Stabilizing Lateritic Soil Using Terrasil Solution

Abstract

This study assesses stabilizing lateritic soil using Terrasil solution. Preliminary tests were carried out on six natural soil samples from three borrow pit locations-two soil samples from a particular borrow pit location, for the purpose of identification and classification. Soil samples 1 and 2 from borrow pit 3 were found to be poor, hence, needed stabilization. While the other four samples from borrow pits 1 and 2 were found to be good enough. Engineering property tests such as California Bearing Ratio (CBR), Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) and Compaction tests were performed on both the natural soil samples and the stabilized lateritic soil samples which were stabilized by adding terrasil solution in percentages ranging from 0% to 16% at 2% interval. The results showed that the addition of terrasil solution enhanced the strength of the two soil samples from borrow pit 3. For soil sample 1, the unsoaked CBR values increased from 8.4% at 0% to optimum value of 30.3% at 12% terrasil solution, while for soil sample 2, the unsoaked CBR values increased from 6.2% to optimum value of 32.0% at 12% terrasil solution. It was therefore concluded that the terrasil solution serves as a cheap and effective stabilizing agent for poor soil.

Keywords

• atterberg limits
• geotechnical tests
• lateritic soil
• stabilization
• terrasil solution