Assignment

Soil Stabilization Methods

Submitted to:

Engr. Mehboob Rasool

Prepared By:

Mirza Farquleet Baig

Roll #: l114667

SOIL

From Civil Engineering point of view, soil is an unconsolidated (loose)

agglomerates of minerals with or without organic matter found at or near the
surface of earth crust, with which or upon which civil engineers build their
structures compared to rocks , soil are easy to excavate and generally
disintegrate when agitated in water. Soil mass is a particular material
consisting of solid particles with voids (pores) filled with air or water or both.

Soil Stabilization
Soil stabilization refers to the process of changing soil properties to improve
strength and durability. There are many techniques for soil stabilization, including
compaction, dewatering and by adding material to the soil. This summary will focus
on mechanical and chemical stabilization

TYPES OF SOIL STABLIZATION

1) Mechanical
Mechanical stabilization improves soil properties by mixing other soil materials with
the target soil to change the gradation and therefore
change the engineering properties.
Dynamic Compaction
Soil Reinforcement
Addition of Graded Aggregates Materials
Mechanical Remediation
2) Chemical

Soil stabilizer at work

Chemical stabilization used the addition of cementations or pozzolanic materials to
improve the soil properties. Chemical stabilization has traditionally relied on
Portland cement and lime for chemical stabilization.

Stabilization
Stabilization
Stabilization
Stabilization

with
with
with
with

Lime
Cement
Bitumen
Fly Ash

3) Physical stabilization
4) Electrical stabilization
5) Thermal stabilization

6) Physic-stabilization

Soil Stabilization Process

In soil stabilization we artificially change soil properties for construction purposes at

natural site. As result of soil stabilization, the bearing capacity of the foundation of
the structure is increased.
The currently-employed technologies for soil stabilization include multiple
alternatives. One choice involves the pulverization and homogenization of
existing materials in-place, without the addition of an additive to change or
improve the characteristics of the material. This technique is typically performed
when the in-situ material is suitable.
Stabilization of soil is treatment of soil which renders it more stable in engineering
construction. Stabilization means addition and mixing an admixture with soil before
compaction is carried out. Stabilization may be applied in place to a soil in its
natural position. Stabilization may be applied in a plant and then transported
to the site for placement and compaction.
Mechanical Stabilization:
Mechanical stabilization refers to either compaction or the
introduction of fibrous and other non- biodegradable
reinforcements to the soil. This practice does not require
chemical change of the soil. There are several methods used to
achieve mechanical stabilization.
(i) Compaction:
Compaction typically employs a heavy weight to increase the soil density by
applying pressure from above. Machines such as large
soil compactors
with vibrating steel drums are often used for this
purpose. Here over compaction of the soil should be
avoided and given great consideration because in the case
of over compaction, the aggregates get crushed and the
soil loses its engineering properties.

(ii) Soil Reinforcement:

Soil problems are sometimes remedied by engineered
or non engineered mechanical solutions. Geo-textiles
and engineered plastic mesh are designed to trap soils and help
control erosion, moisture conditions and soil permeability. Larger
aggregates such as gravel, stones and boulders are often
employed where additional mass and rigidity can prevent
soil migration or improve load-bearing properties.

(iii) Addition of graded aggregate materials:

A common method of improving the engineered
characteristics of a soil is to add certain aggregates
that lend desirable attributes to the soil such as
increased strength or decreased plasticity. This
method provides material economy, improves support
capabilities of the sub-grade and furnishes a working platform for the remaining
structure.
(iv) Mechanical Remediation:
Traditionally this has been the accepted practice to deal with
soil contamination. This is a technique where contaminated
soil is physically removed and relocated to a designated
hazardous waste facility far from centers of human
population. In recent times however, chemical and
bioremediation have proven to be a better solution both
economically and environmentally.

Chemical Stabilization
1. Stabilization of soil with Lime:
The use of lime to dry, modify or stabilize soils has been documented in
studies as much as fifty years old. When lime is intimately mixed with the soil. The
transformation start within a hour of mixing and significant changes are realized
within few days depending upon type of lime used. Hydrated lime (calcium
hydroxide) is mainly used.
There are two basic types of lime: High Calcium & High Magnesium.
Their soil-stabilizing ability is roughly equal. Quicklime is occasionally used to
stabilize heavy clays. Several techniques have been developed for lime
stabilization.
Conventional large-area stabilization calls for these steps:

I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.

Grade area
Scarify and pulverize
Spread lime
Add water during pre laminar mixing
Rough grade with light compaction
Preliminary cure
Final rotary mix and pulverize
Compact
Final cure

Lime should not be spread dry during windy

weather because it will create dusting
problems. A sprinkling with water will reduce
dusting. Lime applied as slurry will eliminate
the dusting problem entirely.
The cost of lime stabilization is primarily
governed by:
a. The procedure chosen, which depends on the nature of the site, the
performance characteristics desired, and the time available for treatment.
b. The type of soil. Heavier clays require longer and more extensive treatment.
Low plasticity soils may need a pozzolan.
c. The cost of spreading.
d. The quantity of water to be added.

2. Stabilization with Cement:

In cement soil stabilization Portland cement can be used to stabilize and strengthen
the Soil. In this method required quantity of Portland cement is spread over the soil
uniformly which is to be stabilized. If the moisture content is low it will be necessary
to sprinkle the surface with water during process of operation. All soils can be
stabilized with Portland cement, provided sufficient quantity is added. Some soils
with a high organic content do not react well with cement and hardening may be
delayed. As clay content increases, soils become more difficult to pulverize and
work, and larger quantities of cement must be added to harden them.
The purpose of the stabilization is to improve the properties of a substandard
material.

The method calls for these steps:

a) Grade area
b) Scarify, pulverize and pre wet soil as
necessary
c) Re grade
d) Spread Portland cement and mix
e) Apply water and mix
f) Compact
g) Final grade
h) Cure
The central-plant-mixed method calls for this procedure:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.

Grade and compact sub grade

Mix soil, cement and water in central plant
Haul mixed material to area and spread
Compact
Final grade
Cure
Pulverization is necessary with heavier-type
soils to break up the soil particles and ensure
intimate contact with the cement. Optimum
moisture is necessary to both hydrate the cement and facilitate compaction.

The advantages of cement stabilization are several:

Load distribution

Cement stabilization increases base material strength

and stiffness, which reduces deflections due to traffic loads. This delays
surface distress such as fatigue cracking and extends pavement structure
life.
Cement stabilization provides uniform, strong support, which results in
reduced stresses to the sub-grade. Testing indicates a thinner cementstabilized layer can reduce stresses more
effectively than a thicker un-stabilized layer of
aggregate. This reduces sub-grade failure,
pothole formation and rough pavement
surfaces.
Cement stabilization reduces the potential for
pumping of sub grade fines.
Cement stabilized base spreads loads and
reduces sub-grade stress.

3. Soil stabilization with bitumen:

Soil stabilization with bitumen can be done with either of two additives.

Depending upon project conditions, the choice is made

between using an asphalt emulsion or using foamed
bitumen as the additive. For example, extremely wet soil
conditions might dictate the use of foamed bitumen rather
than standard asphalt emulsion to compensate for the high
field moisture content. Emulsion might be chosen for
projects where high-performance emulsions are readily
available. Therefore, cost and product availability are
practical considerations for stabilization with bitumen, just as with other
construction activities.

4. Soil stabilization with Fly Ash:

Fly ash was chosen as the agent to stabilize these
highly variable soil types to produce a stable base. Fly ash
was spread by distributor truck at an application rate. The
fly ash was mixed with the existing sub grade to a
depth of (12 inches); water was used to activate the
ashs bonding with the in-situ sub grade materials. The
stabilized material was then compacted with a pad foot vibratory compactor,
and graded to proper profile.

Physical stabilization
In the technique of physical stabilization , the physical properties
of the material (soil)are improve by blending two or three soil ,
together so as to improve the gradation of the mixture to well
graded material. This technique is usually used in the
construction of roads when more than one type of soil is readily
available at or near the site.

Thermal stabilization
Thermal analysis involves a dynamic phenomenological approach to the study of
soils by observing its response to a change in temperature. Infrastructure projects
such as highways, railways, water reservoirs, reclamation etc. requires earth
material in very large quantity. In urban areas, borrow earth is not easily available
which has to be hauled from a long distance. Quite often, large areas are covered
with highly plastic and expansive soil, which is not suitable for such purpose.
Extensive laboratory / field trials have been carried out by various researchers and
have shown promising results for application of such expansive soil after

Stabilization with additives such as sand, silt, lime, fly ash, etc. As fly ash is freely
available, for projects in the vicinity of a Thermal Power Plants, it can be used for
stabilization of expansive soils for various uses.

Electrical stabilization
A plurality of rows of wells are drilled in the soil of the area to be stabilized, and
then pairs of electrodes, i.e., an aluminum anode and a copper-graphite cathode
connected to a source of a bipolar pulse
current, are inserted into each well in such a
manner that during operation all anodes of odd
wells are connected to a positive terminal (for
odd pulses) of the source, while all cathodes of
even wells are connected to a negative
terminal (for odd pulses) of the source. After a
certain period of treatment the anodes and cathodes are reversed so that all
anodes of even wells are connected to the positive terminals (for even pulses) of
the source, whereas the cathodes of the odd wells are connected to the negative
terminal of the source. Controlled directional structuring of the soil mass is carried
out by adjusting the duration of current pulses, intervals between two sequential
bipolar pulses of pulse current, and current density in the pulses. Prior to initiation
of the soil stabilization process, salts, which correspond to the type of treated soil,
are introduced into the wells. Furthermore, water under pressure is fed to the area
of the soil being current stabilized as an additional measure for affecting soil
temperature control.

Physic-chemical stabilization
Stabilization of soil using both the physical and chemical method such as lime
stabilization or cement stabilization etc is known as physic-stabilization of a soil the
picture given below is showing the physic-chemical stabilization of soil. Foundry
sand used to stabilize poor soil
for working platform.