Artificial cementation is a technique commonly used to improve the mechanical properties of soils for use in geotechnical engineering works, because it often provides economic and environmental advantages. In order to study the factors that influence the behavior of cemented dune sand from Natal, series of unconfined compression and splitting tension tests were performed. These tests showed that increasing the cement content and decreasing void ratio are effective ways to improve compressive strength. The same applies to tensile splitting strength. It was also established that both unconfined compressive and splitting tensile strengths can be related to a quotient between volume of void-space and cement content.

The dune sands of the coast of Rio Grande do Norte State, northeastern Brazil, have serious engineering problems, namely low bearing capacity for shallow foundations and are not suitable as material for sub-base and road base. The use of this material in engineering practice needs improvement of their geotechnical properties. This paper investigates the effect of adding Portland cement to stabilize dune sand from the region of Natal, Brazil. Undrained triaxial tests were carried out to evaluate the effect of cement content on the geotechnical behaviour of dune sand-cement admixtures. Tests with admixtures with cement contents of 2.5, 5 and 10% of the dry mass of soil were carried out. Results showed that soil cohesion increased with increasing cement content. The friction angle of the admixtures was lower than that of the uncemented sand for cement content of 2.5 and 5% while It was larger than that of the uncemented sand for cement content of 10%.