Abstract
Abstract Because soluble salt in saline soil dissolves with water, utility tunnels built in saline soil foundation are more likely to damage due to by groundwater and earthquake. In this study, new cementitious composite materials were developed by using slag, building gypsum, quicklime, and magnesia. The unconfined compressive strengths of the saline soil solidified by new cementitious composite materials and cement are investigated, and the optimum proportion of the different components of the new cementitious composite materials is determined. We found from microscopic characteristics of the saline soil solidified by the new cementitious composite materials and cement that the new materials could better absorb chloride ions. Finally, the new cementitious composite materials were applied to saline soil foundation reinforcement of a utility tunnel. By using the finite element method (FEM) and shaking table tests, it can be seen that the displacement, acceleration and extent of damage of the utility tunnel after saline soil foundation reinforcement using new cementitious composite materials significantly decreased; therefore, the new cementitious composite materials can improve the seismic behaviour of the utility tunnel and shows potential future engineering application value.
Highlights
As a special rock and soil mass, saline soil shows a high structural strength in its natural state due to cementation caused by the salt
After saline soil is immersed in water, soluble salt is dissolved so that the soil structure is damaged, greatly decreasing the bearing capacity and compression modulus of saline soil
The purpose of the study is to develop cementitious new composite materials to solidify saline soil foundation, improving the seismic behaviour of the utility tunnel built in saline soil foundation
Summary
As a special rock and soil mass, saline soil shows a high structural strength in its natural state due to cementation caused by the salt. After saline soil is immersed in water, soluble salt is dissolved so that the soil structure is damaged, greatly decreasing the bearing capacity and compression modulus of saline soil. The purpose of the study is to develop cementitious new composite materials to solidify saline soil foundation, improving the seismic behaviour of the utility tunnel built in saline soil foundation. About researching on chemical activation, Jin and Wang (2005) made a new inorganic composite cementitious material by using blast furnace slag, light-burned MgO, alkali-water glass, potassium hydroxide, and found that the material shows favourable mechanical properties. The new cementitious composite materials were applied to reinforce saline soil foundation of a utility tunnel to investigate the seismic behaviour of the utility tunnel before and after foundation reinforcement, and this work could provide important technological guidance for seismic design of the utility tunnel
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