Experimental Study on Stablization of Black Cotton Soil by Fly Ash

International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering

Website: www.ijetae.com (ISSN 2250-2459, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal, Volume 4, Issue 11, November 2014)

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Experimental Study on Stablization of Black Cotton Soil by Fly

Ash, Coconut Coir Fiber & Crushed Glass Amit Tiwari

1, H. K. Mahiyar

2

1M.E.Transportation Engineering, CE-AMD SGSITS, Indore, M.P., India

2Professor, CE-AMD SGSITS, Indore, M.P., India

Abstract— As the Black Cotton Soil possess undesirable

engineering properties like Excessive Variation in volume

with change in water content, There is considerable shrinkage

on drying result in formation of extensive cracks, Black

Cotton soil experiences high swelling on being soaked, Low

compressive strength at higher water content etc.

The objectives of the present studies focus on to analyze

property of soil such as Atterberg’s Limits, Compaction

Curve (O.M.C. and M.D.D.), Shrinkage Limit, California

Bearing Ratio, Swelling Pressure, Permeability, direct shear

test, effect of Fly Ash, Coconut fiber& crushed Glass with

various percentages along with Black cotton Soil, combination

on the above proportion of ingredients, use of waste products

instead of conventional materials like cement, lime, etc. &

how to increase cost benefit ratio.

To achieve this goal experimental study on 48 trial samples

test were carried in two phase such as in first phase, the

physical properties of soil such as hygroscopic moisture

content grain size distribution, specific gravity, Atterberg’s

limits, Direct shear test, Swelling pressure, MDD-OMC, CBR,

Permeability test values are determined. In second phase,

various test investigation performed on black cotton soil using

different percentages of Fly Ash (FA) at 10%, 15%, 20%,

25%, Coconut Coir Fiber (CCF) at 0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75%, 1%

& Crushed Glass (CG) at 3%, 5%, 7% (glass crushed to have

gradation of sand size).

Keywords— Black cotton soil, California Bearing Ratio

Coconut Coir Fibre, Crushed Glass, Fly ash, Soil

Stabilization, Swelling Pressure.

I. INTRODUCTION

Marginal and weak soils, including soft clays, black

cotton soil, organic deposits, and loose sand, are often

unsuitable for construction due to their poor engineering

properties. Expansive soil experiences volume change due

to alteration in moisture content. Black Cotton soil covers

about 30% of the land area in India. Marginal and weak

soils, including soft clays, black cotton soil, organic

deposits, and loose sand, are often unsuitable for

construction due to their poor engineering properties.

Expansive soil experiences volume change due to alteration

in moisture content.

Black Cotton soil covers about 30% of the land area in

India. The name “Black Cotton” as an agricultural origin.

Most of these soils are black in colour and are good for

growing Cotton.

In monsoon seasons, soils imbibe water, swell become

soft and capacity to bear water is reduced. In drier seasons,

these soils shrink or reduce in volume due to evaporation of

water and they become harder. Due to its peculiar

characteristic of high plasticity, excessive swelling,

shrinkage and low strength when wet, the soil is regarded

unsuitable for construction material. Heavy financial

investments are required to be made for construction of

roads, canals and embankments due to non availability of

suitable soil.

During the last two decades environmental hazards,

regulations and heightening of public awareness has made

it difficult as well as costly to dispose of the waste

materials. Therefore fly ash may be stabilized through

traditional soil stabilization agents such as lime, cement,

and chemicals. These materials are costly, harmful for

environment and inconvenient in handling with fly ash. Soil

is used as sub grade or sub base material. Waste materials,

such as waste glass, coconut coir fibers, etc. can be use

with fly ash in soil stabilization of expansive soil.

II. LITERATURE REVIEW

Bairwa Ramlakhan et al.[1] represents a study of the

lime and fly ash as the admixtures or stabilizers in

improving some engineering Properties of Black cotton

(BC) soils. This experimental program evaluates the effect

of the lime and fly ash on the some basic engineering

properties of BC soil such as Liquid limit, plastic limit and

compaction of BC soil and California bearing ratio (CBR)

of BC Soil. The percentage of lime used in black cotton

soil varied from 3% to 12%. Besides the percentage of fly

ash used in BC soil varies from 10% to 40%.

Barua et.al [2] has studied on the roads of Assam facing

problems like formation of potholes, ruts, cracks and

localized depression and settlement especially during rainy

season.



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These are mainly due to insufficient bearing capacity of

the sub grade in water saturated condition. They found that

the sub grade soil mostly yields low CBR value 2-5%, to

increase bearing capacity of sub grade by using coir mat a

natural geotextile.

Dutta .R.K. [4] has analyzed the CBR behavior of waste

plastic strip reinforced fly ash overlying saturated clay.

Three different sizes of waste plastic strips were used in

this\study. The effect of waste plastic strip content (0.25%

to 4%) and length on the CBR and secant modulus of strip

reinforced-stone dust/fly ash overlying saturated clay was

investigated. The study reveals that addition of waste

plastic strip in stone dust/fly ash overlying saturated clay

resulted in an appreciable increase in the CBR and the

secant modulus.

Hassan [5], has conducted tests to determine engineering

properties of soil samples such as classification, Standard

Proctor Compaction Test, Unconsolidated Undrained Test

(UUT) and Odometer Consolidation Test. He

experimentally shows that addition of coir fiber with

different content (0.25%, 0.50%, 0.75%, and 1.0%) and

length (15 mm, 25 mm, 35 mm, and 45 mm) as random

reinforcing material increase the compaction and strength

of soft soil and The effectiveness of coir fiber in shear

strength is 105.68 kPa for 35 mm in fiber length and 0.50%

in fiber content. Besides, the MDD and OMC is 16.10 kPa

and with 13% which is from 45 mm at 0.50% of fiber

length and content.

Khan [13] has studies on, a soil fly ash interface

mechanism using different soil-fly ash ratios to upgrade

significantly stabilization of supporting medium based on

CBR tests. The study confirms soundness of approach

when a particular interface arrangement gives high fly ash

utilization rate along with many fold increase CBR values.

The results indicate that the CBR value optimized at soil-

fly ash ratio 1:2.5 and number of interface N = 4.

Vestin et al. [15] perform studies to compare the

different sections regarding stiffness and environmental

impact. The environmental impact of the road was

estimated from soil water and leach-ate from the road and

an initial leaching of K, Na, Cl and SO4 was found from

the lysimeters. He experimentally shows the bearing

capacity of the sections using falling weight deflectometer

technique at four different occasions along with the bearing

capacity increased with time and ash content.

Laboratory and field studies have shown that this fly ash

was suitable for stabilizing gravel roads. This conclusion is

based on: An initial leaching of K, Na, Cl and SO4 was

found from the test sections but the leaching decreased with

time and after two years the concentrations were similar

between reference and test sections and The sections had

high infiltration capacity but despite that a discrepancy was

found between leaching from the road and leaching of fly

ash in laboratory experiments.

Singh et al. [7] has carried out experimental studies on

the stabilizing effect of Natural fiber (coconut coir) on soil

properties. Soil samples for unconfined compression

strength (UCS) and California bearing ratio (CBR) tests are

prepared at its maximum dry density corresponding to its

optimum moisture content in the CBR mould without and

with coir fiber. Tests result indicates that both unsoaked

and soaked CBR value of soil increases with the increase in

fiber content.

III. EXPERIMENTAL SETUP

(a) Material Used

Expansive soil was excavated from Double Choukey

near NH-59 A Indore (M.P.) at depth of 0.5 m by

random sampling.

Fly Ash was purchased from Fly ash brick plant

situated at Manavta Nagar, Indore (M.P.). The fly

ash is a byproduct obtains from thermal power plant

having low densities useful for structural fills,

highway embankments.

Coconut coir fiber was brought from Siyaganj Market

and Various temples in Indore (M.P.).

(b)Experimental Investigation Performed

In first phase, the physical properties of soil such as

hygroscopic moisture content grain size distribution,

specific gravity, Atterberg’s limits, Direct shear test,

Swelling pressure, MDD-OMC, CBR, Permeability test

values are determined.

In second phase, various test investigation performed on

black cotton soil using different percentages of Fly Ash

(FA) at 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, Coconut Coir Fiber (CCF)

at 0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75%, 1% & Crushed Glass (CG) at 3%,

5%, 7% (glass crushed to have gradation of sand size).



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TABLE 1

Properties of Soil

Figure 1 Soil Grain size distribution of Soil & Fly Ash

TABLE 2

Properties of Fly Ash Soil

Figure 2 CBR comparison

Figure 3 Variation of Swelling Pressure

IV. ANALYSIS & DISCUSSION

Within present experimental study following

Discussions are drawn. On carried out experimental

study on 48 trial samples we observe following things

which are enlightened in the following paragraphs.

On studying Fig.5.1, this curve shows great variation

and required certain control condition to carry out

test. We obtain all the values greater than the plain

soil. It means that due to adulteration of this foreign

material (F.A, CG & CCF) soil quality improves to

great extent.

In these test individual behaviour of FA.CG & CCF

with soil has also carried out which shows that for

adding 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% & 30% FA with soil

produces highest CBR of value 4 at max 25%, after

that curve height decreases gradually.

Similarly on adding 3%, 5% & 7% we obtained

highest CBR of value 3 .1 at 7% CG after curves falls

down enormously. Also for adding 0.25%, 0.5%,

0.75%, 1% & 1.25%.of CCR we obtained max curve

height at CBR value of 3.6 after that curve should

successive depletion.

Hence we determined from experimental results for

combinations made for 25%FA, 7% & 1%CCF to set

range for combination for this 48 trial samples are

made. During this trial C.B.R, curve attains highest

value at 5.2 and falls down 2.2 and again it goes to

3.8, for different set of combination.

V. CONCLUSION

On the basis of present experimental study following

conclusions are drawn.

Addition of Fly Ash, Coconut Coir Fibre (CCF), and

Crushed Glass (CG) in Black Cotton Soil improves

the Engineering properties of soil.

Present study shows that optimum combination is

20% FA + 5% CG +1 % CCF With soil.

Reduces swelling pressure up to 1/10th

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Increases enormously raise California Bearing Ratio

up to 3.5 times for optimum combination.

Direct Shear Test value Of C (Cohesion) decreases

and Value of ø (Angle of internal friction) increases.

Increases soil Permeability which is good for drainage

purpose.

After Analysing the cost benefit Ratio cost has

reduced up to Rs 7, 45,000/- per kilometer.

This set of combinations shows that individual they

are weak to produce good result but use in proportion

increases the soil properties more than there

individual performance.

VI. FUTURE SCOPE

In future study tests can be carried on black cotton soil

or on different types of soil. The fly ash can be replaced by

lime, stone dust, sand, cement. Also Nylon fibers can be

replaced by coconut coir, jute (natural fibers) or

polypropylene, shredded rubber tire (artificial fibers), geo-

textile or geo-synthetic. From the above materials, mixes of

different proportions or combinations can be made for

improving the properties of soil which may be used for

construction of embankment or soil sub grade in highways.

REFERENCES

[1] Bairwa, R.L., Saxena,A..K ., “ Effect of lime and fly ash on

engineering properties of black cotton” International Journal of

Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering ,Vol. 3 Issue 11, 2013.

[2] BARUAH, et al., IGS BOMBAY CHAPTER (2010).

[3] Devidovic ,N., Prolovic,V., “Waste Glass additive to clay material in sub grade and embankment of Road Pavement” Architecture and

Civil Engineering Vol. 10 Nov,2012.

[4] Dutta. R. K. and Sarda V. K., “CBR behavior of waste plastic strip reinforced fly ash overlying saturated clay” Turkish Journal of

Engineering, Vol. 5, Issue 1, pp 181-192, 2007.

[5] Hassan, W., “Strength characteristic of soft soli reinforced with coir

fiber” University of Malaysia Phang, conference paper December

2012.

[6] IRC SP 58 “Guidelines for use of Fly ash in Road Embankment”.

[7] IS: 2720 (part III)-1964 Methods of Test for soil “Determination of

the specific gravity of soil”.

[8] IS: 2720 (part IV)-1965 Methods of Test for soil “Determination of Grain size analysis by sieving (Dry analysis)”.

[9] IS: 2720 (Part V)-1985 Methods of Test for soil “Determination of

liquid limit of soil using Casasgrande Apparatus”.

[10] IS-2720 (Part V) 1965 Methods of Test for soil “Determination of

plastic limit of soil”.

[11] IS-2720 (part VIII) 1980 Methods of Test for soil “Determination of

optimum moisture content & maximum dry density of soil by

Standard Proctor Test (light Compaction)”.

[12] IS: 2720 (Part XL) 1977 Methods of Test for soil “Determination of free swell index of soil sample”.

[13] KHAN,M.A., “A CBR based study evaluating sub grade strength of flexible Pavements having soil fly ash interfaces” International

journal of civil engineering , Vol.11 , May 2013.

[14] Singh, R, R., Improvement of local subgrade soil for road construction by the use of coconut coir fiber” International journal of

Research in Engineering and Technology Vol. 3, Issue 5, May 2014.

[15] Vestin , J. “Fly ash as a road construction material” ISCOWA

conference Dec 2012

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Experimental Study on Stablization of Black Cotton Soil by Fly Ash