Key parameters controlling electrical resistivity and strength of cement treated soils

The improvement of question soils with cement shows great technical, economic and environmental advantages. And interest in introducing electrical resistivity measurement to assess the quality of cement treated soils has increased markedly recently due to its economical, non-destructive, and relatively non-invasive advantages. This work aims to quantify the effect of cement content （aw）, porosity （nt）, and curing time（T） on the electrical resistivity （p） and unconfined compression strength （UCS） of cement treated soil. A series of electrical resistivity tests and UCS tests of cement treated soil specimen after various curing periods were carried out. A modified Archie empirical law was proposed taking into account the effect of cement content and curing period on the electrical resistivity of cement treated soil. The results show that nt/（aw·T） and nt/（aw·T^1/2） ratio are appropriate parameters to assess electrical resistivity and UCS of cement treated soil, respectively. Finally, the relationship between UCS and electrical resistivity was also established.

The Mechanical Properties of Coastal Soil Treated with Cement

The influences of cement type, cement content, and curing time on the unconfined compression strength （UCS） of soil-cement were investigated. The influence of groundwater on UCS of soil- cement was also studied. The experimental results indicate that the soil treated with high grade cement presents a higher UCS. Additionally, the UCS of soil-cement presents linearly increased with the cement content. A logarithm correlation between UCS and curing time presents to forecast the strength development. Compared with the UCS of samples immersed in distilled water, those immersed in groundwater oresent a hizher value.

Treated wastewater irrigation effect on soil,crop and environment:Wastewater recycling in the loess area of China

A study was carded out at the Loess Plateau in Dongzhi, China, to test the feasibility of using secondary treatment sewage effluent and to determine whether the water quality would then meet the recommended irrigation norm. Seven crops, including celery, wheat, maize, millet, apples, rapeseed and yellow beans, were tested in the study. Physical and chemical properties of the soil, crop yield and quality and leachate at different soil depths were measured. In most cases, the quality of the crops that made use of treated sewage was not distinctively different from those that did not use treated sewage. However, yields for the former were much higher than they were for the latter. Leachates at different soil depths were analyzed and the results did not show alarming levels of constituents. For a period of approximately 14 months, the treated sewage irrigation had no significant effect on the loess soil and no cases of illness resulting from contact with the treated sewage were reported. With treated sewage irrigation, a slight increase in the organic content of the soil was observed.

Water retention behavior and shear strength of artificially cemented granite residual soil subjected to free drying

Artificially cemented soils have been widely used as filling materials in highway and railway construction.The shear strength evolution of filling materials upon moist variation can determine the stability of subgrade and embankments.This study conducted water retention tests,MIP tests,and multi-stage triaxial shear tests on cement-treated granite residual soil(GRS)to determine its water retention curve(WRC)upon free drying,pore structure,and peak shear strength qf,respectively.The water retention behavior and shear strength evolution upon free drying were modeled based on the dual-porosity structure of cement-treated GRS and the effective stress principle,respectively.Results show that the drying-WRC is bimodal and higher cement dosage yields a more severe decrease in the water retention capacity within a specific suction range.For a given confining pressure,the peak shear strength qf increased with increasing cement dosage or suction value s.The peak shear strength qf also solely depends on the suction value in the peak stress state.In addition,the cement-treated GRS has a bimodal pore size distribution curve,and its macro-and micro-void ratios remain almost unchanged after free drying.The bimodal drying-WRC of the cement-treated GRS can be modeled by differentiating the water retention mechanisms in macro-and micro-pores.Moreover,using the macro-pore degree of saturation as the effective stress parameterχ=S_(rM),the q_(f)–p′_(f)relationship(where p′_(f)is the effective mean pressure at failure)under various suction and stress conditions can be unified,and the q_(f)–s relationships at various net confining pressuresσ_(3),net can be well reproduced.These findings can help design subgrade and embankments constructed by artificially cemented GRS and assess their safe operation upon climate change.

Triaxial shear behavior of a cement-treated sand——gravel mixture

A number of parameters,e.g.cement content,cement type,relative density,and grain size distribution,can influence the mechanical behaviors of cemented soils.In the present study,a series of conventional triaxial compression tests were conducted on a cemented poorly graded sandegravel mixture containing 30% gravel and 70% sand in both consolidated drained and undrained conditions.Portland cement used as the cementing agent was added to the soil at 0%,1%,2%,and 3%(dry weight) of sandegravel mixture.Samples were prepared at 70% relative density and tested at confining pressures of 50 kPa,100 kPa,and150 kPa.Comparison of the results with other studies on well graded gravely sands indicated more dilation or negative pore pressure in poorly graded samples.Undrained failure envelopes determined using zero Skempton’s pore pressure coefficient (= 0) criterion were consistent with the drained ones.Energy absorption potential was higher in drained condition than undrained condition,suggesting that more energy was required to induce deformation in cemented soil under drained state.Energy absorption increased with increase in cement content under both drained and undrained conditions.

Dynamic characteristics of lime-treated expansive soil under cyclic loading

To better understand the dynamic properties of expansive clay treated with lime, a series of laboratory tests were conducted using a dynamic triaxial test system. The influential factors, including moisture content, confining pressure, vibration frequency, consolidation ratio, and cycle number on the dynamic characteristics were discussed. Experimental results indicate that specimens at low moisture contents tend to damage along the 30~ shear plane and they present brittle failure, while saturated specimens show swelling phenomenon and plastic failure. A redtiction in cohesion has been observed for unsaturated samples at large number of cycles, while it is opposite for the internal friction angle. For the saturated specimens, both the cohesion and internal friction angle decrease with increasing number of cycles.

Cement Treated Recycled Demolition Waste as a Road Base Material

To enhance the performance of mix granulate road base courses by cement treatment. The mechanical properties of cement treated mix granulate （CTMG） were studied, which was designed with 65% crushed masonry and 35% crushed concrete by mass. The central composite design was employed to prepare specimens with different levels of cement content and degree of compaction. All specimens were cured in a fog room at 20 ℃ for a specific number of days. The compressive strength and the indirect tensile strength were determined through the monotonic compression and indirect tension tests. Effective prediction models for the mechanical properties of CTMG, in relation to the cement content, the degree of compaction and the curing time, were successfully established for a mix containing 65% crushed masonry and 35% crushed concrete by mass.

Mechanistic Classification of Cement Treated Base in Western Australia

In the past decade alone, the BITRE has indicated an increase of 40% in road users, escalating demands for quality pavements to service tmprecedented traffic conditions. An abundance of crushed rocks are available in Western Australia but do not meet strength requirements for road construction. However, cement treatment of crushed rocks, forming Cement Treated Crushed Rocks （CTCR）, improves the mechanical properties of the material, allowing wider application. In order to streamline the mix design of CTCR, the classification of its behaviour is pivotal. Austroad classifies cement treated pavement materials as either being modified or bound based on its Unconfined Compressive Strength （UCS） and performance attributes. Bound materials are def＇med by its susceptibility to fatigue failure which, in the mechanistic-empirical design for flexible pavements, is dictated by the flexural modulus. However, in the study of damage mechanics, fatigue life is suggested to be an accumulation of micro-scale damage in lieu of dependency to ultimate stresses. Strain dependent damage functions are used phenomologically to explain the evolution of fatigue for various engineering materials. This paper therefore investigates a theoretical relationship between strain and fatigue life prediction supported by a laboratory investigation on the use of UCS for classification. This is achieved by providing regression analysis with strain parameters used in fatigue life prediction. The Indirect Tensile Strength （ITS） test is also employed to this end. It is observed that strain at onset of micro-cracking coalescence （ε30） is independent of test type undertaken and potentially capable of acting as a more superior blanket classification for cemented materials.

Load Settlement Characteristics of Model Footings Resting on Surface Treated Coir Fiber Reinforced BC Soil Overlying Loose Stratum

In nature there are situations where in foundation had to be placed over loose soil deposits. In such cases, deep foundations are recommended which increases cost of the structure. Black cotton soils, because of its high swelling and shrinkage characteristics, have been a challenge to geotechnical engineers, increasing the strength of Clayey soil which is formed introducing randomly distributed fibers results in comparatively more homogeneous soil mixture and is one of the popular methods of soil stabilization. In the present study, model footing resting on BC soil reinforced with optimum percentage of treated and untreated coir fiber underlain by loose soil deposit was conducted to study its influence on bearing capacity and settlement. Loose soil deposit has been simulated by compacting sawdust in prefabricated steel tank. BC soil reinforced with optimum percentage of treated and untreated coir fibers has been compacted over loose sawdust and load settlement characteristics were determined at various D/B ratio of 1,2, 3 and for different sized model footings. The results indicated that settlement of model footings is significantly small at lower D/B = 1 and 2 ratios. Bearing capacity of BC soil is also found to be significantly affected by fiber reinforcement.

INTERFACE AND PROPERTIES OF ALKALI-TREATED CARBON FIBRE REINFORCED CEMENT COMPOSITES

The surface of carbon fibre is studied which has been treated with heated sodium hydrate solution (NaOH) . It is found that the surface of carbon fibre is not corroded during the treatment. But at the same time, it is also found that after this treatment, a certain number of carbonyl groups (C O) and (-COOH or ?COONa) are produced on the treated surface of carbon fibre. When carbon fiber is mixed with cement paste, the above reactive groups will link with Ca+2 in the paste, which will result in an early stage hydration of cement in inter facial areas. In addition, the experiments show that the rheological properties of cement paste reinforced with alkali-treated carbon fibre differ greatly from that of untreated carbon fibre reinforced cement paste.

Characterisation, Analysis and Design of Hydrated Cement Treated Crushed Rock Base as a Road Base Material in Western Australia

Hydrated Cement Treated Crushed Rock Base （HCTCRB） is widely used as a base course in Western Australian pavements. HCTCRB has been designed and used as a basis for empirical approaches and in empirical practices. These methods are not all-encompassing enough to adequately explain the behaviour of HCTCRB in the field. Recent developments in mechanistic approaches have proven more reliable in the design and analysis of pavement, making it possible to more effectively document the characteristics of HCTCRB. The aim of this study was to carry out laboratory testing to assess the mechanical characteristics of HCTCRB. Conventional triaxial tests and repeated load triaxial tests （RLT tests） were performed. Factors affecting the performance of HCTCRB, namely hydration periods and the amount of added water were also investigated. It was found that the shear strength parameters of HCTCRB were 177 kPa for cohesion （c） and 42~ for the internal friction angle （~）. The hydration period, and the water added in this investigation affected the performance of HCTCRB. However, the related trends associated with such factors could not be assessed. All HCTCRB samples showed stress-dependency behaviour. Based on the stress stages of this experiment, the resilient modulus values of HCTCRB ranged from 300 MPa to 1100 MPa. CIRCLY, a computer program based on the multi-layer elastic theory was used in the mechanistic approach to pavement design and analysis, to determine the performance of a typical pavement model using HCTCRB as a base course layer. The mechanistic pavement design parameters for HCTCRB as a base course material were then introduced. The analysis suggests that the suitable depth for HCTCRB as a base layer for WA roads is at least 185 mm for the design equivalent standard axle （ESA） of 10 million.

The Electrical Resistivity Characteristics of Cement-Soil and Flyash-Lime-Soil

The electrical resistivity characteristics of cement soil and flyash lime soil are investigated in the laboratory and the field. It is shown that the electrical resistivities of the cement soil and flyash lime soil are sensitive to water content, degree of saturation and unconfined strength. The cement soil and flyash lime soil with higher water content, greater degree of saturation, lower unconfined strength has lower electrical resistivity. Electrical resistivity is also correlated with additives. Based on the tests, it is concluded that the electrical resistivity method is available for checking the effectiveness of the soil improvement by the cement soil and flyash lime soil mixing pile in terms of engineering practice.

Laboratory Test on Long-Term Deterioration of Cement Soil in Seawater Environment

Laboratory tests were conducted to study the effects of curing time, cement ratio and seawater pressure on cement soil deterioration formed at simulative marine soft clay sites. Deterioration depth was determined on the basis of characteristics of penetration resistance and penetration depth curves, and the deterioration depth of cement soil with the cement ratio of 7%, reached 31.8 mm after 720 d. Results of research indicated that deterioration extended quickly under seawater environment and the deterioration depth increased with the prolonging curing time. In addition, the water pressure could speed up deterioration. With the increase of cement content, the strength of cement soil increased obviously. At the same time, the deterioration depth decreased significantly. The concentration of calcium ion in the cement stabilized soil increased with the increase of depth, while that of magnesium ion gradually decreased. The variations were consistent with energy dispersive spectrometer(EDS)analysis results, and the calcium concentration with depth was in a good consistency with strength distribution at long term. The results showed that the deterioration became more serious with the curing time, and it was related to calcium leaching.

Mechanical properties of fiber and cement reinforced heavy metal-contaminated soils as roadbed filling

The treatment of contaminated soil is a crucial issue in geotechnical and environmental engineering.This study proposes to incorporate appropriate polypropylene fibers and cements as an effective method to treat heavy metal contaminated soil(HMCS).The objective of this paper is to investigate the effects of fiber content,fiber length,cement content,curing time,heavy metal types and concentration on the mechanical properties of soils.To this end,a series of direct shear test,unconfined compression strength(UCS)test,dry-wet cycle and freeze-thaw cycle test are performed.The results confirm that the appropriate reinforcement of polypropylene fibers and cement is an effective way to recycle HMCS as substitutable fillers in roadbed,which exhibits benefits in environment and economy development.

Improvement of geotechnical properties of sabkha soil utilizing cement kiln dust

Improvement of properties of weak soils in terms of strength,durability and cost is the key from engineering point of view.The weak soils could be stabilized using mechanical and/or chemical methods.Agents added during chemical stabilization could improve the engineering properties of treated soils.Stabilizers utilized have to satisfy noticeable performance,durability,low price,and can be easily implemented.Since cement kiln dust(CKD) is industrial by-product,it would be a noble task if this waste material could be utilized for stabilization of sabkha soil.This study investigates the feasibility of utilizing CKD for improving the properties of sabkha soil.Soil samples are prepared with 2% cement and 10%,20% or 30% CKD and are tested to determine their unconfined compressive strength(UCS),soaked California bearing ratio(CBR) and durability.Mechanism of stabilization is studied utilizing advanced techniques,such as the scanning electron microscope(SEM),energy dispersive X-ray analysis(EDX),backscattered electron image(BEI) and X-ray diffraction analysis(XRD).It is noted that the sabkha soil mixed with 2% cement and 30% CKD could be used as a sub-base material in rigid pavements.The incorporation of CKD leads to technical and economic benefits.

Studies on parallel seismic testing for integrity of cemented soil columns

The principle and process of parallel seismic (PS) testing for the integrity testing of cemented soil columns are in- troduced in this paper. A three-dimensional (3D) finite element model (FEM) for the pile-soil system is established for impulse responses. Under saturated soil or unsaturated soil condition, several vibrating velocity-time histories at different depths in parallel hole are obtained based on the numerical simulation. It shows that the length of the pile and the one-dimensional (1D) P-wave velocity in the pile can be determined easily from the features of the mentioned velocity-time histories. By examining the slopes of the first arrival time plotted versus depth or the depth where the amplitude of the first arrival significantly decreases, the length of the pile can be determined. The effects of the 3D P-wave propagation through the saturated soil and the defect of the cemented soil column on the velocity-time histories are also investigated.

Site observations of weathered granitic soils subjected to cementation and partial drainage using SCPTU

Because of the cementation inherited from the parent rock,weathered granitic soil is usually susceptible to disturbance,which poses considerable challenges for laboratory characterization.The cone penetration test with pore pressure measurements has long been known for its reliability in site investigations and stratigraphic profiling.However,although extensive piezocone test results and experience are available for sedimentary soil,similar advances are yet to be made for weathered granitic soil.Moreover,the experience from sedimentary soil may not be directly applicable to weathered profiles because of the essentially different natures of the two types of geomaterials.This study performs seismic piezocone tests in a weathered granitic profile comprising residual granitic soil,completely weathered granite,and highly weathered granite.Pore pressure is measured at both the cone mid-face and the shoulder,and the effects of penetrometer size and penetration rate are considered.A series of updated soil behavior type charts is proposed to interpret the test results,thereby allowing the effect of weathering to be evaluated.This paper offers an important extension to the sparse data on the in situ responses of weathered materials.

Characterization of frozen soil-cement mixture for berm construction in cold regions

Lagoon berms in western Alaska are difficult to design and build due to limited resources, high cost of construction and materials, and warm permafrost conditions. This paper explores methods to treat locally available frozen materials and use them for berm construction. The goal is to find an optimized mix ratio for cement and additives that can be effective in increasing the strength and decreasing the thaw settlement of an ice-rich frozen silty soil. Soil of similar type and ice content to the permafrost found at a project site in Eek, Alaska is prepared in a cold room. The frozen soil is pulverized and cement, additives and fibers are added to the samples for enhancing shear strength and controlling thaw settlement. Thaw settlement and direct shear tests are performed to assess strength and settlement characteristics. This paper presents a sample preparation method, data from thaw settlement and direct shear tests, and analyses of the test results and preliminary conclusions.

Assessment of strength development in cement-admixed artificial organic soil with GX07

To explore the stabilization effect of stabilizing agent GX07 on treating organic soil and the influence of organic matter on the strength development of stabilized soil,artificial organic soil with various organic matter content was obtained by adding different amounts of fulvic acid into non-organic clay,and then liquid-plastic limit tests were carried out on the artificial organic soil.Meanwhile,unconfined compressive strength(UCS) tests were performed on cement-only soil and composite stabilized soil,respectively.The test results indicate that the plastic limit of soil samples increases linearly,and the liquid limit increases exponentially as the organic matter content increases.The strength of stabilized soil is well correlated with the organic matter content,cement content,stabilizing agent content and curing time.When the organic matter content is 6%,as the cement content varies in the range of 10%-20%,the strength of cement-only soil increases from 88.5 to 280.8 kPa.Once 12.6% GX07 is added into the mix,the strength of stabilized soil is 4.93 times compared with that of cement-only soil.GX07 can obviously improve the strength of cemented-soil and has a good economic applicability.A strength model is proposed to predict strength development.