Field and Laboratory Evaluation of Cement Kiln Dust as a Soil Stabilizer

Abstract

A field and laboratory study was conducted to evaluate cement kiln dust (CKD) as a soil stabilizer. The performance of CKD from three different cement manufacturers was compared with that of quicklime. Field-work involved construction of test sections along a rural highway in Oklahoma. Observations were made to compare construction requirements for CKD and lime. Treated soil samples were collected from the field to prepare specimens for unconfined compression testing in the laboratory. In situ testing included dynamic cone penetration testing in the stabilized subbase and falling weight deflectometer testing after completion of the pavement. Chemical testing was conducted to determine the chemical makeup of each dust, and soil-CKD mixtures were tested for pH response. Chemical tests on the CKD and CKD-soil mixtures revealed aspects of the CKD composition that can be correlated with the degree of stabilization. Regarding strength improvements, results showed that CKD from one cement plant performed significantly better than lime and CKD from other plants. The laboratory and field test data showed that, overall, CKD was more effective than quicklime for stabilizing soil. Additional laboratory tests showed that the influence of CKD and lime on the plasticity index of soils was similar and that both additives imparted some resistance to freeze-thaw and wet-dry cycles. Observations indicate that treatment with CKD can be cost-effective and that it requires less construction time than treatment with quicklime.