A PROJECT PROPOSAL

BY

ULOKO, Gideon Eche

2013/1/47460EC

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

SCHOOL OF INFRASRUCTURE, PROCESS ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, MINNA

NIGER STATE.

STABILIZATION OF CEMENT BASED CLAY SOIL USING TERRAZZO WASTE

AND ZEOLITE

JULY, 2019.
 CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study

Clay soil exists in different parts of the world and can cause serious damage to civil

engineering structures ranging from building structures to road structures (Seco et al,2011).

The common clay minerals available are kaolinite, illite, montmorillonite which can exist as

expansive clays or soft clays ion their in-situ form. These two processes are caused by the

availability or non-availability of water to the in-situ clay deposit. Expansive clay soils are

common in semi-arid regions where availability of ground water is minimal and conditions

are suitable for the formation of clay minerals such as montmorillonite (Avsar et al, 2009,

Nowamooz and Masrouri, 2008, Sabtan, 2005). Soft clay deposits are common in rain forest

areas where groundwater is always available to the clay deposit. Clay is a material with low

strength and markedly affected by water but it can be relatively strong in dry condition

(Goodarzi and Salimi, 2015). If water is added to clay, it will behave as plastic or flow like

liquid.

Zeolites are hydrated aluminosilicate minerals with an open cage-like structure characterised

by large intersecting open channels of ten- and eight-member tetrahedral rings. It has been

documented in the literature that the lattice of the zeolites consists of tetrahedra of silicate

(SiO4) and aluminate (AlO4) joined together by way of common oxygen atoms at their

vertices; as aluminium is trivalent, the lattice is negatively charged. This negative charge

within the pores is neutralised by positively charged ions, such as alkaline cations, which are

free to move in the channels of the cage-like lattice. The remarkable physical and chemical

properties of natural zeolites promote their utilisation, which has recently increased markedly,

with the aim of protecting the environment, as well as in a multitude of engineering and
industrial applications, including farming, fisheries, textiles and construction materials.

Zeolites in powder form have been used as a cement and concrete improver (Perraki et al.,

2003; Poon et al., 1999); an increase in the uniaxial compressive strength of concrete–zeolite

cemented sands has also been shown by Mola-Abasi and Shooshpasha (2016).

Industrial wastes (by-products) can be used solely or as admixtures so that natural sources are

used more efficiently and the environment is protected from waste deposits (Karasahin and

Terzi, 2007). Soil stabilization using admixtures is the oldest and most widespread method of

ground improvement. Cation exchange, flocculation and pozzolanic reactions are valid for

stabilization of expansive soils using waste terrazzo dust. In long term, pozzolanic reactions

occur between the calcium ions of the stabilizer (terrazzo dust) and the silica and alumina of

the clay minerals resulting in the formation of cementitious products such as calcium-silicate-

hydrates (C-S-H), calcium-aluminate-hydrates (C-A-H), and calcium aluminium-silicate-

hydrates (C-A-S-H).

Therefore, creating new utilization areas for waste marble dust will eliminate the potentially

harmful effects on environment and minimize costs due to storage. The property investigated

in this study is unconfined compressive strength.

Strength and durability properties of soil can be improved by both mechanical and chemical

stabilization. Soil stabilization is the alteration of soils to improve their physical properties.

Soil stabilization aims at improving soil strength and increasing resistance to softening by

water through bonding the soil particles together, water proofing the particles or combination

of the two. (Sherwood, 1993). Chemical stabilization depends mainly on chemical reactions

between stabilizer (cementitious material) and soil minerals (pozzolanic materials) to achieve

the desired effect. A chemical stabilization method is the fundamental of this research and,

therefore, throughout this report the term soil stabilization shall refer to chemical
stabilization. Stabilization is achieved by the addition of proper percentages of cement, lime,

fly-ash, bitumen or combination of these materials and other suitable materials to the soil.

The selection of the type and determination of the percentage of additive to be used is

dependent upon the soil classification and the degree of improvement in the soil quality

desired. Durability, the ability of a material to retain stability and integrity over years of

exposure to destructive forces of weathering, is one of the most important factors to be

considered in the selection of soil for construction use (Dempsey and Thompson, 1968).

1.2 Problem Statement

Weathering of rocks and soil is the primary way that clays and clay minerals foem at the

earth’s surface today. The process of weathering involves physical disaggregation and

chemical decomposition that changes original materials to clay minerals; weathering is

uneven, amd many stages of breakdown may be found in the same clay sample (Nora,1999).

Clay generally presents a great challenge to any civil engineering foundation and construction

design. Soft clays have low strength, low permeability, weak confining pressure, highly

compressible and exhibit moderate swelling when in contact with moisture. Clay is very hard

when dry but loses its strength on wetting. These characteristics create problems for the

foundation or structure because of shear failure or differential settlement and it becomes very

dangerous in the long run. It is therefore necessary to improve the physical characteristics of

this soil by using suitable soil stabilization techniques such as addition of cement, zeolite and

terrazzo waste treatment that will be done for this study.

1.3 Aim and Objectives

The aim of this research is to find the durability of clay stabilized with zeolite and terrazzo

waste. The objectives are:

i. To determine the optimum moisture content (OMC) of cement-based black

cotton clay soil and terrazzo waste.

 ii. To determine the unconfined compressive strength of cement-based black

cotton clay stabilized with zeolite and terrazzo waste.

1.4 Scope of Study

This study focuses on the laboratory study of the unconfined compressive strength of zero-

percent cement-based black cotton clay stabilized with terrazzo and zeolite. The untreated

clay was collected from Abuja, Nigeria.

1.5 Justification of Study

This research is carried out to find the solution to improve the physical properties particularly

the strength and durability of untreated clay soils that can be suitable for engineering

construction since untreated clay soil is not recommended for any construction due to

instability. This will lead to reduction in resources expended in the total or partial

replacement of unsuitable clay soil from a construction site

1.6 Materials and Methods

1.6.1 Materials

i. Black Cotton Clay Soil

The black cotton soil sample will be obtained from a borrow pit at FCT-Abuja,

Nigeria. The clay will be collected at a depth of 1.0m to 1.5m. The clay soil will be

crushed manually, and size graded by sieve of 5.00mm to remove leaves and other

unwanted materials from the clay soil. The disturbed clay soil is to be prepared

according to the method highlighted in part 1 of B. S. 1377

ii. Zeolite

The zeolite to be used for this study will be obtained from Zaria, Kaduna State.

iii. Terrrazzo waste

 The terrazzo waste will be obtained from Civil Engineering Laboratory, Department

of Civil Engineering, Federal university of Technology Minna, Niger State.

iv. Water

Distilled water will be purchased from General Hospital Minna, Niger State was used

for this research

1.6.2 Methods

Moulded samples are to be produced at:

i. 0% Cement 0% Terrazzo Waste 2.0% Zeolite;

ii. 0% Cement 3% Terrazzo Waste 1.5% Zeolite;
iii. 0% Cement 6% Terrazzo Waste 1.0% Zeolite;
iv. 0% Cement 9% Terrazzo Waste 0.5% Zeolite;
v. 0% Cement 12% Terrazzo Waste 0% Zeolite

Laboratory tests to be carried out include:

i. specific gravity test;

ii. liquid limit test;
iii. plastic limit test;
iv. compaction test: to obtain the optimum moisture content and maximum dry

density of the various percentage mixes proposed to be carried out.

v. Unconfined compressive strength (UCS) test of the various mixes.

The moulded samples will be tested for unconfined compressive strength at the end of the

curing period of 24 hours, 7 days, 14 days, 21 days and 28 days. This test is used to quickly

obtain the shear strength parameters of cohesive soils either in disturbed or remoulded state.

The area correction formula for the result to be obtained is shown below.

Axial strain ɛₐ ₌
Stress σ ₌ where, A ₌

A₀ is the initial area of the specimen (

1.6.3 Expected Result

At the end of this research, the shear strength of cement based black cotton clay soil is

expected to either increase or decrease after it has been stabilized with terrazzo waste and

zeolite at different percentages. The mix with the highest shear strength after application of

load during the unconfined compressive strength test is observed and its feasibility in terms

of workability and economy in practice is noted.

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