Abstract

The objective of this research was to measure and compare the effects of portland cement and lime at low, medium, and high concentrations on the frost-heave susceptibility of multiple clayey soils with varying plasticity indices. The scope of work included laboratory frost-heave testing of three clayey soils sampled from Monticello, Utah; Bloomington, Indiana; and San Antonio, Texas. Each soil was tested with two stabilizers, cement or lime, at three concentrations, as well as with no treatment. Two replicate samples were prepared for each combination, for a total of 42 specimens. The frost-heave testing procedures for this research involved preparing specimen molds, mixing and compacting the soil samples, curing the treated specimens, preparing the apparatus, instrumenting the specimens, and operating the test. The results of this research are expected to be applicable to projects for which the soil and stabilizer types and mixing, compaction, and curing procedures are similar to those used in this study. The Monticello soil has medium plasticity, the Bloomington soil has high plasticity, and the San Antonio soil has very high plasticity. Based on the Eades and Grim test performed to determine the minimum lime concentration required for the soils, the highest concentration of 6% was used as the medium stabilizer concentration for all of the soils in this research, and concentrations of 8% and 4% were used as the high and low concentrations, respectively, for both cement and lime treatment. Regarding frost heave, the use of cement resulted in decreased frost heave compared to the untreated soil for all soils except for the San Antonio soil at a concentration of 4%, while the use of lime resulted in decreased frost heave compared to the untreated soil only for the Monticello soil at all three concentrations and the Bloomington soil at concentrations of 6% and 8%. Regarding water ingress, the use of cement resulted in decreased water ingress compared to the untreated soil for all soils except for the Bloomington soil at a concentration of 4% and the San Antonio soil at a concentration of 4%, while the use of lime resulted in decreased water ingress compared to the untreated soil only for the Monticello soil at all three concentrations. With no exceptions, the use of cement resulted in decreased frost heave and decreased water ingress compared to the use of lime for all three soils at all three concentrations. For the concentrations of cement and lime utilized in this study, cement was clearly more effective at decreasing frost heave and water ingress than lime for all three of the tested soils.

Degree

College and Department

Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering; Civil and Construction Engineering

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