Soil Problems Research Articles

Kyiv St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Church: Problems of Restoration And Post-War Renovation of A Unique Monument of the Neo-Gothic Style

St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Church is one of the main centers of the Roman Catholic community of Ukraine, an architectural monument of national significance, a neo-Gothic building of the beginning of the 20th century, unique for Kyiv, built in the innovative for that time material of reinforced concrete and experimental structures. As a result of problematic soils, design miscalculations, destructive to the structures of the building city transport communications (vibrations from subway traffic), a catastrophic fire in the building in 2021, deterioration of the stability of the building as a result of the barbaric Russian bombing of the civilian center of Kyiv, the church building is in a critical condition, and currently is no functioning. An urgent survey and restoration is needed to prevent the church ruining. The restoration should apply new practical technological measures to correct the critical situation. This publication sheds light on the current issues of the state of the monument and presents proposals for priority measures for its preservation, highlights the role and significance of St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Church in the history of Kyiv and in the formation of stylistic architecture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

CONSTRUCTION OF SUSTAINABLE ROADS USING THE MIXTURE OF ALKALI-ACTIVATED RICE HUSK ASH AND FLY ASH

Soil stabilization, crucial for enhancing the stability and engineering properties of soil, has been the subject of extensive research utilizing mechanical and chemical methods. This study delves into the challenges faced in traditional soil subgrade stabilization methods, stemming from factors such as soil erosion, inadequate load-bearing capacity, and susceptibility to environmental conditions. These challenges have prompted the exploration of innovative solutions for road subgrade soil stabilization. Our primary motivation stems from the limitations of conventional techniques and the pressing need to address issues like resource exploitation and environmental pollution. Geopolymers, specifically alkaline-activated materials, have emerged as a promising alternative for soil stabilization. This research investigates the effects of geopolymer blended with rice husk ash (RHA) and fly ash (FA) on various geotechnical properties of natural and admixed black cotton soil. The soil is replaced with admixtures ranging from 0% to 30% of blended geopolymer by weight. The study provides a comprehensive analysis, focusing on quantifiable improvements in soil properties through numerical results. The investigations consistently reveal that the application of geopolymer as a soil stabilizer results in notable improvements in the geotechnical properties like index properties, strength properties, resistance to penetration (CBR), etc., of problematic soil. Comparative analysis with traditional methods underscores the superiority of the proposed geopolymer blend, showcasing its innovation, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness. The findings of this study contribute to the advancement of soil stabilization techniques, specifically in the context of geopolymer applications. For future work, this study suggests an in-depth exploration of geopolymer-stabilized soil's long-term durability and environmental impact. Additionally, further research could focus on optimizing the geopolymer blend ratios for varying soil types and environmental conditions.

Assessment of Bearing Capacity and Settlement Characteristics of Organic Soil Reinforced by Dune Sand and Sodium Silicate Columns: A Numerical Study

Organic soil is problematic soils in geotechnical engineering due to its properties, as it is characterized by high compressibility and low bearing capacity. Therefore, several geotechnical techniques tried to stabilize and improve this soil type. In this study, sodium silicate was used to stabilize sand dune columns. The best sodium silicate concentration (9%) was used, and the stabilized sand dune columns were cured for seven days. The results for this soil were extracted using a numerical analysis program (Plaxis 3D, 2020).In the case of studying the effect of (L/D) (where ‘’L” and ‘’D’’ length and diameter of sand dune columns) of a single column of sand dunes stabilized with sodium silicate with a different diameter, the results showed that the best effect was for L/D of (4) with D equal to (0.7m) in the end bearing columns type. In the case of studying a group of columns, the percentage of improvement in soil bearing ratio increased with increasing the number of columns in both floating and end bearing types. When using (8-columns) with a square distribution pattern, the optimum improvement was at the end bearing and at the ratio L/D of (6), where the improvement percentage was (666%) compared to the unimproved soil.

Pine cone ash stabilization of expansive soils

<p>The use of appropriate waste materials to stabilize problematic soils, such as expansive soils that are responsible for geotechnical damage, is a common practice in geotechnical engineering. This study presents the use of pulverized ash from the combustion of pine cone (PC) waste as a stabilizing agent to improve the engineering properties of expansive soils. A series of laboratory tests were carried out to examine the effect of different percentages of pine cone ash (PCA) content (3%, 5%, 7%, and 10%) on the Atterberg limits, swelling potential (Sp), linear shrinkage, compressibility, and unconfined compressive strength (qu) of naturally occurring swelling soils and the PC ash-treated soils. The results showed that PC ash contents of 5% and 7% contributed to a significant reduction in the swelling and shrinkage potential and an improvement in the coarsest texture, brittleness behavior, compaction properties, and compressive strength of the treated soils. Conversely, PC ash contents below 3% and above 7% showed minimal changes in the index and engineering properties of the PC ash-treated soils. In particular, the PC ash content of 5% resulted in optimal mitigation of the poor properties of the treated soils. The use of pine cone ash as a stabilizing agent represents a suitable and complementary subgrade soil material for expansive soils on which lightweight structures are built.</p>

Identifying Problematic Soils Using Compressibility and Suction Characteristics

The major problematic soils in semi-arid regions include expansive soils and collapsible soils. These two types of soils cause problems and are hazardous for buildings when moisture is introduced following a dry or semi-dry season. In order to assess the risk and damage likely to occur, a protocol of investigation needs to be considered by geotechnical engineers to quantify and assess the possible heave or collapse that may occur. The characterization and prediction of unsaturated soil behavior in semi-arid areas can now be enabled following the advancement of unsaturated soil mechanics. Heave is associated with the wetting of expansive soils, while excessive settlement or the sudden loss of support may occur when water is introduced to collapsible soils. This work calls for more than one parameter for the assessment of problematic soils to avoid misleading predictions based on a single test. This study presents an investigation of two sets of soil samples obtained from semi-arid areas in Saudi Arabia known for their collapsible or expansive nature. Tests under controlled suction and variable effective stress were conducted. The air entry values, inflection points, and residual points were established and compared for the two problematic soils. A series of oedometer tests was conducted for typical soils, and settlement and collapse were measured and assessed. The swell potential for the tested clays varied from 4% to 22%. It is possible to integrate the data from the soil–water characteristic curve (SWCC) and compressibility tests with any project specification and applied stresses to produce reliable recommendations for the construction and protection of structures in hazardous soils.

Multi-parameters approach to assessment of soil liquefaction vulnerability in wetland areas of Lagos, Southwestern, Nigeria

With respect to geology, most coastal terrains are underlain by problematic soils, some of which are liquefiable in nature and may cause sudden failure of engineering infrastructures. Against this background, this study was carried out to investigate the subsurface geology of some Lagos coastal areas and their engineering implications using geophysical and geotechnical methods. To achieve this purpose, the Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves, Cone Penetration Test, and Standard Penetration Test were deployed. Surface waves measurements were collected using a 24-channel seismograph to which 4.5 Hz twenty-four vertical geophones were connected via the takeouts of the two cable reels. CPT soundings were carried out with a 10-tons motorized cone penetrometer and boring with SPT were carried out as well. The results of the Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves measurements showed that the shear waves velocity (Vs) ranges from 160 to 470 m/s. The very loose to loose sand delineated have Vs in the range from 170 to 250 m/s. The tip resistance and sleeve resistance values spanned between 4.0 and 72.0 kg/cm2 and 6.0–94 kg/cm2 respectively. The thickness of the liquefiable sands in the study area varied between 2.5 and 18.0 m. At Ikoyi site, owing to the prevalence of loose silty sand, corroborated by the available borehole data and the Liquefaction Potential Index, it is classified as having a high-risk liquefaction and could be responsible for the periodic damages to structural infrastructures such as roads and buildings. The sediments mapped at Okun-Ajah and Badore sites are mainly saturated loose sands with high likelihood to liquefaction with very-high to high risk severity. The study concludes that the presence of these sediments and other factors that could induce ground motion making the study sites potentially susceptible to liquefaction. Hence, an urgent attention must be given to early monitoring measures to address the trend.

Optimization of physical and strength performance of cellulose-based fiber additives stabilized expansive soil

Expansive soils are known as geotechnically problematic soils and represent a significant challenge for both civil engineering and geotechnical applications. The primary issue with expansive soils is their susceptibility to moisture-induced volume changes, resulting in both shrinkage and swelling behaviors. This study presents a comprehensive investigation into optimizing the physical and strength properties of expansive soil through the use of cellulose-based fiber additives, namely bamboo fiber (BF), rice husk fiber (RHF), and wheat straw fiber (WSF). Various fiber dosages (5 %, 10 %, and 15 %) and sizes (75 µm, 150 µm, and 300 µm) were employed in combinations to identify the optimal conditions and analyze the soil-fiber reinforcement mechanisms. The experimental design was leveraged by the Taguchi method to optimize conditions, focusing on key response factors such as the Atterberg limit test (PI, LL), free swell ratio (FSR), linear shrinkage (LS), and unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and statistical analysis for results were validated by Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Additionally, cellulose content and water absorption capacity were assessed to confirm the suitability of cellulose-based fibers as soil stabilizers. Hence, the results demonstrate a substantial enhancement in both the physical and mechanical properties of the stabilized soil with the incorporation of cellulose-based fiber additives. Specifically, the Plastic Index (PI) improved by 85 % when using RHF fibers at a dosage and size of 15 % and 300 µm, respectively. The Free Swell Ratio (FSR) witnessed improvement with WSF fibers at a dosage of 15 % and a size of 150 µm. Linear shrinkage exhibited remarkable improvement, exceeding 95 %, with a combination of 15 % and 75 µm fibers. Furthermore, the Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) values were improved by more than 100 % when using 15 % BF fibers with a size of 300 µm. Therefore, the findings of the study highlight that cellulose-based additives as highly effective and sustainable alternatives for soil stabilization, surpassing the engineering performance of traditional soil stabilizers

The effect of waste marble powder and phosphoric acid on the shear angle and cohesion value of expansive soils

In general, the expansive clay soil is a problematic soil due to the impact of climate change, during the rainy season the soil expands, and during the dry season the soil shrinks and cracks. Of these problems, it is necessary to carry out soil stabilization in order to determine the mechanical properties of the soil using the Waste Marble Powder (WMP) and Phosphoric Acid (PA) chemicals. To improve soil characteristics, tests were carried out with a mixture of 2.5%, 4%, 5.5% and 7% WMP, while Phosphoric Acid was a fixed percentage of 4% for the expansive soil. Curing periods of 3 days,7 days, and 14 days were also conducted in this study. According to the test results, the increase in the shear angle value, from originally 6.45° changed to 29.81° which increased by 21.64% of the percentage of the original soil, while the soil cohesion value, from originally 0.37 kg/cm2 changed to 2.25 kg/cm2 which increase of 16.44% in the curing period of 14 days. This increase is caused by chemical reactions that occur as a result of chemical elements, especially calcium (Ca) and potassium (K) contained in marble powder waste, and the mineral phosphorus (P) contained in phosphoric acid chemicals.

Identification of the influence of electrokinetic soil improvement on the microstructure, physical and mechanical properties of expansive soil

Clay is a soil with low permeability. Clay is considered a problematic soil besides peat soil. The main problem with clay is its mineralogy. Expansive clay soils contain the minerals kaolinite, illite, and montmorillonite. Montmorillonite has weak bonds between its layers. These weak bonds make the soil easily incorporated, one of which is water. Water approaching expansive soil will bond with it and cause swelling. Expansive soil improvement studies have been conducted. One of them is electrokinetic. Expansive soil from Karawang, Indonesia is one of the soils with a high swelling index. This is because montmorillonite is inside. The Karawang expansive soil will be improved by flowing several salt solutions with various voltages. The applied voltage will flow the solution from the cathode to the anode and fill the clay minerals. Four voltage variants will be applied with the same electrokinetic application time. The mineralogy of soil before and after electrokinetic improvement undergone changes. The changes can be seen from SEM and XRF testing. The improved soil changed its physical properties from clay with high plasticity to clay with low plasticity. Chemical elements from salt solution trap in montmorillonite then make positive changes in soil mineralogy, soil physical properties, and mechanical properties. The mechanical properties can be seen in a decrease in the C value and an increase in the soil angle of friction after electrokinetic improvement. After electrokinetic improvement using calcium chloride, the lowest soil cohesion value was 12.356 kg/cm2 at 12 V. After electrokinetic improvement with calcium dioxide, the lowest cohesion value at 12 V voltage is 19.22 kg/cm2. In barium sulfate solution, the lowest soil cohesion at 15 V is 12.16 kg/cm2. The soil swelling value decreased after improvement with calcium chloride to 0.008 % from 0.027 %. The research results in calcium chloride with 12 V give optimized results on soil improvement with electrokinetics

Effect of Waste Glass on Properties of Treated Problematic Soils

Soils are the most commonly used construction material in engineering projects. Fine-grained soils especially clayey soil may expand and lose strength when wet and shrink when dry, resulting in a significant volume change. Construction on weak soils has created challenges for various civil engineering projects worldwide, including roadways, embankments, and foundations. As a result, improving weak soil is vital, particularly for highway construction. The properties of this type of soil can be improved by waste-recycled materials such as waste glass (WG). The WG must be crushed and ground to a fine powder first and then can be mixed in various proportions with the soil. The primary objective of this study is to review the effect of WG on geotechnical properties of fine-grained soils treated by WG. To demonstrate the effects, the treated fine-grained soils at varying percentages of WG are compared with untreated soils. Physical properties (e.g., Atterberg limits, swelling, and maximum dry density), mechanical properties (e.g., California bearing ratio, and unconfined compressive strength) are evaluated. The test results from the literature show that adding a certain percentage of WG leads to a substantial effect on the properties of fine-grained soils; hence, using WG could reduce the required thickness of subbases in the construction of driveways and roads.

Optimization of coconut shell ash on the improvement of strength of clayey soil

Due to rapid urbanization and industrialization, there has been gradual increase in the use of land for various constructional activities. This has resulted in the scarcity of the suitable land (soil) for construction. Now a days the structures are frequently build on the problematic soils. In this study, an attempt has been made to explore the possibilities of using Coconut Shell Ash to improve the favourable properties of soil. The experiment is conducted on clayey soil. coconut shell ash is used as a stabilizing agent, in this study. Alternatively, engineers try to utilize these easily available materials in the civil engineering construction based on its feasibility/suitability on their performance. Different tests were conducted on soil with varying percentage of coconut shell ash from 5% to 20%. Stabilizing the soil by adding coconut shell ash improves the soil strength and reduces swell and shrink. Extensive experimental investigations, including compaction, unconfined compression test, are to be conducted on different mix proportions of Coconut shell ash.

Utilization of Ionic Organic Polymer to Improve Performance and Properties of Problematic Soils

Problematic soils with high compressibility and low shear strength are often treated with traditional chemical stabilizing additives such as cement and lime to improve their engineering properties. Polymers were employed to improve and reinforce a variety of material qualities in a wide range of applications. The use of polymer SBS (stabilizer base stabilizer) to improve the characteristics of problematic soils is discussed in this research. Two types of soils were used. The first type, "soil A Burj," is collapsible soil and was collected from Burj El-Arab city, while the second type, "soil B Dam," is fine sand and was obtained from Damietta city. The untreated and treated samples were subjected to sieve analysis, hydrometer, liquid limits, standard compaction, collapse potential (CP), direct shear, California Bearing Ratio (CBR) testing, and SEM, TEM, chemical, and microstructural analysis tests. Three different polymer SBS concentrations in water were used (1:300, 1:150, and 1:10). The results showed that by adding the polymer SBS, LL and OWC decreased exhibiting more plastic behavior compared to the non-treated samples. Also, the CP decreased with adding the polymer SBS, and the degree of collapsibility was enhanced from trouble to moderate trouble condition. The shear strength, internal friction angle, and CBR value were also improved. In summary, the best results were produced when a polymer ratio of 1:150 was used and a curing time of at least 28 days was provided. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2023-09-12-05 Full Text: PDF

Investigation on the Engineering Properties of Peat Soil Stabilised Using Lime Stabilisation and Alkaline Activation

Peat soil is typically classified as a problematic soil due to its expansive behaviour that possesses geotechnical drawbacks. Thus, the condition of peat soil must be improved prior to any construction works. Stabilisation of peat soil can be done via chemical stabilisation and alkaline activation while incorporating industrial by-products or wastes as addictive. This study aims to investigate the effect of press mud as an additive in lime-stabilized and alkaline activator-stabilized peat soils. Press mud is a by-product of sugarcane juice filtering. The lime adopted is at 3 % and 5.5 % while the alkaline activator is used in cold and warm condition. A total of 5 percentages of press mud have been employed, namely 0%, 0.25%, 0.5%, 1% and 2%. The investigations revealed that regardless of the percentage of lime adopted, the optimum moisture content increases while the maximum dry density decreases when the percentage of press mud incorporated is increased. However, when the lime content is increased, the optimum moisture content increases significantly. The UCS of lime-stabilised peat soil sample achieved the greatest strength improvement when the lime and press mud is used at 5.5% and 0.25%, respectively. In contrast, the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of 3% lime-stabilised peat soil samples with or without press mud shows comparable 28-day strength. On the other hand, the UCS of peat soil stabilised with alkaline activator shows significant improvement, while addition of press mud further improves the strength. Nonetheless, using warm alkaline activator improves the early strength development but cold alkaline activator results in higher 28-day UCS.

Screening of Eucalyptus camaldulensis clones for enhancing productivity and sustainability in problematic soils of Southern India

Among the various challenges faced by eucalyptus plantations in the Indian pulp industry, one of them is the development of resilient clones adaptable to saline soils. Large genetic diversity exists in E. camaldulensis because of high out-crossing rates and is expected to pass traits into the new developed clones. We used a salt injury score, survival percentage and proline content as a screening criterion to select new clones tolerant to high salt levels in soils. Proline has been identified as a beneficial solute in plants under stress caused by high salinity. Three months old clones of eleven new eucalyptus genotypes were transplanted in pots with free-draining coarse river sand. Four treatments comprising control, high Salt, High Salt + High pH and High pH were arranged in a randomised block design. Common salt (NaCl) was used for regulating salt concentrations while sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) was used for regulating the pH of the solutions. NaCl concentrations were increased every third day until the final concentration of 150 mM was reached. Similarly, pH of the solutions was also gradually increased till final pH of 10 was attained. Each treatment solution was delivered through automated drip delivery. Salt injury scores based on symptoms were positively correlated (0.812) with survival percentage and proline content. Eucalyptus genotypes were classified into five salt tolerant groups: tolerant (T), moderately tolerant (MT), moderately sensitive (MS), sensitive (S), and highly sensitive (HS). The mean values of proline content in leaves were different among the five groups, indicating that the proline content is a reliable marker for identifying salt tolerance. Proline contents in stressed seedlings were significantly different between the tolerant and highly sensitive groups, but the difference among the intermediate groups (MT, MS and S) was not significant. As the stress levels of salt and pH were increased, the sensitive hybrid clone tested showed very poor growth, which was also negatively correlated with the proline content in its leaves. Combination of high salt and high pH was also found to be correlated with reduced proline content, poor growth and survival among sensitive genotypes. In addition to the commonly used sodium and pH induced symptoms, proline content is suggested to be another useful criterion to differentiate salt-tolerant from salt-sensitive genotypes. This study helped in classification of genotypes with different levels of salt and pH tolerance, which may be used for deployment of genotypes according to changing edaphic conditions for sustainability of eucalyptus plantations.

Effect of lime-rice husk ash on geotechnical properties of loess soil in Golestan province, Iran

Loess soils have always been among the most problematic soils, according to engineers. Due to the sensitivity and vulnerability of this soil type, researchers are constantly looking for different solutions to improve and stabilize this soil using different methods. In the present study, a mixture of lime and rice husk ash (LRHA) was used to modify the loess soil of the Golestan province, Iran. Lime and RHA were mixed in a ratio of 2:4 and with different contents of 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10 and 12.5% of the dry weight of the soil. To study the effect of curing on the strength properties, the samples were cured and tested for 7, 18 and 28 days. Atterberg limits, modified Proctor, unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and scanning electron microscope tests (SEM) were performed. It was found that increasing LRHA content increased the value of UCS at different curing times, such that UCS increased about five times by the addition of 5% LRHA to the loess at the end of 28 days. As the curing time increased, the optimum amount of the additive also decreased. The results showed that combining the soil with LRHA is an effective method for improving and stabilizing loess soil. According to the results of the study, the optimum value of 5% additive is economically and technically recommended.

Calcined Shale and Palm Oil Fuel Ash as Partial Replacements for Calcium-Based Binders to Enhance Compaction Properties of Marine Clay

ABSTRACT Marine clay is a problematic soil; therefore, its properties have been improved by mixing calcium-based binders, with reinforcing components. However, these materials exhibit many shortcomings, and better options are sought. Calcined shale (CS) is frequently used in concrete as a supplementary cementitious material, but it has not yet been used in soil stabilization. This study investigates the partial replacement of lime in marine clay treatment with CS and palm oil fuel ash (POFA). This study comprises two parts. In Part (1), POFA – lime-treated marine clay was assessed to determine the optimum proportion of POFA. In Part (2), CS – POFA – lime-treated marine clay was evaluated to determine the optimum ternary blending mixtures through many tests. Results of Part (1) indicate that the optimum proportion of POFA is 5%. In Part (2), CS exhibits effective enhancement in the properties of marine clay, and the optimum mixture was 10% CS, 5% POFA, and 3% lime. When lime content was reduced from 5% to 1% through replacement with CS, maximum dry density and optimum water content increased by 1.7% and 5.2%, respectively. Hence, CS can be effectively used as a partial replacement for lime in marine clay treatment.

Use of waste stone powder to improve performance of problematic soils - A Review.

Use of waste stone powder to improve performance of problematic soils - A Review.

Settlement Performance of Bamboo Dendrocalamus Asper for Improving Peat Soil Reinforcement Stability

Soil reinforcement is the geotechnical application for the soil mass reinforcement elements to increase the shear characteristics of the soil grid. Bamboo is a sustainable source for the wood industry that has been applied in construction soil foundations as a soil reinforcement material. The use of bamboo types Dendrocalamus asper for soft soil reinforcement stability is important and commonly used. Peat, as a very soft soil, is known as problematic soil, and organic soil has poor shear strength and high compressibility. In construction especially for peat soil foundation or subgrade, it has settlement and deformation because of loss of strength. The peat soil from Kampung Puteri Menangis, Benut Pontian Johor has been used in the experimental work to determine the displacement of the settlement performance characteristics without and with the laminated beams of bamboo Dendracalamus asper. Without bamboo, the displacement of the settlement reduces from 22.4% to 6.8% within 1 hour. The use of 1 layer of laminated bamboo reinforcement on the foundation base reduced the displacement of the settlement from 27.2% to 8.9%. The displacement continuesto decrease from 19.3% to 5.8% fortwo layers of laminated bamboo reinforcement, and 18.9% to 5.9% for 3 layers of laminated bamboo reinforcement. At each stage and duration, the peat shows displacement in compression, and the settlement of the reinforcement stability is smaller than in the other stage.

Pengaruh Inklusi Karet dan Semen yang Mengandung Graphene Oxide terhadap Perilaku Sifat Fisis dan Mekanis Tanah

Improving the physical properties of problematic soil has became fundamental consideration in various constructions, especially geotechnical engineering, to avoid failures, increase stability and strength of soil. Silty sand is one of the problematic soils and often encountered in the field where the fine gradation contained in the soil allows the soil to easily deform under pressure and lateral forces. In this study, silty sand was mixed with three variations of crumb rubber content (5, 10, and 15% based on soil weight), 6% cement (based on soil weight), and 0.05% graphene oxide (based on cement weight) to measurement and analysis of physical and mechanical properties. Soil Consistency limits, compaction testing using the Proctor Apparatus, and direct shear test were carried out for each mixed variable. The test results showed that the consistency limits and dry density decreases with increasing rubber content in the soil-cement matrix containing graphene oxide. Substitution of graphene oxide into the soil-cement matrix was able to increase in the stress and shear strength of the soil at each in variation in rubber content.

Effects of Industrial and Agricultural Recycled Waste Enhanced with Lime Utilisation in Stabilising Kaolinitic Soil

Soft kaolin clay is a problematic soils encountered in various construction projects that lead to the implementation of soil stabilisation. On the other side, the massive production of industrial and agricultural waste currently presents a critical problem for the environment. However, the utilisation of industrial and agricultural wastes in altering the characteristics of kaolinitic soil can be considered as an ideal solution to enhance the characterisation of problematic soils in the field of construction. Therefore, this study examines the alterations of the engineering properties of soft kaolin clay by utilising silica fume as the industrial by-product and eggshell ash as the agricultural by-product enhanced with lime use. To assess the impact of silica fume, eggshell ash, and lime on the various characteristics of kaolinitic soil, a series of laboratory experiments containing Atterberg limits, specific gravity, compaction test, unconfined compression test, X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, sieve analysis, and field emission scanning electron microscope is carried out. In this study, 2%, 4% and 6% of silica fume, 3%, 6% and 9% of eggshell ash and lime and the optimal combination of SF, ESA with 3%, 6% and 9% of lime are usedand were cured for 1, 7, 14 and 30 days. The results present that the optimal utilization of silica fume, eggshell ash, and lime can alter the engineering characteristics of the soft kaolin clay by reducing the specific gravity, consistency limits, linearshrinkage, and maximum dry density, while increasing the value of shrinkage limit, and optimum moisture content. In terms of strength improvement, the highest unconfined compression strength was recorded when soft kaolin clay was treated with 6% silica fume, 6% eggshell ash and 9% of lime for four (4) different days of curing with a strength improvement of 81.03%, 82.46%, 88.49% and 88.74%. Therefore, this study concludes that optimal use of silica fume, eggshell ash, and lime can persistently alter the characteristics of kaolinitic soil and open the way to economical and sustainable materials in improving the problem soil.