Effects of Corn Starch and Corn Silk Binary Blends on the Strength Properties of A Soft Clay: A Preliminary Study

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the effects of corn silk (CS) and corn starch (S) on the compaction properties, unconfined compressive strength (UCS), and flexural strength (FS) of a soft clay. The morphology changes of the treated clay were assessed through microstructural investigations. The findings revealed that the combination of CS and S improved the UCS and FS of the soft clay through hydrogen bonding and fiber–soil interaction that enhanced the adhesion forces between soil particles as reflected in the appearance of a denser soil structure in VPSEM images. The optimum percentage of additives was found to be 0.5% CS and 4% S that recorded the highest UCS and FS. Contrarily, it was observed that the UCS and FS decreased with increasing percentages of additives due to the dominant fiber-fiber and polymer–polymer interaction that reduced the contact between soil particles. The statistical analysis suggests that the treatment methods and curing durations portray significantly different effects on the UCS and FS development of the soft clay. In general, the findings from this study demonstrate that CS and S can be utilized as effective stabilizers for weak soils in soil stabilization projects.

摘要

研究了玉米丝（CS）和玉米淀粉（S）对软土压实特性、无侧限抗压强度（UCS）和抗折强度（FS）的影响. 通过微观结构研究，评估了处理后粘土的形态变化. 结果表明，CS和S的结合通过氢键和纤维-土壤相互作用提高了软粘土的UCS和FS，从而增强了土壤颗粒之间的粘附力，这反映在VPSEM图像中出现了更密集的土壤结构. 添加剂的最佳比例为0.5%CS和4%S，其UCS和FS最高. 相反，由于主要的纤维和聚合物相互作用，减少了土壤颗粒之间的接触，因此UCS和FS随着添加剂百分比的增加而降低. 统计分析表明，不同的处理方法和养护时间对软土的UCS和FS发展有显著的影响. 总的来说，本研究的结果表明，CS和S可以作为土壤稳定工程中的有效稳定剂.

KEYWORDS:

• 关键词corn starch
• 玉米淀粉corn silk
• 玉米须biopolymer
• 生物聚合物natural fiber
• 天然纤维marine clay
• 海相粘土soft soil stabilization

Acknowledgments

The authors appreciate the valuable suggestions provided by the Abunde Sustainable Engineering Group.

Data availability

All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the submitted article.