Characterization of polyurethane foam conditioned sand

Abstract

In construction projects, determining the type and properties of materials is a significant aspect. Not all soil has the potential to support the structure above it. If the building is constructed on weak ground, it is at risk and susceptible to collapsing due to differential caused by the soil's poor shear strength and high compressibility. Therefore, changing soil properties to increase its engineering performance is highly required. In this research, experiments were carried out to improve the strength of sand utilizing polyurethane-resin (P.U.) as additive material conducted in this research. This research aims to investigate the effects of adding polyurethane-resin for soil shear strength, settlement, deformation modulus, and unconfined compressive strength. In this study, three types of sand were injected with Polyurethane. A plate loading test was conducted before and after polyurethane injection. The settlement, ultimate bearing capacity, and deformation modulus were determined based on the results of the plate loading test. Cylindrical samples were extracted from the injected sand mass, tested by the unconfined compressive strength test, and determined deformation modulus. For assessing the effect of polyurethane mixing ratio on shear strength parameters and unconfined compressive strength, samples with different polyurethane mixing ratios 0.5, 1, 2, and 4% by weight were prepared and tested utilizing the unconfined compressive strength and direct shear box.

Numerical modelling for stability of homogeneous clay and sand slopes improved by polyurethane foam piles in slope face

“…The research [14] reports on the large-scale in-situ experiment that was conducted to investigate the effects of soil injection technology on the lifting of a concrete foundation and the soil stabilization (improving of the soil beneath the foundation) at different soil depths. The effects of adding polyurethane-resin for soil shear strength, settlement, deformation modulus, and unconfined compressive strength was investigated by Hassona and Abdelnaeem [6]. Polyurethane reduces settlement; whenever the void ratio is high, the polyurethane fills and expands inside; as a result, the drop in the settlement is high and requires a low injection ratio.…”