by olivine and its mechanisms’ funded by the Ministry of Higher Education in Malaysia (Project ID 93474–135837) for financial support of this research. Moreover, authors would like to extend their sincerest thanks and appreciation to Dr. Gabriele Kociok-Köhn from University of Bath, Department of Chemistry who helped us accomplish of XRD analysis and Dr. Afshin Asadi from University Putra Malaysia for this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, University Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Mohammad Hamed Fasihnikoutalab

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, University of Binaloud, No. 4 Moallem Street, Torghabeh, Mashhad, Iran

    Shahram Pourakbar

  3. Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, BRE Centre for Innovative Construction Materials, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK

    Richard J. Ball

  4. Department of Civil Engineering, University Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Bujang Kim Huat

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  1. Mohammad Hamed Fasihnikoutalab
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Correspondence to Mohammad Hamed Fasihnikoutalab.

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Fasihnikoutalab, M.H., Pourakbar, S., Ball, R.J. et al. The Effect of Olivine Content and Curing Time on the Strength of Treated Soil in Presence of Potassium Hydroxide. Int. J. of Geosynth. and Ground Eng. 3, 12 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40891-017-0089-3

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