Utilization of an industrial waste in calcareous expansive clay stabilization

Abstract

The calcareous expansive soil in Cyprus has caused serious damage to structures. High-quality Soma fly ash admixture has shown tremendous potential as an economical method for the stabilization of the soil. Fly ash and lime-fly ash admixtures reduce the water absorption capacity and compressibility of the treated soils. Unlike some of the previously published research, an increase in hydraulic conductivity of the treated soils was obtained with an increase in percent fly ash and curing time. X-ray diffractograms indicate that pozzolanic reactions cause an alteration in the mineralogy of the treated soils, and new mineral formations with more stable silt-sand-like structures are produced. In the present study, an attempt has been made to use cation exchange capacity (CEC) values to substantiate the findings that, with increasing percentage of fly ash and curing tine, soils become more granular in nature and show higher hydraulic conductivity values.