Lateritic soil is one of the major construction materials in road pavement. However, obtaining lateritic soil with sufficient strength is difficult, which may necessitate its improvement by stabilization. Lateritic soil, in this study, was stabilized with upto 12% Maize Husk Ash (MHA) by weight of soil samples, with a view of improving its geotechnical properties and assessing it as subbase materials. Classification tests (particle size analysis, specific gravity, Atterbergs limits) and strength index tests (compaction, california bearing ratio (CBR), unconfined compression test (UCS) were performed on both the natural and the MHA-stabilized soil samples. The grain size analysis shows that the percentage passing No. 200 BS sieve was 47.7% for the natural lateritic soil and between 50 and 62.1% for MHA stabilized lateritic soil. The liquid limit, plastic limit and plasticity index are in the range of 61 to 76%, 28 to 53% and 16 to 37% respectively. Also, the maximum dry densities increased, while the optimum water content decreased with increase in the MHA content. The CBR value of the lateritic soil increased with MHA content up till 6% addition of MHA and thereafter decreased, while higher UCS value was obtained up till 3% and then decreased with increasing content of MHA. The results indicated that the MHA stabilized lateritic soil could only be used as subgrade and fill materials.
The impact of admixture of both Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and steel slag was examined on the geotechnical properties of the lateritic soil, by conducting basic geotechnical tests: Particle size analysis, Consistency limits, Compaction, California Bearing Ratio (CBR) and Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) on both the natural and stabilized soil samples and results were subjected to statistical analysis using 2-way ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) at 5% level of significance. The natural soil was classified as s A-7-6 and MH under standard soil classification systems. Addition of steel slag lowered the liquid limit (LL) and plasticity index (PI), while cement increased the LL and decreased PI of the lateritic soil, respectively. With increasing content of slag and cement, maximum dry density increased with the corresponding decrease in optimum moisture content. CBR and UCS of the stabilized soil increased substantially with increasing contents of slag and cement. Both steel slag and cement have statistically significant effects on the geotechnical properties of the lateritic soil. Hence, this soil can be stabilized with addition of 12% steel slag and 6% cement contents for its application as an improved subgrade material for light trafficked pavement. Keywords: Lateritic soil, steel slag, cement, stabilization, Index properties, strength indices.
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