STABILIZATION OF SOIL REINFORCED WITH QUARRY DUST … · International Journal of Recent Trends in Engineering & Research (IJRTER) Volume 02, Issue 9; September - 2016 [ISSN: 2455-1457]

@IJRTER-2016, All Rights Reserved 318

STABILIZATION OF SOIL REINFORCED WITH QUARRY DUST

Prof. Vinod Sonthwal1, Er. Gaurav Soni2 1Associate Professor,Civil Engineering Department, NITTR Chandigarh

2M.Tech. Student, NITTTR Chandigarh

Abstract : The paper explore the feasibility of using quarry dust to investigate the possibility of

stabilization of soil using quarry dust. Soil stabilization incorporates the various methods employed

for modifying the properties of a soil to improve its engineering performance. It involves the use of

soil, soil minerals and stabilizing agent or binders to improve its geotechnical properties such as

compressibility, strength, permeability and durability.In the present investiagtiom the extensive

laboratory testing was carried out on clayey soil and on clayey soil reinforced with quarry dust.

Modified Proctor’s test was carried out on plane soil and soil mixed with different percentage of quarry

dust and the optimum percentage of quarry dust is obtained.

Keywords – Atterberg Limits, Optimum Moisture Content and Dry Density

I. INTRODUCTION Natural soil is a complex and variable material. The properties of soil varies from one place to other

but also at the place with depth and with a change in the environmental, loading and drainage

conditions. The properties of a soil depend not only on its type but also on the conditions under which

it exists.

Soil stabilization aims at improving soil strength and increased resistance to softening by water through

bonding the soil particles together, water proofing the particles or combination of the two processes.

The simplest stabilization processes are compaction and drainage which improve inherent shear

strength of soil. The other process is by improving gradation of particle size and further improvement

can be achieved by mixing weak soils with binders which can be mechanical stabilization, stabilization

with cement, lime, bitumen and chemicals etc. Most of stabilization has to be undertaken in soft soils

(silty, clayey peat or organic soils) in order to achieve desirable engineering properties.

Quarry fines and waste are the byproduct of the extraction and processing of aggregates. They form a

significant proportion of current quarry output. In India Annual production of quarry waste is 20 MT.

The size of quarry waste is below than 90 micron. They are defined as waste because no market

currently exists for them, but unlike much other waste they are inert and non-hazardous. A material

that may be classifies as quarry waste includes overburden (although this is frequently used in

restoration) and interburden (material of limited value that occurs above or between layers of economic

aggregate material) and processing waste (non marketable mostly fine grained material from crushing

and other processing activities. Figure 1 represents the quarry waste at the site.

With the rise in development of countries the rate of production of wastes has increased tremendously

in almost all parts of the world in the past few decades. Disposal of such wastes poses lots of

geoenvironmental problems such as landfill disposal problems, health and environmental hazards.

International Journal of Recent Trends in Engineering & Research (IJRTER) Volume 02, Issue 9; September - 2016 [ISSN: 2455-1457]


Figure 1: Quarry Waste at Site

In order to eliminate the negative effect of these waste materials it can dispose proper and safe

manner.Soil stabilization is the technique which improves the properties of expansive soil to meet the

engineering requirements. Also it can’t be disposed of properly and its disposal is not economically

viable but it is blended with other construction materials like clayey soil then it can be used best for

various construction purposes like sub grade, foundation base and embankments. This may help both

remove environmental problems and contribute to the economy. Quarry dust exhibits high shear

strength which is highly beneficial for its use as a geotechnical material. It has a good permeability

and variation in water content does not seriously affect its desirable properties. The dry density

increased with the addition of quarry dust with attendant decrease in the optimum moisture content.

II. EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAMME In order to investigate the effect of variation in the engineering properties of plane soil and soil mixed

with quarry dust, extensive test are performed in laboratory and the results are elaborated below.

Index Properties of the Soil:

Cone penetration is used for the determination of liquid limit and the standard procedure is used to

determine plastic limit by arbitrary fixing the shape in a rolled thread of 3mm diameter.Table 1

represents the Index Properties of the Soil used in the investigation

Table 1: Index Properties of Soil

S.No Index Properties Value

1. Liquid Limit, WL 32%

2. Plastic Limit, W P 12.5%

3. Plasticity Index, IP 19.5%

4. Type of Soil CL

5. Specific Gravity, G 2.68

III. DISCUSSION OF RESULTS

Compaction Characteristics of Plain Soil:

Table 2 represents the results obtained when Modified Proctor’s Test was carried out on plain soil

sample. Figure 2 representing the variation of dry density γd,(g/cc) with increasing water content w,

(%) for the plain soil sample.



Table 2:Data for OMC-MDD of Plain Soil Sample

S.No Dry Unit

Weight γd (g/cc)

Water Content

w (%)

1. 1.88 5.1

2. 1.96 7.8

3. 2.08 10.9

4. 1.92 12.2

5. 1.85 14.9

From Figure 2 it is observed that the dry density initially increase with increase in water content, till a

maximum dry density is achieved after which further addition of water decreases the density. Table 3

represents the Maximum Dry Density γd ,(g/cc) and Optimum Moisture Content w, (%) for the plain

soil sample.

Table 3 : Test results of OMC-MDD for the Plain Soil

Max.Dry Density Optimum Moisture

2.08(g/cc ) Content w, (%)10.9

Compaction Characteristics of Plain Soil Reinforced with Quarry Dust:

To investigate the effect of replacement of plain soil sample by quarry dust, the plane soil sample was

replaced by varying percentages of quarry dust. Table 4 , Table 5 and Table 6 represents the results

obtained when Modified Proctor’s Test was carried out on plain soil sample with varying percentages

of replacement with quarry dust. Figure 3 representing the variation of dry density γd,(g/cc) with

increasing water content w, (%) for the plain soil sample reinforced with quarry dust.

Figure 2: OMC - MDD Curve for Plain Soil Sample

1.8

1.85

1.9

1.95

2

2.05

2.1

0 5 10 15 20

Water Content w (%)



Table 4 :Data for OMC-MDD of Plain Soil Sample Reinforced with 15% of Quarry Dust

S.No Dry Unit Weight γd (g/cc) Water Content w (%)

1. 1.92 5.2

2. 2.02 7.6

3. 2.10 10.6

4. 1.95 11.8

5. 1.84 15.2



1. 1.94 5.6

2. 2.0 6.8

3. 2.14 10.2

4. 2.01 11.8

5. 1.86 14.2



1. 1.88 4.6

2. 1.96 7.2

3. 2.06 10.0

4. 2.02 12.2

5. 1.98 14.8

Soil Sample Reinforced with varying Percentages of Quarry Dust

From Figure 3 it is observed that the dry density initially increase with increase in water content, till a

maximum dry density is achieved after which further addition of water decreases the density.Table 5



represents the Maximum Dry Density γd ,(g/cc) and Optimum Moisture Content w, (%) for the plain

soil sample reinforced with quarry dust. Figure 4 and Figure 5 represents the variation in maximum

dry densities and optimum moisture content with varying percentages of replacement of plane soil

sample with quarry dust.

Table 5: Test results of OMC-MDD for the Plain Soil

Parameter 15% of Q.D 25% of Q.D 35% of Q.D

Maximum

Dry Density

1.92 1.94 1.88

Optimum Moisture 5.2 5.6 4.6

Soil Sample Reinforced with varying Sample Reinforced with varying Percentages of Quarry

Dust

From Figure 4 and Figure 5 it is observed that maximum dry density value initially increase on

replacing soil by 15% and 25% of quarry dust and then the maximum dry density value is found to be

decreased for 35% replacement of soil by quarry dust whereas no significant variation in optimum

moisture content has been observed.

4 Figure Variation : Plain for MDD of

2.08

1.92 1.94

1.88

1.75

1.8 1.85

1.9

1.95

2

2.05

2.1

0 %QD 15 %QD 25 %QD 35 %QD

Percentages of Quarry Dust

Figure 5 Variation of omc for Plain Soil :

5.1 5.2 5.6

4.6

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

0 %QD 15 %QD 25 %QD 35 %QD



IV. CONCLUSIONS • It is observed that the dry density initially increase with increase in water content, till a maximum dry

density is achieved after which further addition of water decreases the density for varying percentages

of quarry dust .

• With increasing percentage of quarry dust the optimum moisture content is found to decrease because

of reduction in clay content of soil which has less attraction for water molecules.

• The maximum dry density is found to increase with increase in percentage of quarry dust because of

replacement of clay with higher specific gravity of quarry dust.

• So the optimum percentage of replacement of quarry dust is 25%, because replacement level higher

than this results in lower value of maximum dry density.

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Documents

STABILIZATION OF SOIL REINFORCED WITH QUARRY DUST … · International Journal of Recent Trends in Engineering & Research (IJRTER) Volume 02, Issue 9; September - 2016 [ISSN: 2455-1457]