Soil Stabilisation by Analytical Techniques

Abstract

Soil stabilisation methods are being used for improving the soft soil for various engineering works such as construction of roads. Suitability and sustainability of the use of locally available materials in stabilizing the soft soils should be analysed. For the present study, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis were done on soft and stabilised (optimum dosages of OPC, AGGBS and enzyme) samples after a curing period of 28 days. It is found that there is a reduction in montmorillonite peaks in XRD patterns of stabilised soils as compared to soft soil. Formation of CSH, CAH and hydrocalcite in case of OPC stabilised soil and zeolite (hydradrated aluminosilicates of sodium) were observed in case of AGGBS stabilised soil. GGBS activated by NaOH is found to be more efficiently improving the strength of the stabilised soil.