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Strength Characteristics of Expansive Soil and

Murrum Using Quarry Dust

Article in Electronic Journal of Geotechnical Engineering · March 2016

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 Strength Characteristics of Expansive
Soil and Murrum Using Quarry Dust

Shyam Prakash Koganti1 and Dr. Hanumantha Rao Chappidi2

1: Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, PVP
Siddhartha Institute of Technology, Vijayawada
2: Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, K L University,
Vijayawada-520001, India
shyamprakashcivil@gmail.com; hrao_ce@kluniversity.in

ABSTRACT
The construction of the new capital city of Andhra Pradesh may begin on the banks of river
Krishna around the historic Amaravathi town and proceed on either side of the river,
eventually encircling Vijayawada. The majority of the land situated on the banks of Krishna
River is black cotton soil. The samples collected from the study area were tested the
engineering characteristics by stabilizing with 5% to 20% replacement of quarry dust. Most of
the quarries are situated in and around the capital city. So as the replacement of waste material
like quarry dust can be considered for the stabilization. The results of the compaction
parameters and CBR values of the soil are improved substantially with the addition of the
Stone dust for both black cotton soil and Murrum. It is also found that the swelling of the
black cotton soil is almost controlled and for the murrum soil gives good results. The result
showed that the CBR value increased, the optimum moisture content has been reduced and the
maximum dry density has been increased.

KEYWORDS: Black cotton soil, Stone dust, California bearing ratio, compaction
characteristics.

INTRODUCTION
Black cotton soil is an expansive soil found in many parts of India. It contains
montmonrollite minerals due to this these soil has a tendency swell and shrink excessively with
the change in moisture content. To achieve the strength and economical related performance on
soils it is required to study on expansive behaviour.
The stone dust is a waste product produced in granite industry while cutting huge granite
rocks to the desired shapes. About 3000 metric ton of granite dust/slurry is produced per day as a

- 1799 -
 Vol. 21 [2016], Bund. 05 1800

by- product during manufacturing of granite tiles and slabs from the raw blocks. The granite
cutting industries are dumping these wastes in nearby pits or open lands. This leads to serious
environmental pollution and occupation of vast area of land especially after the slurry dries up.
Stabilization of expansive soils using admixtures controls the adverse effects on the foundations
and structures. Experimental studies have been carried out in the laboratory by adding admixtures
like stone dust to the expansive soils at different proportions. The expansive soils tested are
collected from Amaravathi in A.P, India.
This study envisages the effect of stone dust on compaction characteristics (OMC & MDD)
and California bearing ratio (CBR) of black cotton soil and murrum soil mixed with 0%, 5%,
10%, 15% and 20% stone dust by weight of dry soil.

Study Area
Krishna river is one of the major perennial river in Central Andhra Pradesh. It has a length of
about 1337 km and has a catchment area of 2,58,948 km2. The drainage basin of the river spreads
over Krishna districts of Central Andhra Pradesh. The river basin lies between north latitudes
17°55’28’’ to 17⁰92’44’’ and east longitudes 73°39’36’ to 73⁰66’00’’. Geologically, a major part
of the Krishna river basin is composed of Archaen crystalline rocks with charnockites,
charnockite gneiss, hypersthene – diopside gneiss, hornblende gneiss and hornblende- biotite and
quartz-mica gneiss (composite) rock types.
The construction of the new capital city of Andhra Pradesh may begin on the banks of river
Krishna around the historic Amaravathi town and proceed on either side of the river, eventually
encircling Vijayawada. Some of the quarry and crushers locations, productions were identified in
around new capital region and also locations of the crushers were also plotted on map shown in
the Figure 1.

Figure 1: Identification of river sand mining and availability of quarry sand in and
around new capital region of Andhra Pradesh
 Vol. 21 [2016], Bund. 05 1801

LITERATURE REVIEW
The comprehensive review of literature shows the related works done on expansive and
murrum soil in and around the world.
Jagmohan Mishra (2014) observed the properties of black cotton soil by replacement of
quarry dust. The test results revealed that his compaction parameters and CBR values of the soil
are improved substantially with the addition of the granite dust.
The combined effects of two industrial wastes flyash and quarry dust on, compaction
characteristics, unconfined compressive strength, California bearing ratio (CBR) shear strength
parameters and swelling pressure of an expansive soil have been discussed Akshaya Kumar Sabat
et al (2013)
Utilization of solid wastes like quarry dust not only protects the environment from
degradation but also improves the engineering properties of the expansive soil Kumar Sabat
(2012).
The quarry dust/ crusher dust is obtained as solid wastes, during crushing of stones to obtain
aggregates. The annual production of quarry dust is roughly around 200 million tons
(Soosanetal.2005).The disposal of which creates a lot of geo environmental problems. India and
optimal percentage of crusher dust was found to be 40%.
Akshaya Kumar Sabat (2012) the effect of lime on some geotechnical properties of an
expansive soil stabilized with optimum percentage of quarry dust has been described in the paper.
Koranne et al (2011) Out of the different quarry wastes, quarry dust is one, which is produced
in abundance. Bulk utilization of this waste material is possible through geotechnical applications
like embankments, back-fill material and sub-base material.
Ramadas (2010) studied on swelling and strength properties of expansive soil by using quarry
dust and fly ash. From the experimental study he observed the combination of 20% stone dust and
25% fly ash addition at the optimum moisture content to the expansive soil is found to be a
suitable measure to reduce the swelling and increase the strength of the two expansive soils
tested.

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY
The present study carries on black cotton soil and murrum collected from Amaravathi,
Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh (India). The soil samples were taken from depth varying from 0.5m
to 1.5m below the ground level. The soil classification test, compaction test and California
bearing ratio test on prepares soil samples at optimum moisture content were determined. The test
results are given in the table 1.
 Vol. 21 [2016], Bund. 05 1802

Table 1: Properties of BC Soil and Murrum

Sl. BC Murrum
Property
No. Soil Soil
1 % Finer 96 34
2 Liquid Limit 53 43
3 Plastic Limit 34 15
4 Plasticity Index 19 28
5 Coefficient of Uniformity (Cu) - 19
6 Coefficient of Curvature (Cc) - 1.5
7 Classification Group MH SC
8 OMC (%) 18 19
9 MDD (KN/m3) 1.57 1.48
10 CBR (%) 0.88 1.88

From the Table 1 the black cotton soil having low CBR value than the murrum soil. The two
soil samples are mixed with the stone dust. The stone dust is locally available from a crusher near
Paritala, Vijayawada.
The geotechnical index properties of the stone dust collected from various quarries in
Vijayawada is determined and given in Table 2. The quarry no 12 stone dust was considered for
the investigation. The stone dust was mixed to each of these two natural soils in different
proportions by the weight of the soil as 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%.

Table 2: Geotechnical Index properties of quarry dust collected from various quarries
in the capital region of Andhra Pradesh
Quarry D10 D30 D50 D60
CU CC % Fines IS Zone
No (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)
1 3.8 0.5 0.17 0.25 0.45 0.65 3 3
2 13.5 0.3 0.2 0.45 1.8 2.7 1.5 1
3 1.8 1 0.5 0.7 0.85 0.9 0.5 3
4 5.8 1 0.48 1.2 2.15 2.8 0.08 1
5 11.6 0.7 0.25 0.73 2.2 2.9 0.02 1
6 3.1 0.9 1.2 2.1 3.1 3.8 0.08 1
7 4 0.8 0.45 0.82 1.5 1.8 0.8 1
8 11.2 2.6 0.33 1.8 3 3.7 0.5 1
9 16.3 0.3 0.11 0.28 1 1.8 5.3 1
10 16 0.5 0.09 0.28 0.9 1.5 7.6 1
11 12 1.2 0.15 0.57 1.5 1.8 5.2 1
12 14.4 1.2 0.09 0.38 1 1.3 7.6 2
13 6.4 2.1 0.48 1.8 2.5 3.1 2.4 1
14 15 0.4 0.09 0.25 1 1.4 11 1
15 14 1 0.1 0.38 1.1 1.4 7 2
16 14.5 0.4 0.09 0.25 0.85 1.4 9.8 1
17 6.5 1.6 0.49 1.6 2.8 3.2 0.7 1
18 2.3 0.7 0.3 0.4 0.57 0.69 2.53 2
19 6.5 1.7 0.12 0.41 0.6 0.78 5.27 2
20 10 0.4 0.16 0.35 0.9 1.6 2.6 1
21 10 0.8 0.13 0.37 0.9 1.3 3 2
22 1.9 0.8 0.43 0.55 0.7 0.82 0.1 2
23 6.6 0.2 0.27 0.38 0.88 1.79 0.34 1
 Vol. 21 [2016], Bund. 05 1803

24 4.6 1.8 0.41 1.2 1.6 1.9 0.1 1

25 15.3 0.5 0.09 0.28 0.7 1.5 6.16 1
26 5 1.1 0.2 0.48 0.7 1 0.08 2
27 1.9 0.8 0.42 0.52 0.67 0.8 0.05 2
28 2.3 0.6 0.42 0.52 0.7 0.9 0.12 2
29 3.8 0.4 0.18 0.25 0.5 0.7 1 2
30 2 1 0.45 0.65 0.8 0.9 3.7 1
31 5.3 1.6 0.15 0.45 0.62 0.8 1.5 2
32 9.3 2.9 0.09 0.5 0.69 0.89 6.9 3
33 2.2 0.8 0.35 0.5 0.65 0.8 0 2
34 4.3 1.1 0.22 0.48 0.7 0.95 5.59 2
35 1.9 0.8 0.42 0.52 0.65 0.8 0.1 2
36 4.7 0.5 0.19 0.3 0.6 0.92 0 2
37 2.1 0.8 0.42 0.55 0.72 0.9 0.05 2
38 3.4 0.5 0.19 0.25 0.45 0.65 0 2
39 9 0.4 0.25 0.5 1.5 2.25 0 1
40 2.6 1.1 0.35 0.6 0.8 0.92 4.6 1
Mithi
2.5 0.9 0.3 0.45 0.61 0.75 0.5 2
River
Krishna
2 1 0.45 0.65 0.8 0.9 4.21 3
River
All the above quarries are plotted to get the particle size distribution curve. Here in the Figure
2 shows that the most of the quarry dust samples follows the well graded curve. Some of the
quarry dust samples are leads to the uniformly graded particle distribution curve. Very less quarry
dust samples are in the form of the gap graded type of soil particles distribution curves.

100%

80%
Finer by Weight

60%

40%

20%

0%
0.001 0.010 0.100 1.000 10.000 100.000

Grain Diameter (mm)

Figure 2: Gradation of various samples of quarry dust collected from Kondapalli

region, Vijayawada
 Vol. 21 [2016], Bund. 05 1804

All the test parameters those are determined for the natural soils were determined for the
mixed soils. The laboratory test results for black cotton soils and murrum mixed with stone dust
respectively as shown below

Table 3: Properties of B C Soil mixed with Stone Dust

Percentage replacement of stone dust
Sl. No. Property
0% 5% 10% 15% 20%
1 Liquid Limit 58 47 45 42 39
2 Plastic Limit 29 32 30 35 34
3 Plasticity Index 29 15 15 7 5
4 OMC (%) 18 18 16 14 14
5 MDD (KN/m3) 1.57 1.69 1.7 1.71 1.84
6 CBR (%) 0.88 1.85 1.9 1.95 2.14

Table 4: Properties of Murrum Soil mixed with Stone Dust

Percentage replacement of stone dust
Sl. No. Property
0% 5% 10% 15% 20%
1 Liquid Limit 67 66 59 52 47
2 Plastic Limit 24 23 27 32 30
3 Plasticity Index 43 43 32 20 17
4 OMC (%) 19 18 18 15 13
5 MDD (KN/m3) 1.48 1.51 1.57 1.76 2.54
6 CBR (%) 1.88 2.85 6.6 7.5 7.84

From Table 3 and Table 4 it may be noted that with increase in stone dust content (%) the
liquid limit, plastic limit, plasticity index and the OMC of the mixed soil decreases but the MDD
and CBR increases. The stone dust is coarse grained non cohesive material and increasing its
content in a soil is expected to give good results.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Atterberg’s limits, IS heavy compaction and CBR tests were conducted with different
percentages of stone dust as admixtures in BC soil and Murrum for finding optimum percentage
of additives.

Liquid Limit and Plastic Limit

From the Figure 2, the percentage of stone dust increases; there is a marked reduction in
liquid limit and plastic limit of expansive soil and murrum tested. It can be deduced that the flow
characteristics and plastic characteristics of the soil sample are gradually decreasing with increase
in the percentage of stone dust. The reduced plasticity of clay is very much required to avoid the
failure patterns in the road construction over the expansive sub grade soils and murrum. The
liquid limit of black cotton soil show the liquid limit values 58% whereas for the same soil tested
with stone dust gives the 39% liquid limit value at 20% addition. The liquid limit of murrum
 Vol. 21 [2016], Bund. 05 1805

show the liquid limit values 67% whereas for the same soil tested with stone dust gives the 47%
liquid limit value at 20% addition.

67

59
Liquid Limit (%)

51 B C Soil
Murrum

43

35

Figure 2: Effect of Stone Dust on Liquid Limit

Optimum Moisture Content (OMC) and Maximum Dry

Density (MDD)
The variations of compaction characteristics such as OMC and MDD for the expansive clay
treated with stone dust are presented in Figure 3. From the figure, there is an increase in MDD
value with increase in percentage of stone dust. The black cotton soil and murrum when replaced
with 20% of stone dust yielded maximum dry density of 1.84 KN/m3 for BC soil and 2.54 KN/m3
for murrum. The percentage increase in the MDD at optimum moisture content levels of stone
dust addition to the above said soils is 19% respectively.
 Vol. 21 [2016], Bund. 05 1806

Figure 3: Effect of Stone Dust on MDD

California Bearing Ratio (CBR)

CBR test results of stone dust treated soil are presented in Figure 4. From this plot, the
percentage admixture such as stone dust increases, the CBR also increasing in a reasonable trend.
The optimum value of CBR is found at 20% of stone dust for both the black cotton soil and
murrum.

10.5
9.5
8.5
7.5
6.5
CBR Value

5.5
Murrum
4.5
B C Soil
3.5
2.5
1.5
0.5

Figure 4: Effect of Stone Dust on CBR for BC Soil and Murrum

Vol. 21 [2016], Bund. 05 1807

CONCLUSIONS
The following conclusions can be drawn from the experimental work carried out in the study.
1. There is a marked reduction in the expansive behaviour of the Black Cotton soil and
murrum mixed with Stone dust observed in liquid limit.
2. The expansive soil and murrum mixed with different percentage of quarry dust has
changed the Proctor Compaction parameters. The optimum moisture content has
decreased and the maximum dry density has increased with the increase in stone dust
content.
3. The addition of stone dust to the expansive soil and murrum improved the CBR
considerably. The addition of 20% stone dust increases the CBR value.

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