Environmental impact analysis and utilization of copper slag for stabilising black cotton soil

Abstract

The stability of black cotton soil (B.C. soil) has piqued the curiosity of numerous researchers. The study of application of copper slag (C.S.) in embankment by researchers were tried in the past with very few applications of waste material. The present experimental study has been focused at determining the behaviour of B.C. soil reinforced with C.S. in a random manner. Use of any waste materials like slag (copper) in soil stabilization is both environmental and engineering favourable. The soil used was expansive soil obtained from district, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. The soil was obtained by removing the surface layer and collected from the depth 0.50 m from the natural ground level. In this study samples of treated soil were prepared by mixing copper slag content at four different percentage (5.0%, 10.0%, 15.0% and 20.0% by mass of soil). The optimum mix was evaluated to be in the proportion of BC + 20%CS. Modified Proctor Test, California Bearing Ratio (CBR), Unconfined Compression Strength Test (UCS), Specific Gravity, Liquid Limit (L.L.), Plastic Limit (P.L.), Swell Index, environmental impact analysis and sensitivity analysis were carried out on the mixture.