Variation in strength owing to solidification treatment of weathered granite soil

Abstract

Recently, soil-cement is being increasingly used in various applications such as road pavements, slope protection, backfilling of earth walls, and improving soft ground, in order to increase the strength of the raw material soil. Therefore, in this study, the characteristics of changes in the unconfined compression strength of soil-cement were analyzed by adding a solidifying agent targeting granite soil, which is representatively distributed in Korea. Laboratory tests were conducted to analyze the changes in strength according to 1) curing conditions and fine contents, 2) inorganic solidifying agent, and 3) repeated effects of dry and wet conditions. The unconfined compression strength of soil-cement increased as the curing period and mixing ratio increased, and it was constant after 14 days of curing. In addition, weathered granite soil with relatively low fine contents showed a large increase in the unconfined compression strength. In addition, the strength increased with an increase in the solidifying agent added. X-ray-diffraction analysis showed that vermiculite was generated by adding cement and admixtures, and the strength was increased by filling the gap between the particles. Considering the results of this study, a relationship between the unconfined compression strength and the elastic modulus of soil-cement by treatment with a solidifying agent was proposed.