Physical and mechanical properties of cohesive soil geopolymerized with the fly ash

1. Home
2. Publications
3. Online Library
4. Physical and mechanical properties of cohesive soil geopolymerized with the fly ash

Expansive soils cause geotechnical problems due to volume changes caused by changes in their moisture content. To keep the volume changes in check, designers are forced to use a variety of solutions from soil replacement to stabilisation with various additives. This research paper focuses on the potential improvement of cohesive soils by geopolymerization with the use of fly ash. Geopolymers are three-dimensional polymer chains composed of Si-O-Al-O bonds, which are formed by dissolving aluminium and silicon minerals in an alkaline solution. The paper presents the results of experimental tests demonstrating the effectiveness of geopolymerization in increasing the strength and stiffness of soil with additives subjected to this process, as well as reducing the shrinkage-swelling phenomenon depending on the moisture content, demonstrates the benefits of using Industrial Solid Wastes (ISW) products in earth construction and offers an expanded opportunity to improve and utilise cohesive soils. The following tests were performed: the granulometric composition of the samples with the addition of fly ash, Atterberg limits (liquidity and plasticity), uniaxial compressive strength of the soil before and after geopolymerization, and free swelling (before and after geopolymerization of the samples). The workability of the soils increased after the addition of fly ash, after geopolymerization of the soils the uniaxial compression strength increased more than 6 times, while the swelling phenomenon was reduced by 95 to 99%.

28th European Young Geotechnical Engineers Conference (EYGEC2024)

Other