Effect of Crab Shell on Properties of Soil: A Mini Review

Abstract

Soil stabilization is crucial for infrastructure development, cost savings, environmental protection, construction efficiency, and overall project safety. Cement and lime are frequently used conventional materials for stabilizing soils worldwide. The production of these materials releases huge amounts of greenhouse gasses. There is a need to minimize the utilization of these materials. Researchers are finding alternative materials to cement or lime. The fly ash, silica fume, and crab shells are utilized as partial replacement material for cement. Crab shell waste, generated from the seafood processing industry, has gained attention as a potential sustainable partial alternative to cement or lime for soil stabilization due to its abundance and eco-friendly properties. In this study, an attempt has been made to review the effectiveness of crab shells as a soil-stabilizing material in various applications. Also, the physical and chemical parameters of the crab’s shell powder as well as the variables that affect its qualities were also reviewed. The literature shows that the addition of crab shell powder as a partial replacement for cement enhances the strength of the soil. The crab shell possesses an ultimate strength of 36 N/mm2 due to this the soil properties are enhanced when crab shell powder has been added as soil stabilizer. The review suggests that the inclusion of crab shell powder as a replacement to cement up 20% for enhancing the properties of soil and brick.