Study of Moisture and Cement Rates Influence on Hydraulic Conductivity of a Stabilized Sandy Soil by Means of a Factorial Design of Experiments

Abstract

A laboratory study was conducted to evaluate the effects of cement stabilization over the hydraulic conductivity of a sandy soil from Botucatu Formation (state of Sao Paulo, Brazil). The investigation was performed using the technique of factorial design 32, with two factors: moisture content (MC) and cement rate (Ce), varying on three levels each. The MC levels were 6.4, 7.6 and 8.8 %, and the Ce levels, 3.0, 7.0 and 10.0 %. Hydraulic conductivity was measured in constant-head permeameters. All samples were compacted at the same compaction ratio, inside the permeability columns. With the results of the characterization, a statistical analysis was performed, resulting in a regression model as a function of the variable factors. Thus it was possible to evaluate the effect of moisture and cement ratios and establish tendency curves through a response surface which showed the hydraulic behavior of the stabilized soil. This method allows a better understanding of cement and water amount effects.