A study of the strength performance of peat soil: A modified cement-based stabilization agent using fly ash and polypropylene fiber
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-1-2021
Abstract
The use of cement as a soil stabilization agent is one of the common solutions to enhancing the engineering properties of soil. However, the impact and cost of using cement have raised environmental concerns, generating much interest in the search for alternative materials to reduce the use of cement as a stabilizing agent in soil treatment. This study looked into limiting cement content in peat soil stabilization by using fly ash waste and polypropylene fiber (PPF). It focused on soil mechanical mediation for stabilization of peat with fly ash cement and PPF cement by comparing the mechanical properties, using unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and California bearing ratio (CBR) tests. The control (untreated) peat specimen and specimens with either fly ash (10%, 20% and 30%) and PPF (0.1%, 0.15% and 0.2%) were studied. Test results showed that 30% of fly ash and cement content displays the highest UCS and CBR values and gives the most reliable compressibility properties. On the other hand, UCS and CBR test results indicate optimum values of PPF-cement stabilizing agent content in the specimen of 0.15% PPF and 30% cement. Selected specimens were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and PPF threads were found to be well surrounded by cement-stabilized peat matrices. It was also observed that the specimen with 30% fly ash generated more hydration products when compared to the specimen with 100% cement content. It is concluded that the use of fly ash cement and PPF cement as stabilizing agents to limit the cement usage in peat soil treatment is potentially viable.
Keywords
peat soil, cement, stabilization, fly ash, polypropylene fiber, unconfined compressive strength (UCS), California bearing ratio (CBR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
Divisions
sch_civ
Funders
Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman [IPSR/RMC/UTARRF/2020-C1/L03]
Publication Title
Polymers
Volume
13
Issue
23
Publisher
MDPI
Publisher Location
ST ALBAN-ANLAGE 66, CH-4052 BASEL, SWITZERLAND