Utilization of pulverized cow bone (PCB) for stabilizing lateritic soil for road work

Abstract

This research explored the possibility of improving the engineering properties of lateritic soil with pulverized cow bone (PCB), a processed animal waste obtained from slaughtered cows, for road construction. The effects of PCB on the lateritic soil samples were evaluated by adding 5–12.5% PCB with a constant increment of 2.5% to the lateritic soil. The lateritic soil had a liquid limit of 36%, a plastic limit of 25.06% and a plasticity index of 10.94%. The plasticity of the lateritic soil is low; hence the lateritic soil may not be susceptible to cracking or shrinkage. The specific gravity of the lateritic soil is 2.59 while that of the PCB is 2.25. Though the values of the California bearing ratio and unconfined compressive strength increased from 15.50–22.3% and 67.25–204.18 kN/m2, respectively with the addition of 0–12.5% PCB, the compaction results did not suggest that PCB can be added to the lateritic soil endlessly. The chemical reaction between silicon and calcium oxides, which were predominant in PCB and lateritic soil respectively, may have implication for the engineering properties of the soil. From the results of the study, an addition of 5% PCB is recommended to improve the engineering properties of the lateritic soil for road construction.