Stabilization of Expansive Clay Using Powdered Glass with Cement as Catalyst
Abstract
Geotechnical properties of soil is targeted at providing stable and durable engineering structures. It becomes necessary to gain the knowledge of when materials intended for foundation and pavement construction will fail or pass in meeting the requirement in civil engineering practice. This study intended to investigate the potentials of using glass powder and cement at varying percentages to stabilize expansive clay. Soil samples obtained from Gombe State was used in this study which after some tests, the soil was found to have the following properties. Natural moisture content of the soil was found to be 10.47% and the specific gravity (Gs) of the clay was found to be 2.64, the natural soil has a liquid limit of 35.8% and a plastic limit of 27.8%. After compaction, the natural soil has a maximum dry density of 2.37Mg/m3 and an optimum moisture content of 25%, after incorporating the additives, the peak values of MDD was obtained at 6% glass powder keeping cement constant at 3% which gave a value of 2.90 Mg/m3 with an OMC of 44% also the maximum California bearing ratio value was also obtained at 6% glass powder with a value of 9.22% and the unconfined compressive strength of the soil also attains its highest values at 6% with values of 0.31 N/mm2 and 0.33N/mm2 at 3 and 7 days curing age respectively. The study reveals that cement and glass powder can significantly improve the engineering properties of expansive clays.
