The Reduction in the Swelling Potential of the Foundation Ground of Togblécopéin Togo by the Stabilization with Binders and Sands

The present study aims at helping to search for preventive solutions to pathologies of constructions in Togblécopé in Togo, by the reduction in the withdrawal and swelling of foundation grounds through their stabilization. Togblécopé’s clay taken from 1 m, 2 m and 3 m deep, and mixed with four binding materials (cement, sea sand, silty sand and lime). Tests of identification and free swelling with odometer are carried out on pure and stabilized materials. What emerges from these tests is that the limits of liquidity and plasticity are rising along with the rate of stabilizers while the index of plasticity is falling. Cement and lime cause a reduction in the index value of plasticity by almost 50%. The more the sand’s grain size, the more the reduction in the plasticity index. The swelling potential is reduced by 60% for cement and lime, 30% for sea sand and 20% for silty sand. The present study is a contribution to the reduction in deflations from 20% to 60% of some parts of constructions in order to limit cracks.

A gated recurrent unit model to predict Poisson’s ratio using deep learning

Static Poisson’s ratio(vs)is crucial for determining geomechanical properties in petroleum applications,namely sand production.Some models have been used to predict vs;however,the published models were limited to specific data ranges with an average absolute percentage relative error(AAPRE)of more than 10%.The published gated recurrent unit(GRU)models do not consider trend analysis to show physical behaviors.In this study,we aim to develop a GRU model using trend analysis and three inputs for predicting n s based on a broad range of data,n s(value of 0.1627-0.4492),bulk formation density(RHOB)(0.315-2.994 g/mL),compressional time(DTc)(44.43-186.9 μs/ft),and shear time(DTs)(72.9-341.2μ s/ft).The GRU model was evaluated using different approaches,including statistical error an-alyses.The GRU model showed the proper trends,and the model data ranges were wider than previous ones.The GRU model has the largest correlation coefficient(R)of 0.967 and the lowest AAPRE,average percent relative error(APRE),root mean square error(RMSE),and standard deviation(SD)of 3.228%,1.054%,4.389,and 0.013,respectively,compared to other models.The GRU model has a high accuracy for the different datasets:training,validation,testing,and the whole datasets with R and AAPRE values were 0.981 and 2.601%,0.966 and 3.274%,0.967 and 3.228%,and 0.977 and 2.861%,respectively.The group error analyses of all inputs show that the GRU model has less than 5% AAPRE for all input ranges,which is superior to other models that have different AAPRE values of more than 10% at various ranges of inputs.

Research,application and development of inorganic binder for casting process

Inorganic binder used in casting process has the advantages of low odor,labor-friendly conditions,and relatively low cost,which is one of the main development directions for casting molding materials in the future.However,compared to organic binders(such as resin binders),inorganic binders exhibit lower bonding strength and are more sensitive to environmental humidity.This sensitivity poses challenges,particularly in the reclamation of used sand,thus limiting their broader application.In this paper,the research and application status of inorganic binders(mainly silicate inorganic binders)and their curing methods are summarized.In addition,the research and application of phosphate inorganic binders and 3D printing inorganic binders that are being developed are introduced.Meanwhile,a detailed comparative analysis is conducted on the challenging issue of“reclamation for used sand”in the application of inorganic binders.Finally,the development direction of inorganic binders is clarified.

Bearing capacity of circular footings on multi-layered sand-waste tire shreds reinforced with geogrids

The presence of waste tires poses an environmental challenge as they occupy a significant amount of land and are expensive to dispose in landfills.However,reusing waste tires can address this issue when waste tires are used in geotechnical applications.To determine the viability of this approach,laboratoryscale tests were conducted to investigate load-bearing capacity of circular footings on sand-tire shred(STS)mixtures with shredded waste tire contents of 5%e15%by weight and three different widths of shreds.The investigation focused on analyzing the thickness of layers composed of STS mixtures,the soil cap,and the impact of geogrids on bearing capacity.The results indicate that a specific mixture of sand and tire shreds provides the highest footing-bearing capacity.In addition,the optimal shred content and size were found to be 10%by weight and 2 cm×10 cm,respectively.Furthermore,for a given tire shred width,a particular length provides the largest bearing capacity.The results agree well with that of previous research conducted by the first author and his colleagues in direct shear and California bearing ratio(CBR)tests.The primary finding of this research is that the use of two-layered STS mixtures reinforced by geogrids significantly enhances the bearing capacity.

Microscopic Analysis of Cementitious Sand and Gravel Damming Materia

The mechanical properties of cementitious sand and gravel damming material have been experimentally determined by means of microscopic SEM(Scanning Electron Microscopy)image analysis.The results show that the combination of fly ash and water can fill the voids in cemented sand and gravel test blocks because of the presence of hydrated calcium silicate and other substances;thereby,the compactness and mechanical properties of these materials can be greatly improved.For every 10 kg/m^(3) increase in the amount of cementitious material,the density increases by about 2%,and the water content decreases by 0.2%.The amount of cementitious material used in the sand and gravel in these tests was 80-110 kg/m^(3),the water-binder ratio was 1-1.50.Moreover,the splitting tensile strength was 1/10 of the compressive strength,and the maximum strength was 7.42 MPa at 90 d.The optimal mix ratio has been found to be 50 kg of cement,60 kg of fly ash and 120 kg of water(C50F60W120).The related dry density was 2.6 g/cm^(3),the water content was 6%,and the water-binder ratio was 1.09.

Effects of Water/Binder Ratio on the Properties of Engineered Cementitious Composites

The effects of water/binder ratio （w/b） on the toughness behavior, compressive strength and flexural strength of engineered cementitious composites （ECC） were investigated. The w/b ratios of 0.25, 0.31, 0.33 and 0.37 were selected and the specimens were tested at the ages of 7 d and 28 d. The experimental results showed that there was a corresponding increase in first cracking strength, modulus of rupture, compressive strength and flexural strength with the decrease of w/b. Within the w/b range of 0.25-0.37, higher w/b was found to have improved effects on deflection, strain hardening index and toughness index of ECC. In the permission of meeting the requirement of compressive strength grade, selecting higher w/b in mix design will help to obtain robust ECC.

A note on influence of stress anisotropy on the Poisson's ratio of dry sand

In this study, extender and bender element tests were conducted investigating the small-strain Poisson’s ratio of variable sands, with a focus on the effect of stress anisotropy in order to quantify the sensitivity of Poisson’s ratio to the applied deviatoric stress. Four different uniform sands were tested, including a biogenic sand, a crushed rock and two natural sands, covering a wide range of particle shapes. From these sands, eleven samples were prepared in the laboratory and were tested under variable stress paths,maintaining a constant mean effective pressure while increasing the deviatoric compressive load. Under the application of these given stress paths, the data analysis indicated that the sensitivity of Poisson’s ratio to the stress ratio was more pronounced for sands with irregularly shaped particles in comparison to sands with fairly rounded and spherical grains. For sands with very irregularly shaped particles, the increase of Poisson’s ratio from the isotropic to the anisotropic stress state reached 50%, while this increase for natural sands with fairly rounded particles was in the order of 20%.

Form and Mechanism of Sulfate Attack on Cement-based Material Made of Limestone Powder at Low Water-binder Ratio under Low Temperature Conditions

The development of strength and the form of attack of cement-based material made of limestone powder at low water-binder ratio under low-temperature sulfate environment were studied. The results indicate that when water-binder ratio is lower than 0.40, the cement-based material with limestone powder has insignificant change in appearance after being soaked in 10% magnesium sulfate solution at low temperature for 120 d, and has significant change in appearance after being soaked at the age of 200 d. Expansion damage and exfoliation occur on the surface of concrete test cube at different levels. When limestone powder accounts for about 28 percent of cementitious material, with the decrease of water-binder ratio, the compressive strength loss has gradually decreased after the material is soaked in the magnesium sulfate solution at low temperature at the age of 200 d. After the specimen with the water-binder ratio of less than 0.4 and the limestone powder volume of greater than 20% is soaked in 10% magnesium sulfate solution at low temperature at the age of 200 d, gypsum attack-led destruction is caused to the concrete test cube, without thaumasite sulfate attack.

Experimental research on the mixed sand ratio and initial dry density of weathered sand improved expansive soil free load swelling rate

In this paper, through the indoor free load swelling rate test, expansive soil in a section of a first- class highway reconstruction project in Yichang City was studied. It emphatically analyzed the interrelations among free load swelling rate, non-load time, the proportion of mixed sand and initial dry density. Experimen- tal studies have shown that： Free load swelling deformation is mainly divided into three stages of rapid expan- sion, slow expansion and final stability; when the initial dry density is constant, free load swelling rate of the weathered sand modified soil will reduce rapidly before they slow down with the increase of sand proportion, and weathered sand modified soil free load swelling rate is not sensitive to the large amount of sand mixed; in the same mixed sand ratio, weathered sand modified soil free load swelling rate increases rapidly with the in- crease of initial dry density, there is a good linear correlation between them. To take appropriate control of the initial dry density during the expansive soil subgrade construction helps to reduce its swelling deformation and ensures the stability of the embankment.

Dynamic response of chlorsulfuron herbicide to nitrogen mineralization and the ratio of microbial biomass nitrogen to nitrogen mineralization in the soil

A laboratory incubation experiment was conducted to elucidate the effect of chlorsulfuron herbicide on nitrogen mineralization and the ratio of microbial biomass nitrogen to nitrogen mineralization (N mic /N min ratio) in loamy sand soil.The herbicide was applied at four levels that were control, field rate 0\^01 (FR), 10 times of field rate 0\^1(10FR),and 100 times of field rate 1\^0 (100FR) μg/g soil. Determinations of N\|mineralization and microbial biomass\|N content were carried out 1,3,5,7,10,15,25 and 45 days after herbicide application. In comparison to untreated soil, the N\|mineralization decreased significantly in soil treated with herbicide at levels 10FR and 100FR within the first 5 days incubation. A more considerable reduction in the N mic /N min ratio was observed in the herbicide treated soil than the non\|treated control.Among the different treatment of chlorsulfuron, 100FR displayed the greatest biocidal effect followed by 10FR and FR,showing their relative toxicity in the order of 100FR>100FR>FR.The results indicated that the side effect of this herbicide on N\|mineralization is probably of little ecological significance.

Particle breakage and the mobilized drained shear strengths of sand

This paper presents particle breakage and the mobilized drained shear strengths of sand with the purpose of clarifying the influence of particle breakage on the mobilized shear strengths of sand. Several drained triaxial tests were carried out on Silica sand No.5 under 3 MPa confining pressure to produce the pre-crushed sands in simulating the high- pressure shear process on soil to result in particle breakage, and then the pre-crushed sands were re- sheared in series of drained triaxial tests to investigate the mobilized strengths of the pre-crushed sands in detecting the influence of particle breakage. It was found that, by deteriorating strain-stress behavior, particle breakage resulted in change of stress-dilataney behavior in translation and rotation of the relation of the dilatancy factor and the effective principal stress ratio. For a given initial void ratio, particle breakage resulted in impairment of dilatancy behavior of soil to be more contractive in deterioration of the mobilized friction angle and the mobilized dilatancy angle and reduction of void ratio. However, particle breakage resulted in increase of the mobilized basic friction angle especially before failure. In addition, the influence of particle breakage on the mobilized strengths was revealed to be influenced by the shear stress-strain state.

Effect of Hydration Aging and Water Binder Ratio on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Sprayed Concrete

In order to study the durability of sprayed concrete （shotcrete）, effects of different hydration aging and water-binder ratio （w/b） on the microstructure of cement paste and basic mechanical properties of test specimens were investigated. The phase composition, mass percentage of ettringite and portland in hydration production and microstructure were characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD）, thermo gravimetry-differential scanning calorimetry （TG-DSC） and scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, respectively. The experimental results showed that changes in phase composition was more significant than those of water-binder ratio. With hydration aging and water-binder ratio increased, the mass percentage of ettringite and portland was decreased from 4.42%, 1.49% to 3.31%, 1.35%, respectively and the microstructure of paste was significantly compacted. Likewise, the mechanical properties including cubic compressive strength and splitting tensile strength were rised obviously.

Influence of repeated freeze-thaw on dynamic modulus and damping ratio properties of silty sand

Under repeated freezing and thawing in deep seasonal frozen regions, the stability and strength of the soil are imposed in the form of large uneven settlement, instability and strength reduction, which affect the normal operation of railway lines. This study is to obtain the influencing rules of freeze-thaw on the dynamic properties （dynamic strain, confining pressure and compactness） of silty sand. Based on an amount of inner tests, the dynamic modulus and damping ratio properties of silty soil subjected to repeated freeze-thaw cycles were deeply researched and analyzed. The results are as follows： At the same dynamic strain, the relationship of dynamic stress and freeze-thaw cycles presents negative cor- relation, and the relationship of dynamic stress, confining pressure and compactness present positive correlation. The dynamic modulus double decreases while the damping ratio double increases with incremental increase in dynamic strain. The dynamic modulus sharply decreases while the damping ratio increases with incremental increase in freeze-thaw cycles, and then the changes level off after six freeze-thaw cycles. The dynamic modulus increases while the damping ratio decreases as the confining pressure and compactness increase at the same strain level.

Optimization of Animal-Glue Binders for Casting Applications

In typical metal foundry applications,sand casting is still the most used technology.The related binder plays a very important role as its performances can directly influence the quality of castings.Among many binders,glues of animal origin have attracted much attention in recent years due to their reduced environmental impact.How-ever,they display some drawbacks such as the tendency to coagulate easily at room temperature and a relatively low strength.In this study,a novel gas-hardening casting binder was prepared using an animal glue and anhy-drous potassium carbonate as a hydrolyzing agent to avoid undesired agglomeration.Moreover,sodium pyropho-sphate and furfuryl alcohol were exploited as modifiers to obtain a binder with a high compressive strength.The best modification conditions,determined by means of an orthogonal design matrix approach,were 4 g of Na2CO3,sodium pyrophosphate,furfuryl alcohol and animal glue with a ratio of 4:12:100,at 85°C and with a duration of 115 min,respectively.The viscosity of the mixture obtained under these optimized conditions was 1250 mPa⋅s.The compressive strength of the binder,hardened by CO_(2) gas,was 4.00 MPa.Its gas evolution at 850°C was 15 ml⋅g-1,and its residual strength after 10 min calculation at 800°C was 0.01 MPa,which is high enough to meet the requirement of core-making in foundry.Moreover,after hydrolysis and further modification,animal glue and modifiers displayed a grafting reaction and an esterification reaction,respectively,which made the adhesive network denser and improved its thermal stability.

Effect of consolidation ratios on maximum dynamic shear modulus of sands

The dynamic shear modulus (DSM) is the most basic soil parameter in earthquake or other dynamic loading conditions and can be obtained through testing in the field or in the laboratory. The effect of consolidation ratios on the maximum DSM for two types of sand is investigated by using resonant column tests. And, an increment formula to obtain the maximum DSM for cases of consolidation ratio κc>1 is presented. The results indicate that the maximum DSM rises rapidly when κc is near 1 and then slows down, which means that the power function of the consolidation ratio increment κc-1 can be used to describe the variation of the maximum DSM due to κc>1. The results also indicate that the increase in the maximum DSM due to κc>1 is significantly larger than that predicted by Hardin and Black's formula.

Effect of fiber-reinforcement on the mechanical behavior of sand approaching the critical state

Several types of ground improvement methods that employ fiber-reinforcement have been developed in recent years.A series of consolidated drained triaxial compression tests has been conducted here to examine the effect of short fibers on the mechanical properties of Toyoura sand.Sand with 0%,0.2%,0.4%,and 1%fiber contents,prepared to yield random distribution,was sheared under several confining pressures and controlled via their initial relative densities.The test results showed that the maximum and residual deviatoric stresses increased,whereas the volumetric expansion decreased with an increase in fiber content.Although the stress ratio h(=q/p′)and specific volume changed depending on the fiber content and confining pressure with shear progression,they each reached the same values for a definite fiber content at the end of shearing,independent of initial relative density.In other words,the unique critical state line can be found for a definite fiber content.Moreover,the greater the fiber content,the larger the slope of the critical state line at the end of shearing.Additionally,as the length of fibers shortened with the same percentage of fiber inclusions in sand,the deviatoric stress and the stress ratio decreased,approaching the shear-strain-volumetric response of unreinforced sand.

Tests on Alkali-Activated Slag Foamed Concrete with Various Water-Binder Ratios and Substitution Levels of Fly Ash

To provide basic data for the reasonable mixing design of the alkali-activated (AA) foamed concrete as a thermal insulation material for a floor heating system, 9 concrete mixes with a targeted dry density less than 400 kg/m3 were tested. Ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) as a source material was activated by the following two types of alkali activators: 10% Ca(OH)2 and 4% Mg(NO3)2, and 2.5% Ca(OH)2 and 6.5% Na2SiO3. The main test parameters were water-to-binder (W/B) ratio and the substitution level (RFA) of fly ash (FA) for GGBS. Test results revealed that the dry density of AA GGBS foamed concrete was independent of the W/B ratio an RFA, whereas the compressive strength increased with the decrease in W/B ratio and with the increase in RFA up to 15%, beyond which it decreased. With the increase in the W/B ratio, the amount of macro capillaries and artificial air pores increased, which resulted in the decrease of compressive strength. The magnitude of the environmental loads of the AA GGBS foamed concrete is independent of the W/B ratio and RFA. The largest reduction percentage was found in the photochemical oxidation potential, being more than 99%. The reduction percentage was 87% - 93% for the global warming potential, 81% - 84% for abiotic depletion, 79% - 84% for acidification potential, 77% - 85% for eutrophication potential, and 73% - 83% for human toxicity potential. Ultimately, this study proved that the developed AA GGBS foamed concrete has a considerable promise as a sustainable construction material for nonstructural element.

Effect of the Design Parameters on the Performance of Inner-Recycling Continuous Sand Filter

A novel integrated water treatment facility, inner-recycling continuous sand filter, is discussed. The theory of micro-flocculation is applied in the sand-washing circulation system with continuous filtration and backwashing. The design and operation parameters, which affect the performance of the filter, are discussed. The key design parameters are provided as follows: diameter of filter material is 0.7 to 1.0 mm, depth of filter bed is 0.6 m, filtration velocity is less than 12 m/h, ratio of gas to water is 9:11 and sand recycling rate is 2 to 4 mm/min.

Elaboration of a Road Material Based on Clayey Soil and Crushed Sand

To contribute to the enhancement of unconventional local materials used for road construction,this study characterizes a crushed sand 0/5,a clayey soil and the litho-stabilized material without and with hydraulic binder and determines their use in accordance with some reference specifications(CEBTP 1984).It is shown that the different components are not usable alone in pavement base.Indeed,the plasticity index obtained for the clayey soil is 21%,a value higher than the imposed standards.In addition,the grading of the 0/5 crushed sand does not fit into the range proposed by CEBTP.A combination of these two(02)components is therefore considered to obtain a suitable material usable for the sub-base.This new material does not enter any class of the CEBTP lateritic soils.In order to be used in base layer,a treatment with hydraulic binder is carried out with the intention to improve its mechanical performances.The optimal dosage of hydraulic binder to achieve the desired mechanical performance is obtained by studying the evolution of the mechanical characteristics of the mixture.After this treatment,the Bearing Ratio index of the mix increases from 37 to 223 for the optimal dosage and the dry compaction density decreases from 2.11 to 2.06 g/cm3 while the optimal water content increases from 9%to 10.1%.

Biodegradable materials as binders for IVth generation moulding sands

This paper focuses on the possibility of using the biodegradable materials as binders(or parts of binders' compositions) for foundry moulding and core sands. Results showed that there is a great possibility of using available biodegradable materials as foundry moulding sand binders. Using biodegradable materials as partial content of new binders, or additives to moulding sands may not only decrease the toxicity and increase reclamation ability of tested moulding sands, but also accelerate the biodegradation rate of used binders, and the new biodegradable additive(PCL) did not decrease the strength and thermal properties. In addition, using polycaprolactone(PCL) as a biodegradable material may improve the flexibility of moulding sands with polymeric binder and reduce toxicity.