Use of some agricultural wastes to modify the engineering properties of subgrade soils: A review

Abstract

The drive to diversify the economy in some developing countries have resulted in increased agricultural production and consequently increased agricultural waste. This study reviews some published research works on the reuse of some agricultural wastes for modifying soils with poor engineering properties. The review shows that some agricultural wastes, such as palm oil fuel ash, palm kernel shell ash, rice husk ash, sea-shell powder and sawdust ash, are effective modifiers of subgrade soil and become more effective when combined with traditional stabilizers. The use of stabilizers from agricultural wastes has the potential of reducing the amount of waste disposed of in landfills/dump sites, and at the same time reduce the carbon footprints caused by the use of traditional stabilizers like cement, and the cost of highway construction.

Utilization of Palm Oil Mill Residue as Sustainable Pavement Materials: A Review

“…Thus, Soil stabilization helps to improve the bearing capacity and engineering properties of weak soil before laying the pavement. Hence residue materials are used as a stabilizer to improve soft soil properties and strength by chemical additive incorporation or mechanical compaction [1], [3]. However, due to the detrimental impact of conventional stabilizers like lime and OPC and the release of large quantities of CO2 into the environment.…”

“…However, due to the detrimental impact of conventional stabilizers like lime and OPC and the release of large quantities of CO2 into the environment. Thus, researchers have embarked on the feasibility of utilizing this residue from agro-biomass as soil modifiers [3]. Researchers such as Rahmat et al [52], Pourakbar et al [53] and Fauzi et al [55] examine the potential of incorporating POFA as a renewable additive material as a substantial supplement of conventional lime and OPC.…”

“…Generally, from the literature, the application of POFA and PKSA as stabilizer dramatically enhances the mechanical properties and plasticity of the subgrade soil [3]. However, to use more residue from biomass as soil stabilizer or as pavement construction interlayer material, other conventional stabilizers need to be integrated.…”

“…Also, to mitigate unsuitable residue management, while at the same time exploring eco-friendly low-cost resources as substitutes to the exploitation of natural materials [1], [2]. Rapid population growth and industrialization have emanated to the accumulation of substantial volumes of residue materials, the majority from activities from the agricultural, industrial, quarry, and domestic [3]. The rapid growth in the populace combined with the rise in consumption rate impending into a desperate state of residue management as a landfill is the primary form of disposal.…”

Feasibility Study Stage of Mountain Highway Engineering Based on Empirical Analysis Method Estimation of Subgrade Engineering Quantity

“…The investment of subgrade, pavement and other projects in low-grade highway or high-grade highway with low proportion of bridges and tunnels occupies a large part in the investment estimation [6][7][8][9]. For example, for a class III Highway with subgrade width of 8.5m in hilly district, when the proportion of bridges and tunnels accounts for about 1% ~ 10%, the investment in subgrade accounts for about 50 ~ 75% of the construction and installation cost at the present stage of the project.…”