Effect of Cement on the Engineering Properties of Sand

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper describes the comparative study of the assessment and effect of cement on the engineering properties (compaction, unconfined compressive strength and durability behaviour) of corralline and desert sand. The results of the study showed that the addition of the cement improves the engineering properties of both the sands. The maximum dry unit weight of coralline sand and desert sand was found to increase with the increase in the cement content while the optimum moisture content was found to increase marginally for coralline sand with the increase in the cement content while for desert sand the optimum moisture content remains constant with the increase in the cement content. However the compaction behaviour of both the sands is similar for practical purposes. Corralline and desert sands are satisfying the requirements for unconfined compressive strength at 7% and 1% cement content respectively. The brush loss and maximum volume change is decreasing with the increase in the cement content for both the sands. Corralline and desert sands are satisfying the requirement for brush loss at 7% and 4% and maximum volume change at 5% and 12% respectively. Desert sand is more prone to volume change than coralline sand. The stabilized sands with cement can be used as a base course material in highway pavements. Utilizing locally available materials such as coralline sand and desert sand for the construction of highway pavements will reduce the cost of transporting better quality conventional civil engineering materials like soil, aggregates or rocks which are becoming scarce and are difficult to find.