Mechanical Characteristics of Stabilized Clay under the Influence of both Acidic and Alkalic Additives

Abstract

To study the influence of the coexistence condition of acidic and alkalic additives on the mechanical performance of stabilized clay based on the processes for obtaining the basic physical parameters of soil and analyzing the stabilization mechanism of ionic and alkalic soil stabilizers, an experiment on the mechanical behavior characteristics of stabilized clay was performed using different types of ionic and alkalic stabilizers through a series of laboratory tests. The following results are obtained. (1) Typical soil is low liquid limit clay, and the ionic stabilizer with an optimal content of 0.014% mass ratio to dry soil exhibits strong acidity. (2) As a result of its unique molecular structure, the double electric-combined water film becomes thin rapidly during compaction molding, in which the compactness of clay particle structure increases. (3) The 7-day unconfined compressive strength can be improved with different contents of the ionic stabilizer. (4) Except for the high lime soil mixture, the compaction degree of soil exerts a pronounced effect on the stabilization performance of an ionic stabilizer and the least compaction degree should be over 96%. (5) The unconfined compressive strength, indirect tensile strength, and freeze-thaw performance of the acid-alkali-stabilized soil demonstrate a gradually increasing tendency with an increase in curing time. However, the evolution characteristic of strength exhibits an advantageous superposition threshold value when compared to the alkalistabilized clay. The neutralization reaction and oil membrane of soil particles will inhibit the later reaction processes of carbonation, pozzolanic, and hydration of lime-and-cement-stablized soil.