The Relationship between Calcium Hydroxide Concentration in Pore Solution and the Strength of Stabilized Soils

Abstract

Under the same cement content, the stabilized soils, made of the soils with similar physical properties, may be significant difference in the strength. In this research, three groups of soils were selected, and the soils in each group are similar in physical properties. Strength and ions concentration in pore solution of the stabilized soils were investigated. The result reveals that calcium hydroxide (CH) concentration in pore solution of the stabilized soils might not reach to saturation due to soil consuming Ca2+and thus cause calcium silicate hydrates gels (C-S-H) and calcium aluminates hydrates gels (C-A-H) to form less. The cementitious hydrates are the main strength contributors of the stabilized soils. The Strengths of stabilized soils, the soils bearing similar physical properties, were almost identical as long as the CH concentrations in pore solution were saturated. The effect of chemical factors of soil on the strength of stabilized soil can be briefly attributed to the change of CH concentration in pore solution, and be further attributed to the influence of CH concentration on the amount of C-S-H and C-A-H formed in stabilized soils.