Stabilization of Black Cotton Soil using Fly Ash

Abstract

Using expansive soil at construction sites poses significant challenges due to its tendency to shrink and swell. To mitigate these issues and make expansive soil suitable for construction, proper treatment is necessary. Black cotton soils, which are expansive and have low bearing capacity, contain Montmorillonite clay mineral responsible for their shrinkage and swelling properties. Changes in moisture content can exacerbate the swelling behavior of black cotton soil. The goal of stabilization is to enhance the usability of black cotton soil for construction by adding Fly Ash (FA). Soil is a unique material, and by incorporating certain admixtures, it can be stabilized with varying percentages of Fly Ash (5%, 10%, 15%, 20%).