XVI Danube - European Conference on Geotechnical Engineering

07-09 June 2018, Skopje, R. Macedonia

Paper No. §§§

Soil stabilization with modern hydraulic binders. Variations of geotechnical

parameters.

NAGY Andor-Csongor1, CÎRCU Alexandru Petru2, ILIEȘ Nicoleta Maria3, MOLDOVAN Dorin
Vasile3, GHERMAN Călin Marius3, PÉTER Anita3
1
PhD candidate, Civ. Eng; Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Memorandumului Str. No. 28, 400114 Cluj-
Napoca, Romania; Andor.Nagy@dst.utcluj.ro
2
PhD candidate, Civ.Eng.; “Romanian Waters” National Administration- Somes Tisa Water Branch, Vânătorului
Str. No. 17, 400213 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; alexandru.circu@mecon.utcluj.ro
3
Associate Professor, Phd. Eng.; Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Memorandumului Str. No. 28, 400114
Cluj-Napoca, Romania; nicoleta.ilies@dst.utcluj.ro
4
Lecturer, Phd. Eng.; Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Memorandumului Str. No. 28, 400114 Cluj-Napoca,
Romania; dorin.moldovan@dst.utcluj.ro
5
Lecturer, Phd. Eng.; Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Memorandumului Str. No. 28, 400114 Cluj-Napoca,
Romania; calin.gherman@dst.utcluj.ro
6
M. Sc, Civ.Eng.; ???, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; peter.anit@gmail.com

Abstract. The primary objective in soil stabilization is improving on-site materials to create a solid and strong
sub-base and base courses for further construction activities. Classic stabilization methods for road structures
imply soil mixing with cement or lime, depending on the soil types found on-site. Although widely used, these
stabilization methods fail to provide hydrophobic properties for the stabilized layer, thus being vulnerable to road
failure from water penetration or heavy frosts by inhibiting the ingress of water into the treated layer. Dorosol©
is a hydraulic binder which combines cement and lime in order to improve and consolidate cohesive soils for
embankments and subgrade stabilization, providing a superior protection against water penetration. This paper
presents the improvement of physical and mechanical parameters of a silty clay from Cluj-Napoca, by using two
types of Dorosol, C30 and C50 suited for treating heavy plastic clayey soils. Percentages of 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4 and 4.5
were used for creating stabilized soil samples for both types of binder.

Keywords: clayey soils, soil stabilization, Proctor test, direct shear test, optimal water content

1 INTRODUCTION

Soil stabilization process implies improvement of physicochemical and mechanical properties of

certain soil types, by adding fixed quantities of hydraulic binder (such as cement, slag or fly ash) and
water, followed by compacting operation. With the intense urbanization and development of large
cities from Romania, available potential construction sites became more and more scarce. This led
investors choosing to acquire properties once ruled out for constructions, due to inadequate bearing
capacity of soil. Also large infrastructure projects, such as highway or railway network extensions,
have met difficulties of passing through difficult terrains from a constructor’s point of view. Typical
soft soils in Transylvania, with low bearing capacity, usually contain large fractions of clay, which can
undergo high volume variations, when subjected to moistening-drying cycles. Mixing these soils with
modern hydraulic binders increases shearing resistance, reduces permeability and compressibility,
bringing them up to ensure functionality and safe exploitation of potential constructions on site.
Cement, lime and hydraulic binders are consistently used in road building industry [1, 2]. In the
structural layers that form the pavement, cement is used in recycled base courses made with foamed
bitumen and bitumen emulsion [3, 4], in base courses made of hydraulically bound mixtures (HBMs)
[5] and in subgrades to improve their bearing capacity. In the case of hydraulically bound mixtures, the
Surname, Jordan, Stefanovski, Popovska / DECGE 2018

content of cement, dependent on the gradation and design strength, is typically from 3% to 8% and is
calculated relative to the amount of aggregate in the mixture [6]. The amount of road binder in cold
deep recycled mix bases is smaller that in HBMs and ranges from 1.5% to 4.0% [7]. Limiting the
amount of the binder and adding asphalt emulsion or foamed asphalt reduces the stiffness of the
structure [8]. Low content, 2%, of the binder (cement) is a feature of hydrated cement treated crushed
rock base [9]. A higher content of the binder is used in the soil stabilization process. Due to high
diversification of the soil subgrade and its fine gradation the binder (a mix of cement, hydrated lime,
fly ash, etc.) is added in the amounts from 2% to 12% [10]. Combinations of binders are also widely
used for stabilizing soils. Many researchers have seen potential in aggregates stabilized with cement-
lime-fly ash, which have shown satisfactory pavement performance with respect to mechanical
properties, soundness, anti-fatigue property and shrinking property [11, 12]. These studies suggested
that blending cement and/or lime with fly ash can play a positive role in resource conservation and
environmental protection. The research team also conducted tests on similar type of soil stabilized
with plastic waste materials. [13]

2 EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM

2.1 Raw materials

Nowadays, Portland cement is the most used hydraulic binder due to its properties and widespread
availability. Cement manufacture consumes large amount of non-renewable raw materials and energy,
and it is a carbon-intensive process. Many efforts are, therefore, being undertaken towards the
developing “greener” hydraulic binders [14]. Classic hydraulic binders, as cement or lime were widely
used for soil stabilization works, each of them being suited for different earth types. These admixtures,
although genuinely successful, had their disadvantages, such as surface cracking and layer anisotropy
due to different flocculation process of each. Being crucial aspects in road structures, these issues
raised the need for creating modern hydraulic binders which combine properties of cement and lime.
Dorosol© is an admixture, trademark of Holcim Romania, member of the Lafarge-Holcim group,
which combines cement clinker, lime and other hydraulic compounds, in varying amounts.

Figure 1. Dorosol© C30 and C50

An experimental program, which consisted of testing several soil-hydraulic binder combinations,
using the C30 and the C50 type of Dorosol, has been put into practice at the Technical University of
Cluj-Napoca laboratory of Geotechnics and Foundation Soils. Difference between C30 and C50
binders consists of lime content, as shown in figure 1. The laboratory tests implied:
 Determination of the granulometric curve and soil type;
 Determination of optimal compaction water for different percentages of soil-hydraulic
binder mixtures (2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5%) through normal Proctor tests;
 Determination of compressibility characteristics E oed through oedometer tests (for
optimal compaction water content, respectively above and below the optimal content);
 Determination of effective parameters (ϕ’, c’) of the admixture through direct shear
test (only for optimal water content).
Surname, Jordan, Stefanovski, Popovska / DECGE 2018

First step was to determine the initial parameters for the soil, by carriying out a series of laboratory
analysis. The results showed that the soil is a silty clay (siCl). The origin of material is from a site near
Cluj Napoca, from a depth of 1m, physical characteristics being presented in table 2.

Table 1. Soil particle size Table 2. Soil physical characteristics

Soil type Particle diameter d [mm] Percentage [%]

Clay Cl: d<0.002 24.35
Silt FSi: 0.002<d<0.0063 14.87
MSi: 0.0063<d<0.02 34.16
CSi: 0.02<d<0.063 14.23
Sand FSa: 0.063<d<0.2 12.39

2.2 Proctor tests

In the next phase hydraulic binder was added in percentages of 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4 and 4.5%, following the
recomandations of the provider, as the range between 2-6% is typically used for road construction
works. The admixture was then subjected to a normal Proctor test according to Romanian standard
[15], for determining the optimal water content for compaction works. Results obtained are presented
in tables 3 and illustrated in figure 2. (De schimbat tipul de tabel si textul pe figura!)

Figure 2. Optimal water content for compaction works when using silty clay with Dorosol© C30 and C50

Table 3. Optimal water content for compaction, for the C30 admixture and C50 admixture

2.3 Direct shear tests

Adding hydraulic binders improves the inherent parameters of soil. Cohesion and internal friction
angle for soil samples can be determined by using the direct shear test (described in STAS 8942/2-
1990 [16]). Strength of soil is the maximum shear stress (τf) it can sustain, or the shear stress acting on
a shear slip surface along which it is failing. There are three distinct strengths: peak, critical (or
Surname, Jordan, Stefanovski, Popovska / DECGE 2018

ultimate) and residual. The residual strength occurs after very large movements, for example on old
landslides there may have already been very large movements and in such cases the strength may
already be at the residual before construction starts. Both peak and residual shear strengths were
monitored in this study, through consolidated–drained (C–D) type direct shear tests. Shearing tests
were conducted on samples with optimal water content for compaction, extracted from the Proctor
device. An unstabilized soil sample was tested first, giving a base indicator of initial parameters.
Stabilized soil samples, prepared at the same percentage of hydraulic binder as in the case of the
Proctor test, were given a 7 days curing time before testing, being stored in carefully controlled
laboratory conditions. An example of sheared samples is given in figure 3.

Figure 3. Soil sample stabilized with Dorosol C30, subjected to C-D type direct shear test

Direct shear testing results are given in tables 5 and 6, for every percentage of C30 and C50 hydraulic
binder used for stabilization. Figure 4 highlights the variation of maximum shear stress (τf) with the
amount of Dorosol added in the mixture. (Tabel și grafic în engleză + de adăugat valorile reziduale de
forfecare!)
Table 3. Direct shear test results for the C30 mixture Table 4. Direct shear test results for the C50 mixture

Figure 4. Maximum shear stress variation (τf)

2.4 Oedometer tests

Compressibility properties of soils are crucial in settlement evaluation. These can be determined by
oedometer tests according to Romanian standard [17]. Testing consists in monitoring vertical
Surname, Jordan, Stefanovski, Popovska / DECGE 2018

deformations, when applying different load stages on a soil sample, while having lateral deformations
blocked with a circular shaped sampler. The end points from a number of loading and unloading
increments of an oedometer test may be plotted as a conventional stress-strain curve. Since the
settlement of the soil is also due to change in void ratio, the vertical strain Δε v can be expressed in
terms of the void ratio of the soil sample at different stages of the test. An oedometer deformation
modulus can be obtained by using the following relationship:

a+b
c= (1)
sin a

Formula în loc la cea de deasupra.

For road construction works, which are the focal point of this study the E oed modulus for 200-300 kPa
loads range is generally used for the evaluation of soil stiffness properties, which means that testing
procedure implies three load stages under 100, 200, and 300 kPa, calculating the modulus for
settlements reached under the last two increments of loading corresponding to traffic generated loads.
Stabilized soil samples were extracted after repeating the Proctor test at optimal water content for
compaction. Another series of samples were prepared with water content 2% above and below
optimal, in order to study the variation of the E oed. Dorosol© was added in in percentages of 2.5, 3, 3.5,
4 and 4.5%, and the samples were given 7 days curing time before testing. Results are presented in
table 5. and figure 5. for the C30 type binder, respectively in table 6. and figure 6. for the C50 type
binder.

Table 5. Eoed oedometer modulus viriation for the C30 and C50 mixture

Dorosol C50
C50 \
15% 17% 19% 21% 23%
W
2.5
9756 8547 11905
%
3.5
Figure 5. Variation of Eoed deformation modulus for 13423 9479 14925
%
different percentages of soil-binder combinations
4.0
8734 10050 12472
%
3 4.5
16393 13605 14085
%

CONCLUSIONS

Direct shear tests revealed cohesion and

friction angle values modified as presented in
table 3 and 4. In both cases the most
significant improvement was recorded on the
mixture with 4.5% hydraulic binder.
Maximum shear stress increased from 98.54
kPa to 183.23 kPa, in the case of using Dorosol C30, and to 338.94 kPa, when mixing soil with
Dorosol C50 - which is 3.5 times higher than the initial resistance. Even the smallest amount of binder
tested, 2.5%, improved soil parameters significantly, reaching τf values of 132.34 kPa for C30,
respectively 189.02 kPa for C50. By varying water content of the admixture the oedometer
deformation modulus increased notably on three of the combinations made with the C30 type binder
(3, 3.5, 4 %), while on the other two (2.5, 4.5 %), the highest value for M2-3 parameter was reached at
Surname, Jordan, Stefanovski, Popovska / DECGE 2018

optimal water content for compaction. For the C50 type hydraulic binder the aggregates with 2.5, 3.5
and 4% presented an improvement, when given more water than the optimal compaction ratio, while
the 4.5% combination behaved better deformation wise, when less water was added. We appreciate
that optimal water content for compaction determined from Proctor tests, is irrelevant for stabilized
soils, when studying deformations and settlements. Oedometer tests give an idea about the water
content needed for optimal binder hydration. Silty clay is a common soil type in Transylvania, so
improved results on stabilization with Dorosol, show that these methods have practical applicability on
a large scale.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Use the format of the section headings for the heading of the acknowledgements, however without
number (Heading_references tag). Reclama Holcim. Soil-Dorosol© mixture is the subject from the
research program from the Master Thesis [18].

REFERENCES

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Bibliografia de trecut in formatul cerut de ei, model mai jos!

REFERENCES

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[2] Graziani, A.; Godenzoni, C.; Cardone, F.; Bocci, M. (2016). Effect of curing on the physical and mechanical
properties of cold-recycled bituminous mixtures. Materials & Design. 95:358–369.
[3] Behnood, A.; Gharehveran, M.M.; Asl, F.G.; Ameri, M. (2015). Effects of copper slag and recycled concrete
aggregate on the properties of CIR mixtures with bitumen emulsion, rice husk ash, Portland cement and fly ash.
Construction and Building Materials. 96:172–180.
Surname, Jordan, Stefanovski, Popovska / DECGE 2018

[4] Iwánski, M.; Chomicz-Kowalska, A. (2011). The effects of using foamed bitumen and bitumen emulsion in
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Portland Cement Association.
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