Deep Improvement of Fine-Grained Soil Using Lime Piles

Abstract

In the present study, the effects of lime piles on the geotechnical properties of fine-grained soil have been investigated in details, where the lime piles are used as sustainable deep improvement technique for the shear strength and compressibility of fine-grain textured soil. The sustainable development required using environmentally friendly materials and of low cost. Soil samples are obtained from the north of Babylon governorate and improved by lime piles, where a small-scale physical model prepared for this purpose. A suitable mesh, diameter, and depth of lime piles are suggested to measure the improvement in shear strength and compressibility of soil. Lime piles are prepared by mixing 15% of lime with dry soil and poured into the holes of 20 mm diameter and 500 mm length, and then lime piles left for 30 days as suggested curing period to allow the chemical reactions between soil and lime compounds. The results of tests detected that lime piles technique has significant effects on the chemical and engineering properties of silty clay soil samples. Also, the deep improvement of the soil causes increasing the undrained shear strength of soil by 23% and increasing the static and dynamic subgrade reaction of soil by 16 and 20% than that of natural soil sample respectively.

Keywords

• Lime pile
• soil improvement
• Geotechnical properties
• Clayey soil