Polymer Impregnation to Assist Undisturbed Sampling of Cohesionless Soils

Abstract

Agarose, a derivative of the natural polymer, agar, is proposed as an impregnate to stabilize the in-situ structure of cohesionless soils before sampling. The gel solution is injected into the in-situ voids after heating the soil. Sampling is performed using conventional sampling techniques and gel removal is achieved in the laboratory test device by reheating the specimen and flushing out the agarose with warm water. The process of heating, impregnation with agarose, cooling, reheating, and agarose removal was found to have no significant effect on the cyclic mobility of two contractive Ottawa sands. The technology shows promise for an accurate estimate of the in-situ void ratio and for an economic undisturbed sampling of cohesionless soils.