SOIL STABILISATION

Soil stabilisation is the process of improving the engineering properties of the soil and thus making it more
stable. It is required when the soil available for construction is not suitable for the intended purpose

The term stabilisation is generally restricted to the processes which alter the soil material itself for
improvement of its properties. A cementing material or a chemical is added to a natural soil for the
purpose of stabilisation.

Soil stabilisation is used to reduce the permeability and compressibility of the soil mass in earth structures
and to increase its shear strength. Soil stabilisation is required to increase the bearing capacity of
foundation soils. However, the main use of stabilisation is to improve the natural soils for the construction
of highways and airfields. The principles of soil stabilisation are used for controlling the grading of soils
and aggregates in the construction of bases and sub-bases of the highways and airfields.

MECHANICAL STABILISATION

Mechanical stabilisation is the process of improving the properties of the soil by changing its gradation.
Two or more types of natural soils are mixed to obtain a composite material which is superior to any of
its components. To achieve the desired grading, sometimes the soils with coarse particles are added or
the soils with fine particles are removed.

Gradation of a soil sample is the variation in size of soil particles present in a given soil sample.

Mechanical stabilisation is also known as granular stabilisation.

For the purpose of mechanical stabilisation, the soils are subdivided into two categories:

(1) Aggregates: These are the soils which have a granular bearing skeleton and have particles of the size
larger than 0.075mm.

(2) Binders: These are the soils which have particles smaller than 0.075mm size. This soil functions as the
cementing agent and also fills the void in the aggregate matrix.

The aggregates consist of strong, well-graded, angular particles of sand and gravel which provide internal
friction and incompressibility to a soil.

The binders provide cohesion and imperviousness to a soil. These are composed of silt and clay. The
quantity of binder should be sufficient to provide plasticity to the soil, but it should not cause swelling.

Proper blending of aggregates and binders is done in order to achieve required gradation of the mixed
soil. The blended soil should possess both internal friction and cohesion. The material should be workable
during placement. When properly placed and compacted, the blended material becomes mechanically
stable.

The load-carrying capacity is increased. The resistance against the temperature and moisture changes is
also improved.
The mechanical stability of the mixed soil depends upon the following factors.

(1) Mechanical strength of the aggregate. The mixed soil is stable if the aggregates used have high strength.
However, if the mixture is properly designed and compacted, even the aggregates of relatively low
strength can provide good mechanical stability.

(2) Mineral composition. The mechanical stability of the mixed soil depends upon the composition of the
minerals in it. The minerals should be weather-resistant.

Sodium sulphates and sodium carbonates cause large volume changes due to their hydration and
dehydration. These are detrimental to the stability.

(3) Gradation. The gradation of the mixed soil should be such that the voids of the coarser particles are
filled with finer particles so that a high density is obtained.

(4) Plasticity of soil. This is the ability of a material to undergo permanent deformation under stress
without cracking. Soil with large plasticity are clay like and have good moisture retention properties when
compared to soils with low plasticity. During road construction it’s important to use soil with low plasticity
for sub-base because of its drainage properties.

(5) Compaction. The mechanical stability of the stabilised soil mass depends upon the degree of
compaction attained in the field. Normally, the compaction is done at or near the optimum water content.

USES OF MECHANICAL STABILISATION. It is the simplest method of soil stabilisation. It is generally used
to improve the subgrades of low bearing capacity. It is extensively used in the construction of bases, sub-
bases and surfacing of roads.

CEMENT STABILISATION

Cement Stabilisation is done by mixing pulverised soil and portland cement with water and compacting
the mix to attain a strong material. The material obtained by mixing soil and cement is known as soil-
cement. The soil-cement becomes a hard and durable structural material as the cement hydrates and
develops strength.

Factors affecting cement stabilisation

The factors affecting cement stabilisation can be summarized under:

(1) Type of soil. Granular soils with sufficient fines are ideally suited for cement stabilisation. Such soils
can be easily pulverized and mixed. They require the least amount of cement. Granular soils with deficient
fines, such as beach sands and wind-blown sands, can also be stabilised but these soils require more
cement. As it is difficult to move road-making equipment over such soils when dry, it is desirable to keep
them wet for better traction. Silty and clayey soils can produce satisfactory soil-cement but those with a
high clay-content are difficult to pulverise. Moreover, the quantity of cement increases with an increase
in clay content. The quality of soil-cement in this case is not good, as it may have high shrinkage properties.
 (2) Quantity of cement. A well-graded soil requires about 5% cement, whereas a poorly graded, uniform
sand may require about 9% cement. Non-plastic silts require about 10% cement, whereas plastic clays
may need about 13% cement. The actual quantity of cement required for a particular soil is ascertained
by laboratory tests.

(3) Quantity of Water. The quantity of water used must be sufficient for hydration of cement and sill-clay
cement and for making the mix workable. Generally, the amount of water ascertained from compaction
consideration is adequate for hydration as well. Water used should be clean and free from harmful salts,
alkalies, acids or organic matter. In general, the water which is potable is also satisfactory for soil-cement.

(4) Mixing, Compaction and Curing. The mixture of the soil, cement and water should be thoroughly mixed,
as the success of cement stabilisation depends mainly on thorough mixing. If it is not properly mixed, it
may result in a non-homogeneous, weak product. However, the mixing should not be continued after the
cement has started hydrating, as it would result in a loss of strength. Soil-cement should be properly
compacted. After compaction, the surface is finished by a rubber-tyred roller. Soil-cement should be
protected against loss of moisture by providing a thin bituminous coating. Sometimes, other materials,
such as water-proof paper, moist straw or dirt, are also used.

(5) Admixture. To increase the effectiveness of cement as stabiliser, admixtures are sometimes added to
soil cement. Admixtures may permit a reduction in the amount of cement required. These may also help
stabilisation of soils which are not responsive to cement alone. Lime and calcium chloride have been used
as admixtures for clays and soils containing harmful organic matter to make them more responsive to
cement. Fly ash acts as a pozzolana and is effective for stabilization of dune sand. Sodium carbonate and
sodium sulphates have also been used as admixture.

Construction Methods

The construction of soil-cement bases and sub-bases is done using the following steps:

(1) The subgrade is cleared of all undesirable materials such as boulders, debris, stumps. It is then
levelled to the required formation level.
(2) The levelled subgrade is scarified to a depth equal to the proposed thickness of the soil cement.
(3) The scarified soil is then pulverised till at least 80% of the soil passes 4.75 mm IS sieve. It can be done
either manually or with the help of a machine. Pulverisation of highly plastic soil can be done easily if
about 4% lime is added to it.
(4) The pulverised soil is properly shaped to the required grade and the required quantity of cement is
spread uniformly over the surface. It is then intimately mixed dry with rotary tillers or special soil
mixers.
(5) The required quantity of water is sprinkled over the surface and wet mixing is done till the mixture
has a uniform colour . The operation should not last longer than 3 hours. The surface is then properly
graded using towed graders.
(6) Compaction is done using suitable methods. The thickness of the layer should not be more than 15
cm. Compaction should not take more than 2 hours. After compaction, the surface is properly finished.
(7) The compacted soil-cement is moist cured for at least 7 days by providing a bituminous primary coat.
Alternatively, it is kept damp by frequent application of a light spray of water. The mix-in-place
method of construction is quite simple, cheap and easily adaptable to different field conditions. The
main disadvantage is that the mixing is not uniform and high strength cannot be achieved.

LIME STABILISATION

Lime stabilisation is done by adding lime to a soil. It is useful for stabilisation of clayey soils. When lime
reacts with soil, there is exchange of cations in the adsorbed water layer and a decrease in plasticity of
the soil occurs. The resulting material is more friable than the original clay, and is, therefore, more suitable
as subgrade. Lime is produced by burning of lime stone in kilns. The quality of lime obtained depends
upon the parent material and the production process.

There are basically 5 types of limes.

(i) High calcium, quick lime (Cao)

The quick lime is more effective as stabiliser than the hydrated lime; but the latter is more safe and
convenient to handle. Generally, the hydrated lime is used. It is also known as slaked lime. The higher
the magnesium content of the lime, the less is the affinity for water and the less is the heat generated
during mixing. The amount of lime required for stabilisation varies between 2 to 10% of the soil.

Construction Methods

Construction methods used in lime stabilisation are similar to those used in cement stabilisation. However,
the following differences should be carefully noted.

(i) As the reaction in the case of lime is slow, there is no maximum time limit between the
addition of lime to the soil and the completion of compaction. However, care should be taken
to avoid carbonation of lime in the process.
(ii) Lime may be added in the form of slurry instead of dry powder.
(iii) A rest period of 1 to 4 days is generally required after spreading lime over a heavy clay before
final mixing is done. This facilitates proper mixing of lime and soil.
(iv) The soil-lime is compacted to the required maximum dry density. After compaction, the
surface is kept moist for 7 days and then covered with a suitable wearing coat. Sometimes,
the wearing coat is applied soon after compaction to help hold the moisture.
BITUMINOUS STABILISATION

Bitumens are non-aqueous systems of hydrocarbons that are soluble in carbon di-sulphide. Tars are
obtained by the destructive distillation of organic materials such as coal. Asphalts are materials in which
the primary components are natural or refined petroleum bitumens.

Bituminous stabilisation is generally done with asphalt as binder. As asphalts are normally too viscous to
be used directly, these are used as cut-back with some solvent, such as gasoline. These are also used as
emulsions, but in this form they require a longer drying period.

Any inorganic soil which can be mixed with asphalt is suitable for bituminous stabilisation. In cohesionless
soils, asphalt binds the soil particles together and thus serves as a bonding or cementing agent.

In cohesive soils, asphalt protects the soil by plugging its voids and water proofing it. It helps the cohesive
soil to maintain low moisture content and to increase the bearing capacity.

The amount of bitumen required generally varies between 4 to 7% by weight. The actual amount is
determined by trial.

Factors affecting bituminous stabilisation

(1) Type of soil. Bituminous stabilisation is very effective in stabilising sandy soils having little or no fines.
If a cohesive soil has the plastic limit less than about 20% and the liquid limit less than 40%, it can be
effectively stabilised. However, plastic clays cannot be properly treated because of the mixing problems
and large quantity of asphalt required. Fine-grained soils of the arid regions which have high pH value and
contain dissolved salts do not respond well.

(2) Amount of asphalt. The quality of the bitumen-stabilised soil improves with the amount of asphalt up
to a certain limit. However, if the amount of the asphalt is excessive, it results in a highly fluid mixture
that cannot be properly compacted.

(3) Mixing. The quality of the product improves with more thorough mixing.

(4) Compaction. The dry density of the bitumen-soil depends on the amount and type of compaction. It
also depends upon the volatile content.