Investigation of Water-Stability Behaviors in Coastal Mud Multiply Modified by Cement and Coarse-Particle Spoil

Soil contamination through petrochemical activities and leakage of organic hydrocarbon is not just an environmental problem and also can be considered as an important geotechnical issue. Adding amendment material is one of the most suitable and economical solutions to improve the geotechnical parameters of contaminated soil. In this study, the effect of Portland cement content (3, 6 and 9%) and lime content (10, 20 and 30%) on kaolinite clay contaminated with glycerol content (3, 6 and 9%) was investigated through an experimental program. For this purpose, the samples were prepared as mixtures of clean or glycerol-contaminated clay with different Portland cement and lime contents for 7 days curing time. Then, unconfined compressive strength (UCS) tests were conducted on the samples. The results showed a reduction of the strength of glycerol-contaminated kaolinite clay. The strength reduction increased with increase in degree of contamination. Based on the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis, it was found that the presence of glycerol prevents the interaction between soil-cement particles. However, adding Portland cement and lime to uncontaminated and contaminated soil increased the strength. The rate of increase in UCS increased with Portland cement and lime content. Also, the results of soil improvement showed that the strength of soil-cement mixture containing 9% Portland cement is approximately equal to that of the soil mixed with 10% lime. In other contents, the degree of improvement was dependent to the applied cement content. The main reasons were polar behavior of glycerol and its dielectric constant. The results were also analyzed and proved using the images taken by SEM.

To explore the strength change law and solidification mechanism of cement solidified heavy metal lead and chromium contaminated soil, ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and magnesium phosphate cement (MPC) were used for solidification/stabilization treatment. Through the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) test, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the leaching toxicity test, the microscopic characteristics of the cement type, the cement content, the ion type, the ion concentration, and the age and their influence law on the strength characteristics of heavy metal contaminated soil were obtained. The UCS test shows that the compressive strength increases with the cement content and age. When OPC and MPC were used to solidify lead and chromium heavy metal contaminated soil, the compressive strength of OPC was greater than that of MPC, and when the curing age was 28 days, 20% of OPC and MPC satisfied the landfill requirements. The leaching toxicity test showed that after the solidification/stabilization of heavy metal lead and chromium contaminated soil by OPC and MPC, the leaching content of lead ions in the leaching solution conforms to the national limit. For chromium contaminated soil, the concentration was less than or equal to 5000mg/kg, which conform to the limit standard. When the concentration was 10000mg/kg, the content exceeded the limit. Therefore, heavy metal lead contaminated soil is more easily stabilized than chromium contaminated soil. Microscopic tests show that OPC solidified heavy metal contaminated soil is solidified/stabilized by heavy metal ions through hydration products, namely, ettringite and amorphous cementing materials. MPC is obtained by the hydration reaction of magnesium oxide and ammonium dihydrogen phosphate to form struvite, and heavy metal ions are encapsulated in the lattice to achieve solidification/stabilization.

The use of industrial by-products as admixture to ASTM Type I cement (ordinary Portland cement (OPC)) was investigated with the objective of improving the solidification of organic marine clayey soils. The industrial by-products considered in this paper were oyster-shell powder (OSP), steelmaking slag dust (SMS) and fuel-gas-desulfurized (FGD) gypsum. The industrial by-products were added to OPC at a ratio of 5% based on dry weight to produce a mixture used to solidify organic marine clayey soils. The dosage ratios of mixtures to organic marine clayey soils were 5, 10 and 15% on a dry weight basis. Unconfined compressive strength (UCS) test after 28 days revealed that the highest strength was obtained with the OPC + SMS 15% mixing ratio. The UCS of specimens treated with this mixture was >500 kPa, compared with 300 kPa for specimens treated with a 15% OPC + OSP mixture and 200 kPa when 15% of OPC was used alone. These results were attributed to the more active hydration and pozzolanic reaction of the OPC + SMS mixture. This hypothesis was verified through X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses, and was confirmed by variations in the calcium carbonate (CaCO3) content of the materials during curing.

Based on an orthogonal experimental design, this study introduces rubber powder particle size alongside rubber powder content, aggregate gradation, and cement content as factors. A total of 16 mix proportions were formulated. For each mixture, compaction tests and unconfined compressive strength (UCS) tests were conducted. Using Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) software, a multifactor variance analysis was performed to determine the influence levels of the four factors on maximum dry density and compressive strength. The optimal mix proportion was selected based on compressive strength. The results indicate that aggregate gradation and rubber powder content significantly affect the maximum dry density of the mixture, with aggregate gradation having the greatest impact. Rubber powder content has the most substantial effect on compressive strength, while rubber particle size has the least influence. The optimal formulation is 7% cement content, 30-mesh rubber powder, 0.5% rubber powder content, and a skeletal dense gradation close to the median.

Peat is a well-known problematic soil associated with poor engineering properties. Its replacement with an expensive competent foundation material is practiced for road embankment construction which is costly and causes greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, this paper investigated the effectiveness of a byproduct from a metal industry (silica fume) to stabilize peat along with ordinary Portland cement (OPC) through a series of experimental tests. After peat-indexed characterization, a number of standard compaction and mechanical tests were performed on the stabilized and parent peat. For this purpose, nine designated mixes were prepared possessing various combinations of silica fume (SF) and 10–20% OPC. Unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and California Bearing Ratio (CBR) tests were carried out after 7, 14, and 28 days of curing to assess strength enhancement and binder effectiveness, and the microstructural evolution induced by the binders was examined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The analysis revealed a substantial improvement in mechanical properties with the incorporation of SF and OPC, ultimately meeting the minimum strength requirement for highway construction (i.e., 345 kPa). A peak UCS of 1063.94 kPa was recorded at 20% SF, and an unsoaked CBR value of 42.95 was observed using 15% SF and 15% OPC after 28 days of curing. Furthermore, the increasing percentage of hydraulic binders exhibited brittle, collapsible failure, while the microstructural study revealed the formation of a dense matrix with a refined pore structure in the treated peat. Finally, a significant statistical analysis was carried out by correlating the test parameters. In this way, rather than stockpiling and dumping, an industrial byproduct was implemented in peat stabilization in an eco-friendly manner.

Use of bender element tests for determining shear modulus of fly-ash and cement admixed Bangkok clay with considering unconfined compressive strength

Construction and demolition (C&D) waste has become a research hotspot due to the need for environmental sustainability and strength enhancement of cementitious materials. However, wider applications of C&D waste are limited, as its non-homogeneous surface nature limits its workability. This research evaluated the feasible utilization of C&D waste as aggregates in polypropylene-fiber-reinforced cement-stabilized soil (CSS) under sulfate-alkali activation. CSS specimens incorporated Portland cement and C&D waste in 10%, 20%, and 30% proportions. Also, polypropylene fiber after alkali activation by sodium sulfate (at 0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.8% dosing level) was defined as 1%, 2%, and 4%. Strength enhancement was examined through unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and flexural strength tests at 7, 14 and 28 days. Test results indicated that mechanical properties showed significant improvement with increasing levels of Portland cement and sodium sulfate, while the improvement dropped after excessive addition of C&D waste and polypropylene fiber. Optimal proportioning was determined as 30%, 4%, 20%, and 0.8% for Portland cement, polypropylene fiber, C&D waste, and sodium sulfate, respectively. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis attributed the enhancement to hydration product (ettringite) formation, bridging effect and increased particle friction. Additionally, the decrease in amplification was ascribed to the destruction of interface transition-zone (ITZ) strength, resulting in premature failure.

The paper presents the effect of alkali on tropical peat stabilized with ordinary portland cement (OPC), fly ash (FA) and different chemicals e.g., accelerator (a combination of 2.0% sodium sulfate, 0.5% sodium chloride and 0.1% triethanolamine); 2.6% aluminum sulfate; and 2.6% calcium sulfate. Various physical and engineering properties tests were conducted on original peat, FA and stabilized peat samples to check the effect of alkali and chemicals. Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) tests were carried out on treated (i.e., peat treated with 2% NaOH to reduce its acidity) and untreated stabilized peat samples with OPC, FA, and different chemicals for various curing periods. The results show that UCS value increases with curing periods and treated peat samples show better results than untreated peat for both OPC and FA stabilized peat samples. The highest UCS value was found on treated stabilized peat where calcium sulfate and OPC were used as stabilizers for 120 days curing period. In addition, specific gravity (<i>G_s</i>), pH, loss on ignition (<i>N</i>), Organic Content (OC) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) studies were also carried out on stabilized peat samples to investigate the stabilized behavior and micro-structure of the peat.

Road rehabilitation and reconstruction generate large supplies of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). One of the efforts to reuse the RAP is by insitu process and utilize it as road base materials. To get satisfying result from the RAP, it is necessary to add a certain amount of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) as stabilizer. This study investigate the potential use of OPC-stabilized RAP in road bases. Laboratory experimental method was applied by using material collected from road located at Boyolali-Kartasura as the object of the study with the cement content variations of 4%, 5% and 6% for unconfined compressive strength test (UCS) and the cement contents variation of 5% and 6% for drying shrinkage test. The range of cement contents required for unconfined compressive strength of cement treated recycling base (CTRB) are 5% to 6%. The cement content used at Boyolali - Kartosuro road rehabilitation was 5.5%. Drying shrinkage during 28 days is 805.3 micro strain for the cement content of 5% and 826.3 micro strain for the cement content of 6%. The drying shrinkage of the materials was quite high for CTRB, so that carefully design and attention need to take into account to avoid the cracks at the road base and the prospective of reflective cracking at the surface course of the road.

Backfilling performance of mixtures of dredged river sediment and iron tailing slag stabilized by calcium carbide slag in mine goaf

Use of ground granulated blast furnace slag blended with bentonite and cement mixtures as a liner in a landfill to retain diesel oil contaminants

Evaluation of fly ash- and slag-based geopolymers for the improvement of a soft marine clay by deep soil mixing

The treatment, disposal, and resource utilization of waste mud are challenges for engineering construction. This study investigates the road performance of waste mud–solidified soil and explains how solidifying materials influence the strength and deformation characteristics of waste mud. Unconfined compressive strength tests, consolidated undrained triaxial shear tests, resonant column tests, and consolidation compression tests were conducted to evaluate the solidification effect. The test results show that with an increase in cement content from 5 to 9%, the unconfined compressive strength of the waste mud–solidified soil increased by over 100%, the curing time was extended from 3 to 28 days, and the unconfined compressive strength increased by approximately 70%. However, an increase in initial water content from 40 to 60% reduced the unconfined compressive strength by 50%. With the increase of cement content from 5 to 9%, the cohesion and friction angles increased by approximately 78% and 24%, respectively. The initial shear modulus under dynamic shear increased by approximately 38% and the shear strain corresponding to a damping ratio decay to 70% of the initial shear modulus decreased by nearly 11%. The compression coefficient decreased by approximately 55%. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction tests showed that a higher cement content led to the formation of more hydration reaction products, especially an increase in the content of AlPO4, which can effectively fill the pores between soil particles, enhance the bonding between soil particles, and form a skeleton with soil particles to improve compactness. Consequently, the strength of the waste mud–solidified soil increased significantly while its compressibility decreased. This study can provide data support for dynamic characteristics of waste mud solidified soil subgrade.

This study addresses the use of an industry by-product, carbide slag (CS), to activate another industry by-product, ground granulated blastfurnace slag (GGBS), for soft clay stabilization in comparison to Portland cement (PC). The properties of CS–GGBS stabilized clays were investigated through unconfined compressive strength (UCS) test, mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicated that the optimum CS content for the CS–GGBS stabilized clay to yield the highest UCS was 4%–6%, varying slightly with curing age and GGBS content. The UCS of the optimum CS-GGBS stabilized clays was more than twice that of the corresponding PC stabilized clays. The main hydration products detected for the CS–GGBS stabilized clays included calcium silicate hydrates (CSH), calcium aluminate hydrates (CAH), and alumino-ferrite monosulfate (AFm).

Experimental study on the road performance of molybdenum tailings sand stabilized with cement and fly ash