Weak Soil Modifications Using Sustainable Recycled Municipal Solid Waste Ash

Abstract

Due to the ever growing need to incorporate ecofriendly and cost effective materials in construction projects, this research study was carried out with an overall aim of attempting to address the aforementioned need by investigating the possibility of stabilizing clayey lateritic soils using recycled municipal solid waste ash as an innovative material. The laterite specimens were incorporated with the varying ash contents and tested for atterberg limits, compaction and unconfined compressive strength behavior. The scanning electron microscopic (SEM) test was conducted to determine the morphology changes in the soil when blended with RMSWA contents at curing ages of 1,7 and 14 days. Based on the results of UCS test, stress - strain behavior, load - deformation relationships curves were also established and analyzed. Results from the atterberg limit test revealed that the plastic index, plastic limit, liquid limit ranged between 1.6-11.9%, 20.6-24.5% and 26.1-35.0%. The maximum dry density of the samples increased with the ash inclusion, with the maximum dry density value of 2020Kg/m3 achieved at 6% ash inclusion, thus making it suitable in laterite stabilization. Base on the investigation, 6%MSWA can potentially be used to improve the engineering properties silty-clayey lateritic soils provided the adequate curing conditions are adhered to.