Abstract
AbstractUnsaturated expansive soils are recognized as one of the most problematic soils owing to its swelling–shrinkage characteristics. Expansive soils in the unsaturated state are part of vadose zone and encountered in several arid and semi-arid parts of the world. The presence of such soils in highway/railway embankments, slopes and earthen dam sites manifests various critical issues during and after the construction of structures. The presence of suction in unsaturated state of soil influences the geometric arrangement of soil fabric, which induces the volume change behavior in expansive soil. Bhavnagar region of Gujarat (India) is a coastal city which consists of salt-rich expansive soils of Basaltic origin. The present study aims to evaluate the influence of biopolymer stabilization on the suction characteristics of saline Bhavnagar black cotton soil. A series of non-contact and in-contact filter paper tests was conducted on the biopolymer treated and non-treated soils to evaluate total, matric and osmotic suction of the soil. Biopolymer treatment of black cotton soil was executed employing three different biopolymers, namely xanthan gum, guar gum and chitosan. Biopolymers were mixed in different proportions to obtain optimum percentage of treatment from filter paper tests. The tests indicated significant influence of the biopolymer treatment on the suction (total, matric and osmotic) characteristics of treated expansive soil. The optimum percentages of xanthan gum, guar gum and chitosan obtained from the present study were 0.5%, 1.5% and 0.12%, respectively. Influence of biopolymer treatment on swelling, strength and salinity characteristics was also assessed to obtain the most effective biopolymer treatment for Bhavnagar salt-rich expansive soil. Potential methodology of application of the treatment to the soil in field is also discussed in the present research.KeywordsSaline black cotton soilSuctionBiopolymerUnsaturatedFilter paper test
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