Stabilized Soils Incorporating Combinations of Rice Husk Ash and Cement Kiln Dust

Abstract

Cement kiln dust, rice husk ash, and their combinations are used variously as stabilizers in different percentages (maximum up to 20%) to develop and evaluate stabilized clayey soils. The influence of stabilizer types and dosages on fresh and mechanical properties is evaluated through Atterberg limits, standard Proctor compaction, unconfined compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, and California bearing ratio (CBR) tests. The durability characteristics of 19 developed stabilized soil mixtures are also investigated by studying the influence of water immersion on strength, water sorptivity, and drying shrinkage. Correlations between strength, modulus of elasticity, and CBR are also established. Developed stabilized soil mixtures have shown satisfactory strength and durability characteristics and can be used for low-cost construction to build houses and road infrastructures. The use of locally available soils, rice husk ash, and cement kiln dust (waste from the cement industry) in the production of stabilized soils for such applications can provide sustainability for the local construction industry.