Experimental Investigation on the Effect of Polyurethane Foam on Black Cotton Soil

Abstract

Throughout the evolution of the human society, the one thing that each person has looked up to is the facilities that are available which includes basic infrastructure, roads, etc. When it comes to construction, the durability and quality are important factors. For a stable structure to be constructed, the most essential requirement is the presence of a stable base. In the earlier time, when there was no suitable soil beneath the structure, soil replacement was one of the methods used to be carried to attain stable strength and durability. In some of the places, the method of soil replacement could not be adopted, and hence, the stabilization of the soil by either physical or chemical methods is carried out. When it comes to soil stabilization, the main aim is to stabilize the soil with minimum cost and causing less harm to the environment. The present study focused on the investigation of the effect of polyurethane foam as a stabilizer on weak sub-grade soils. This study involves the stabilization of black cotton (BC) soil as it is declared as one of the problematic soil as construction on this soil is very difficult. The study takes place by the addition of liquid polyurethane foam in different percentage by mass of the soil and index, and engineering properties are carried out. The study also furnishes the optimum percentage of polyurethane foam to be added for effective stabilization. It is observed that the strength of black cotton soil can be improved when treated with liquid polyurethane foam. It was observed that soaked CBR values increased after treatment with liquid polyurethane foam.