Geo-Mechanical Enhancement of a Grained Soil Blended with Silicate-Portland Cement Powder for Usage in Construction Industry

Abstract

The mechanical, as well as geopolymer strength of a lateritic soil from three (3) different localities on the Lokoja- Abuja highway where road failure happen, was blended with rice husk ash (RSA), cement, and sodium silicate activator (SSA), with varying proportions examined via triaxial shear, Atterberg, and Compaction scrutinizes. The outcome displays that cement enhancement enriched the lateritic soil from Liquid limit values of 41.26 at 0% to 44.37 at 8%, but lessens at 10% to 35.68, whereas RHA (Rice husk ash) rises at increased percentages. Likewise, MDD enhanced with increased quantities of all the enhancers i.e SSA, cement as well as RHA contents, but OMC for both cement and RHA lessen from 18.66% at 0% to 11.72 and 18.06 correspondently. Further scrutiny reveals cohesion of the soil at 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8% as well as 10% to be 19.01, 39.02, 49.01, 55.03, 58.01, and 65.02 KN/m2 respectively, with peak angle of 650and minimum of 370. This indicates that the cohesion of the enhanced samplings was satisfied since the improved angle of internal friction is beyond the angle that makes the soil very plastic which is 280.