Stabilization of Lateritic Soil with Cassava Peels Ash

Abstract

This research is aimed at assessing the impact of Cassava Peels Ash (CPA) on the stabilization of lateritic soil deposit found within Osogbo Local Government Area in Osun State, Nigeria. This project was carried out to study the characteristics of Cassava Peels Ash (CPA) stabilization on lateritic soil. Preliminary tests were performed on three samples, L1, L2, and L3 for identification and classification purposes followed by the consistency limit tests. Geotechnical property tests (compaction, California bearing ratio (CBR), and Unconfined Compression Test) were also performed on the samples, both at the stabilized and unstabilized states by adding 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10% Cassava Peels Ash (CPA) by weight of sample to the soils. The results showed that the addition of CPA improved the strengths of the samples. Optimum moisture contents (OMC) reduced to 14.58, 18.40 and 16.00% at 6, 4 and 6% CPA additions in samples L1, L2 and L3 respectively while maximum dry density (MDD) increased to 1470, 1410 and 1440 kg/m3 at 10, 4 and 2% CPA additions in samples L1, L2, and L3. The unsoaked CBR values of samples increased from 7.89 to 19.40% at 8% CPA stabilization for sample L1, for sample L2, it increases from 5.80 to 27.02% at 10% CPA stabilization and for sample L3 at the natural state, it increases from 14.50 to 18.20% at 4%. The shear strengths of samples L1, L2 and L3 also increased from 123.70 to 590.58 kN/m2 at 2% CPA stabilization, 293.48 to 297.67 kN/m2 at 10% CPA stabilization and 153.99 to 554.02 kN/m2 respectively. It was therefore concluded that Cassava Peels Ash has a good potential for stabilizing lateritic soil.