ABSTRACT
Micaceous sands are known as problematic/undesirable soils for road/railway construction as such soils exhibit rebound action under traffic loading conditions leading to severe damage in subgrades and embankments. In the current research, three commercially available materials (Bentonite, Kaolinite and Lime) have been used independently for treating the micaceous soil to determine the appropriate stabilising agent for the overall enhancement of mechanical behaviour of micaceous soil including compatibility, cyclic stability, stiffness and strength characteristics subjected to various loading and boundary conditions. In the current research, extensive experimental research has been performed on MS treated with Bentonite/Kaolinite/Lime by conducting Compaction, Triaxial (unconsolidated undrained, consolidated undrained and consolidated drained) and cyclic triaxial tests. Bentonite treatment exhibited significant improvement in all the properties of micaceous sand (MS) as compared to Kaolinite and Lime treatment. Bentonite treatment of MS reported a marked reduction in the rebound response of micaceous soil with sustainable cyclic stability. The present research reported Bentonite treatment is the most effective, environmentally friendly and economical treatment for micaceous soil.
Notations
A | = | Skempton’s pore pressure parameter A |
B | = | Skempton’s pore pressure parameter B |
c | = | Cohesion parameter |
CBR | = | California bearing ratio |
Cc | = | Compressibility index |
D | = | Damping ratio |
ESP | = | Effective stress path |
Edyn | = | Dynamic Young’s modulus |
G | = | Shear modulus |
Gs | = | Specific gravity |
MDD | = | Maximum dry density |
MS | = | Micaceous sand |
N | = | Number of cycles |
OMC | = | Optimum moisture content |
p’ | = | Mean effective stress |
q | = | Shear stress |
SP-SM | = | Poorly graded silty sand |
λd | = | Dry density |
w | = | Water content |
σd | = | Deviatoric stress |
εa | = | Axial strain |
σdmax | = | Maximum deviatoric stress |
εf | = | Axial strain at failure |
φ | = | Angle of internal friction |
τ | = | Shear strength |
ΔV | = | Volume change |
ν | = | Poisson’s ratio |
umax | = | Maximum excess pore pressure |
umin | = | Minimum excess pore pressure |
Δu | = | Pore pressure variation in cyclic loading |
uf | = | Excess pore pressure at failure |
βmax | = | Maximum angle of obliquity |
σ1’/σ3’ | = | Effective stress ratio |
δ | = | Cyclic stiffness degradation index |
t | = | Degradation parameter |
Acknowledgments
Financial Support from IIT Gandhinagar is gratefully acknowledged. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of IIT Gandhinagar.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).