CHAPTER-1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 GENERAL: -Soil stabilization is a technique for improving the engineering

properties of soil. Soil stabilization techniques can be classified in two ways viz. (i)
improvement in strength of the soil by adding a binder or coarser material and (ii)
preservation of strength by maintaining moisture content.

1.1.1STABILIZATION BY ADDING A BINDING OR COARSER

MATERIAL: - Different type of binder content known as a stabilizing agents are present
in market. Most commonly lime, cement and fly ash are used as a stabilizing agents to
enhance the properties of soil.

(a) MECHANICAL STABILIZATION: - Mechanical stabilization is the process of

improving the properties of soil by changing its gradation (Arora., 2010). Two or more type
of natural soils or aggregate is mixed to improve the quality of soil. For the mechanical
stabilization of soil, aggregate with some binder content is mixed in soil. Binder provides
cohesion and imperviousness to a soil and due to aggregate incompressibility of soil is
increased.

The compaction of well graded material can be achieved easily. Well graded material is
the material whose Cu>15 and Cc lies between 1to3. For cohesive soil the optimum
moisture content (OMC) is determined and compaction is done at OMC to achieved
desired maximum dry density (MDD) For cohesion less soil needle vibrations is used for
compaction.

(b) LIME STABILIZATION: - Hydrated lime [i.e., Calcium Hydroxide] is used to improve
the strength, durability and stiffness of fine grained soil. Lime stabilization is extensively
used for stabilizing highly unstable plastic and swelling clayey soil, such as black cotton.
The lime enlarges the size of clay particles by coagulation, there by changing the soil
structure and stabilizing it by reducing its swelling tendencies (Garg., 2011).

(c) CEMENT STABILIZATION: - Cement is another substance, which may be mixed and
pulverized with soil, for increasing their strength, durability and also to minimize moisture
variation. All other soil except the highly organic clay, show improvement on being
stabilized with cement (Garg., 2011).

(d) FLY ASH STABILIZATION: - Fly ash is the portion of ash which escapes from the
chimney or stack. It can be used effectively to stabilize coarse grained particles with little
or no fines. In coarse aggregate fly ash acts as a pozzolano or filler to reduce the void
spaces among larger size aggregate particles (Dallas and Syam, 2009).
(e) BITUMEN STABILIZATION: - Bituminous substances such as asphaltic bitumen, tar,
emulsion etc. are sometimes used to stabilize the soil. The use of these substances is
useful for granular sandy soil (Garg., 2011).

1.1.2 STABILIZATION BY MAINTAINING MOISTURE CONTENT:- The

removal of water from soil is known as dewatering. Dewatering increases the stability of
insuit soil mass by reducing seepage and pore pressure. Reduction in pore pressure of
cohesionless soil increases the strength of soil (Garg., 2011).

(a) STABILIZATION OF SOIL BY PRE-LOADING METHOD: - The deposits of soft fine

grained silts, clay, organic soils, loose silt and sandy soils, can be stabilized by pre-loading
method. In this method, a load is placed on the area having the weak compressible or
loose surface strata after spreading a blanket layer of high permeability as well as a
leveling course (Garg., 2011)

(b) STABILIZATION OF SOIL BY SAND DRAIN METHOD: - A thick compressible layer

requires a long time to consolidate because water particles have to travel a long distance
to reach drainage layer. By sand drains consolidation of soil becomes fast because drains
reduce the travel path for the water particles and improves the consolidation process
(Garg., 2011).

(c) STABILIZATION OF SOIL BY ELECTRICAL METHOD: - Electrical stabilization of

soil is achieved by electro-osmosis process. Direct current is passed through the soil as a
result pore water moves towards the cathode. The strength of soil is increased due to
removal of water (Arora., 2010).

(d) STABILIZATION OF SOIL BY HEATING:- When soil is heated, its water content is
decreased. Electrical repulsion between soil particle is decreased and the strength is
increased (Arora., 2010).

1.2 OBJECTIVE: - To improve the properties of C.I soil encountered at site during the
construction of “Rural Roads” by P.M.G.S.Y.

The main objectives of thesis are as follow;

I. Reviewing the available literature on such soil.
II. Finding the properties of untreated soil.
III. To explore the effectiveness of various admixtures.
IV. To perform the cost analysis for arriving at efficient stabilization process for soil.
V. Comparison of cost of soil using different stabilizing agent.

1.3 ORGANIZATION OF THESIS:- In current chapter introduction of work with

objective is given. Chapter two includes the guidelines and mechanism of stabilization.
Chapter three presents the literature review of previous work done on stabilization of soil.
Chapter four contains the detail of experimental work done. Chapter five contains the
result of experimental work. Cost estimation of stabilized and unstabilized soil is contained
by chapter six. Chapter seven contain the conclusion of the work done.