The role of soil is crucial for the design and construction of any structure, be it roads, runways, or railway tracks. This is because it acts as the medium for effective load transfer into the earth.
This implies that a weak soil base will eventually cause the settlement of the structure, leading to failure. Stabilization is the process of improving the engineering properties of the soil before construction.
Stabilization is done to improve the strength of the soil and shrink/arrest the swelling potential, thus improving the load-bearing capacity and the overall performance of the in-situ soils.
Mechanical stabilization
Mechanical stabilization It consists of physical processes such as compacting or tamping with machinery including rollers or hammers.
Mechanical soil stabilization is also achieved by blending different soil particles to obtain the effective distribution of soil particles. These techniques are usually used for sub-base and base courses.
Chemical stabilization
Chemical stabilization depends on the chemical reaction between the chemical/stabilizer used and the soil particle composition.
This kind has many forms: Bitumen emulsion is used as a binding agent in both cohesive and non-cohesive soils.
Cement/Lime is widely used as a soil stabilizing agent. The addition of cement to soil improves the strength of the soil. It is used for the sub-base and base courses of all types of pavements.
Soil stabilization Services
Soil stabilization is a process by which a soils physical property are transformed to provide long-term permanent strength gains.
Stabilization is accomplished by increasing the shear strength and the overall bearing capacity of the soil. Once stabilized, a solid monolith is formed that decreases the permeability, which in turn reduces the shrink/swell potential and harmful effects of freeze/thaw cycles.
The shrink/swell potential of soil is the amount that soil can change in volume depending on the moisture content. Some expansive soils can expand as much as ten percent.
This drastic change in volume can easily produce enough force to cause serious damage to a home, building, or roadway. Soil stabilization can improve in-situ, or natural state, soils eliminating the need for expensive remove
and replace.
Purpose of soil stabilization service
Improving the properties of soil particles:
- Increase the bearing capacity of the soil.
- Increase the shear strength of the soil.
- Increase resistance to liquefaction.
- Decrease the permeability of the soil.
- Decrease the compressibility of the soil.
- Provide lateral stability.
- Control deformations and accelerate consolidation.
- Carry very high loads.
soil stabilization types
We can classify soil stabilization into 3 categories:
- Ground Reinforcement: Vibro-flotation, Grouting, Reinforced earth, Soil Nailing, Micro-piles, Lime columns, and Stone column.
- Ground Improvement: Dynamic Compaction, pre-loading, Vertical Drains, Electro osmosis, and Blasting.
- Ground Treatment: lime stabilization, Fly Ash, Freezing, and Soil Cement.
We can use the previous techniques to improve the soil in Roads in general, including airport runways, tunnels, Bridges, Dams, Residential buildings, foundations, and swimming pools, and Railway and Underground structures.