Open AccessPOTENTIAL OF GRANITE DUST TO IMPROVE THE ENGINEERING PROPERTIES OF SOFT SOILS FOR ROAD CONSTRUCTION
Author(s) -
Ahmed Eltwati,
Alaa Elkaseh,
Fares Tarhuni,
Saleh Ahmeed Buagela
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
science proceedings series
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2663-9467
pISSN - 2663-9459
DOI - 10.31580/sps.v2i1.1254
Subject(s) - california bearing ratio , soil water , geotechnical engineering , atterberg limits , shear strength (soil) , compaction , environmental science , direct shear test , bearing capacity , geology , soil science , shear (geology) , petrology
Soft soils such as clay soils, mostly if they comprise swelling minerals may produce great damage to structures, particularly when these soils are exposed to wetting and drying situations. The geotechnical properties of soft soils could be enhanced by utilizing chemical additives. In this paper, granite waste dust was used to adjust the properties of clay soils. This paper investigates the effect of granite rock dust on the geotechnical properties of soft soil. The particle size distribution, Atterberg limits, compaction, California bearing ratio (CBR) and direct shear strength characteristics of the soil when blended with various percentages of granite dust were evaluated. The findings show a great increase in the maximum dry density, optimum water content, direct shear strength and CBR with increasing the amount of granite dust. The best results obtained for CBR values were when the soils mixed with 8% granite dust. Although these findings indicate great improvement in the geotechnical parameters of clayey soils, the higher strength established is not enough for the enhanced soil to be utilized as a base material in the construction of heavily-trafficked flexible pavements. However, this modified material can be used as a base material for moderate traffic roads and as a sub-base material for high traffic roads.