Stabilization of black cotton soil using alccofine and lime

Abstract

BCSs are the problematic soils and not suitable for construction due to its swelling and shrinking behavior with change in moisture content. The study on behavior of BCS gained interest among geotechnical engineers due to its wide distribution in India. In this paper, Black cotton soil (BCS) is amended with alccofine and lime. Free swell index tests and uniaxial compression (UC) tests were performed, and the optimum mix proportion is decided to have maximum strength and a stable volume. The free swell index of BCS with 20% alccofine is considered as optimum to have complete volume instability. The strength of the amended BCS with addition of alccofine in different percentages 0%, 5%, 15%, 25% and 35% without lime and with 1% lime is tested for its Uniaxial compressive strength (UCS). The specimens were cured under dessicator curing for 0, 7, 14 and 28 days. By comparing the UCS of different combinations of specimens, the combination with 75% BCS and 25% alccofine and 1% lime was the optimum giving maximum UCS.