International Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics

Volume 119 No. 15 2018, 1377-1389

ISSN: 1314-3395 (on-line version)
url: http://www.acadpubl.eu/hub/
Special Issue
http://www.acadpubl.eu/hub/

Stabilization of Black Cotton Soil by Using Sodium Chloride and Flyash

Ajay Raj.M1, Ganapathy.C 2, Darsi Vinay3, C.Suresh4*.
1,2,3
Student, Department of Civil Engineering, Vel Tech Multi Tech Dr. Rangarajan Dr.Sakunthala Engineering College,
Avadi, Chennai, [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
4*
, Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Vel Tech Multi Tech Dr. Rangarajan Dr.Sakunthala Engineering
College, Avadi, Chennai, [email protected], Corresponding Author

Abstract: Black cotton soils is one of the Problematic soil that has high potential for
Shrinking or swelling due to change of moisture content. These soils have the tendency to
increase in volume when water is available and decrease in volume when water is available
and decrease in volume when water is removed. The problem in black cotton Soils is that
deformations are significantly greater .These deformation cannot be predicted because
Movement of soils is usually in an uneven manner. At this stage the soil is to be needed
stabilized. The chemical stabilization revealed that strong Electrolytes like sodium chloride
can be used.
Other than the waste materials, fly ash can be used to make the soil stable. Addition of
such materials will increase the physical as well as chemical properties of black cotton soil. Some
expecting properties to be improved are CBR value, liquid limit, plastic limit, unconfined
compressive strength and bearing capacity etc. Black cotton soils were stabilized with various
proportion of NaCl (0, 3, 6, 9&12 %) and fly ash (0, 5, 10, 15& 20 %). In our Project work
experiment will be done by investigating efficiency of sodium chloride and fly ash for improving
the properties of black cotton soil.

Keywords: Flyash, black cotton soil, stabilization.

which should be studied well before
1. INTRODUCTION construct buildings on it.
1.1 GENERAL: Behavior of these problematic soils
Expansive soils are called as black is different than other soils due the
cotton behavior of its structure condition.
soil. The name “Black Cotton” as an Expansive soil is one type of these
Agricultural origin. Most of these soils are problematic soils which occupies about
black in colour and are good for growing 20% of the world surface area. Expansive
cotton. All the black soils are not strata are soil and/or rocks that contain
expansive soils and all the expansive soils clay minerals that have potential for
are not black in colour. These soils passed swelling and shrinkage under changing
high strength in summer and decreased moisture condition. In order to overcome
rapidly in winter. Problematic soil is this problem research has been carried out
known for civil engineers as the soils in the different parts of the world, to find

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out the economical and efficient means of  Soil stabilization is widely used in
using common salt and fly ash. connection with road, pavement
Common salt is white in colour and and foundation construction.
is in the form of crystals. It is deliquescent  It improves the engineering
and hygroscopic. It lowers the vapor properties of the soil.
pressure of water. It also reduces or prevents  Strength - to increase
frost heave in soil by lowering the freezing the strength and
point of water. It is very effective as dust bearing capacity.
palliative. Soil depostis in nature exist in a
 Volume stability - to control the
extremely erratic manner producing there by
swell-shrink
a infinite variety of possible combination
characteristics caused
which will affect the strength of the soil and by moisture changes.
the procedure to make it purposeful. So in  Durability-toincreasethe
the particular case of Black cotton soil with resistance to erosion,
wide range of challenges associated with the weathering or traffic
construction. Common salt is easily loading to reduce the
available in markets so the transportation pavement thickness as
charges will reduced. Fly ash is easily well as cost.
available in thermal power plant and
economical. Black soil contains a high 2. LITRATURE REVIEW:
percentage of montmorillionite mineral Sivapullaiah (1996) (8) reported that
which imparts expansive behavior to it. the addition of fly ash diminished the
liquid limit of black cotton soils and
1.1.1 Principles of Soil Stabilization: deliberate the effect of fly ash on the
index possessions of these soils from
 Evaluating the soil properties of
the area under consideration. Karnataka, India .The influence of fly
ash is related to particle size
 Deciding the property of soil
distribution, free lime content and
which needs to be altered to get the
design value and choose the pozzolanic reactivity of it . The effect
effective and economical method of the coarseness of fly ash particles is
for stabilization. to decrease the activity and plasticity
 Designing the Stabilized soil mix index of the soil.
sample and testing it in the lab for Arash hosseini gourabpasi (2015) (5)
intended stability reported that use of class c fly ash in
and durability values soil stabilization was dependent on the
The stabilization is done for the following ash contents ,water
reasons.

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International Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics Special Issue

contents, compaction delay, strength (ca2+, AI3+, Fe3+etc) under ionized

development with time and curing conditions that can
methodology and the type of clay promote flocculation of dispersed clay
mineral. Fly ash added various particles. Thus expansive soils can be
percentages like (10%, 20%, 30%, potentially stabilized effectively by cation
40%, etc) Also the stabilization exchange using fly ash. He carried out
characteristics are related to the soil investigations using soma fly ash and
mineral type and plasticity. tuncbilek fly ash and added it to expansive
V.R Bharambe and G.K.Patil (2013) soil at 0-25%. Specimens with fly ash were
(9) reported that plasticity index cured for 7 days and 28 days after which
different free swell, and some other they were subjected to odometer free swell
index properties. Ferric chloride is tests. And his experimental findings
deliquescent and hygroscopic .it is confirmed that the plasticity index, activity
lower the vapor pressure of water.it and swelling potential of the samples
also reduces or pavements frost heave decreased with increasing percent stabilizer
in soil by lowering the freezing point and curing time and the optimum content of
of water. Ferric chloride used was fly ash in decreasing the swell potential was
between 0 to 2% by dry weight soil. found to be 20%.
This author reported by black cotton
soil contains a high percentage of
montmorillionite mineral which
3. MATERIALS
imparts expansive.
3.1 BLACK COTTON SOIL:
Erdal Cokca (2001) (2) was studied
In India deposition of Black cotton soil
effect of fly ash on expansive soil. Fly
is very good and prosperous for farmers.
ash consists of often hollow spheres of
All the basic amenities of life i.e. Food,
silicon, aluminum and iron oxides and
clothes and house have been fulfilled by
unoxidized carbon. There are two major the soil, without soil It is just next to
classes of fly ash, class C and class F. impossible to think about life on the earth.
The former is produced from burning But on the other side in Civil Engineering
anthracite or bituminous coal and the aspects Black cotton soil is very
latter is produced from burning lignite troublesome and problematic and
and sub bituminous coal. Both the hazardous due to its characteristics.
classes of fly ash are pozzolans, which Because of its high swelling and shrinkage
are defined as siliceous and aluminous characteristics, the black cotton soil has
materials. Then fly ash can provide an been a challenge to the Engineers. The
array of divalent and trivalent cations black cotton soil is very hard when dry but
loses its strength completely when in wet

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condition. Soil deposits in nature exist in a volume. Abundance of calcium in black

extremely erratic manner producing there cotton soils has another feature it may be
by infinite variety of possible combination present in the form of saturating ions or as
which will affect the strength of the soil molecules of CaCo3 (kankar). Treatment
and the procedure to make it purposeful. with the Sodium about base problem with
So in the particular case of Black cotton B. C. Soil.
soil with wide range of challenges Due to their peculiar nature Black
associated with the construction. Cotton soils are challenge for engineers
All the Black cotton soils are not everywhere in the world, and more so in
expansive soils and all the expansive soil are tropical countries like India because of
not Black in colour. These soils possessed wide variation in temperature and because
high strength in summer and decreased of distinct dry and wet seasons, leading to
rapidly in winter. Swelling and shrinkage of wide variations in moisture content of
expansive soil cause deferential settlement soils. The following problems generally
resulting in severe damage to the occur in black cotton soil.
foundation, buildings, roads, retaining a) High Compressibility: Black Cotton
structures and canal linings. Black cotton soils are highly plastic and compressible,
soils are made of varying Properties of when they are saturated. Footing, resting
minerals like Montmorinolite and kaolinite, on such soils under goes consolidation
chemicals like Iron Oxide and Calcium settlements of high magnitude.
Carbonate and organic matter like humus. b) Swelling: A structure built in a dry
Montmorinolite is a predominant mineral of season, when the natural water content is
black cotton soils. The swelling and low shows differential movement as result
Shrinkage behavior of black cotton soils of soils during subsequent wet season.
originate mainly from this mineral .Clay This causes structures supported by such
minerals are hydra swelling soils to lift up and crack.
Restriction on having developed swelling
silicate of aluminum and magnesium. pressures making the structure suitable.
They are made of sheets of silica and c) Shrinkage: A structure built at the end
aluminum stacked are above the other of the wet season when the natural water
forming sheet like structure with content is high, shows settlement and
expanding lattice. The structure of some shrinkage cracks during subsequent dry
aluminum is by magnesium ions and the season.
minerals becomes chemically active. They d) Permeability: The permeability is
attract water molecules (dipoles) and defined as the property of a porous
various types of hydrated cations to the material which permits the passage or
surface causing the soil to increase the seepage of water through its
interconnecting voids

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e) Plasticity: It is defined as the single gigantic molecule of

property of a soil which allows it to be ClNaClNaClNaClNaClNaClNa. When
deformed rapidly, without elastic rebound, salt dissolves, it turns into independent
without volume change. atoms. Salt water is not full of "sodium
f) Compaction: Compaction is a chloride." Instead it is full of sodium
process by which the soil particles and chlorine! The atoms are not
artificially rearrange and packed together poisonous and reactive like sodium
into a closer state of contact by mechanical metal and chlorine gas because they
means in order to decrease the porosity of are electrically charged atoms called
the soil and thus increase its dry density. "ions." The sodium atoms are missing
The black cotton soil for the study has their outer electron. Because of this,
collected from kattupakkam near porur the remaining electrons behave as a
filled electron shell, so they cannot
s.no Property Value easily react and form chemical bonds
1 Liquid Limit 40-60% with other atoms except by electrical
2 Plastic Limit 15-25% attraction. The chlorine has one extra
3 Plasticity 42% electron and its outer electron shell is
Index complete, so like sodium it too cannot
4 Maximum 1.4-1.6 bond with other atoms.
Dry Density g/cc These oppositely charged atoms
5 OMC 20-30% can attract each other and form a salt
6 California 1.75% crystal, but when that crystal dissolves
Bearing in water, the electrified atoms are
Ratio pulled away from each other as the
Table 3.1 Properties of black cotton water molecules surround them, and
soil they float through the water separately.
Common salt is easily available in
3.2 SODIUM CHLORIDE: markets. Sodium chloride has collected
A Colorless or white from avadi market.
crystalline compound NaCl, used in 3.3 FLY ASH:
the manufacture of chemicals and as a Fly ash is a by-product of the
food preservative and seasoning Salt is combustion of pulverized coal in
not made of NaCl molecules. Salt is thermal power plants. The dust-
made of a three-dimensional collection system removes the fly ash,
checkerboard of oppositely charged as a fine particulate residue, from the
atoms of sodium and chlorine. A salt combustion gases before they are
crystal is like a discharged into the atmosphere.

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It is a silty non-cohesive material bituminous coals, produce the largest

having a relatively smaller specific percentage of unburned carbon The
gravity than normal disposal of fly ash is a serious hazard to
the environment that consumes millions of
soils. Fly ash is a by-product of the rupees towards the cost of its disposal.
combustion of pulverized coal in thermal Now a day fly ash has been used in a
power plants. The dust-collection system variety of construction applications, such
removes the fly ash, as a fine particulate as compacted fills, concrete, bricks,
residue, from the combustion gases before construction of embankments in many
they are discharged into the atmosphere. countries including India. Fly ash by itself
Fly ash particles are typically has a little cementation value but in
spherical, ranging in diameter from\1 lm presence of moisture it reacts chemically
up to 150 lm. The type of dust collection and forms cementitious compounds and
equipment used largely determines the attributes to the improvements of strength
range of particle sizes in any given fly ash. and compressibility characteristics of soils.
The fly ash from boilers at some older Fly ash of class c –was collected from
plants using mechanical collectors alone is Chennai thermal power station.
coarser than from plants using electrostatic  Formation of cementitious material by
precipitators. the reaction of lime with the pozzolans
The types and relative amounts of (Al2O3, SiO2, and Fe2O3) in the
incombustible matter in the coal used presence of water is known as hydration
determine the chemical composition of fly of fly ash. Fly ash is a fine-grained
ash. More than 85 % of most fly ashes material consisting mostly of spherical
comprise chemical compounds and glasses particles. Some ashes also contain
formed from the elements silicon, irregular of angular particles. The size of
aluminum, iron, calcium, and magnesium. particles varies depending on the
Generally, fly ash from the combustion of sources. Talline phases (including C 2S,
subbituminous coals contains more C3A, CaSO4,
calcium and less iron than fly ash from MgO, free CaO, and C4A3S) has
bituminous coal. Unburned coal collects self-hardening properties. Ettringite,
with the fly ash carbon particles, the
mono sulphoaluminate hydrate, and
amount of which is determined by such
C–S–H cause hardening of the fly
factors as the rate of combustion, the air/
ash when mixed with water.
fuel, and the degree of pulverization of the
Hydration behavior of C3A and C2S
coal. In general, fly ash from
in fly ash is the same as that in
subbituminous coals contains very little
cement, but the rate of formation of
unburned carbon. Plants that operate only
intermittently (peak-load stations), burning

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C–S–H from the glass phase is California bearing

comparatively slow. ratio test
 The hydrated calcium silicate 3.5 MIX PROPORTIONS:
(gel) or Black cotton soil + 0% FLY ASH +
calcium aluminate (fibrous), as 0%NaCl (SAMPLE 1)
cementitious material, can join Black cotton soil + 5% FLY ASH +
inert materials together. The 3%NaCl (SAMPLE 2)
pozzolanic reactions for soil Black cotton soil + 10 % FLY ASH +
stabilization are as follows: 6% NaCl (SAMPLE 3)
CaO + H2O Ca(OH)2 + Heat Black cotton soil + 15%FLY ASH +
++
Ca(OH)2 Ca + 2 (OH) 9% NaCl (SAMPLE 4)
++
Ca + 2 (OH) + SiO2 =CSH Black cotton soil + 20%FLY ASH +
“Calcium silicate hydrate“ 12%NaCl (SAMPLE 5)
(Silica) (Gel) 4. EXPERIMENTAL
++ PROCEDURE
Ca + 2 (OH) + Al2O3 =CAH
“Calcium aluminate hydrate”
(alumina) (fibrous) 4.1 SPECIFIC GRAVITY TEST:
The ratio of the density of a
3.4 METHODOLOGY: substance to the density of some
The following set of experiment is substances (as pure water) taken as a
intended to be carried out; standard when both densities are
1. Specific gravity test obtained by weighing in air.
2. Atterberg
limit Sample 1 G= 2.69
Plastic Sample 2 G=2.65
limit Sample 3 G=2.62
Liquid Sample 4 G=2.57
limit Sample 5 G=2.55
Plasticit Table 4.1 specific gravity
y index
3. Compaction 4.2 LIQUID LIMIT TEST:
characteristics The water content at which soil
Maximum dry passes from the plastic to the liquid state
density Optimum under standard test conditions.
moisture content
4. Strength characteristics Sample 1 48.32%
Unconfined Sample 2 43.25%
compression test Sample 3 38.42%

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Sample 4 32.65% 4.5 UNCONFINED COMPRESION

Sample 5 27.15% TEST:
Table no: 4.2 Liquid limits for different The compressive stress at
proportions which an unconfined cylindrical
specimen of soil will fail in a simple
4.3 PLASTIC LIMIT TEST: compression test. In addition,in this
The moisture content in percent at method ,the unconfined compressive
which a soil will change from a plastic strength is taken as the maximum load
state to a semi solid state. attained per unit area, or the load per unit
area at 15% axial strain,
Sample 1 23.18% whichever occurs first during the
Sample 2 25.12% performance of a test.
Sample 3 26.84% 2
Sample 4 27.32% Sample 1 0.512 N/mm
2
Sample 5 29.12% Sample 2 0.623 N/mm
2
Table no: 4.3Plastic limits for different Sample 3 0.694 N/mm
2
proportions Sample 4 0.752 N/mm
2
4.4 PROCTOR COMPACTION TEST: Sample 5 0.881 N/mm
Proctor compaction test is a Table 4.5 unconfined compressive test
laboratory method of test is to define the
optimal moisture content at which a given 4.6 CALIFORNIA BEARING RATIO
soil type will specifically. To determine the TEST:
optimum water content at which soil be The California bearing ratio is a
able to get to its maximum dry density. penetration test for evaluation of the
mechanical strength of natural ground
Soil sub grades and base course beneath new
sample Moisture Dry density carriage way construction. a) CBR
content (%) g/cc values at 5 mm deflection
Sample 1 25.03 1.467 Table 4.6 California bearing ratio
2
Sample 2 24.11 1.652 Sample 1 1.76 N/mm
2
Sample 2 2.18 N/mm
Sample 3 23.36 2.122 2
Sample 3 1.57 N/mm
Sample 4 22.90 1.956 Sample 4 3.12 N/mm
2
Sample 5 21.74 2.231 2
Sample 5 2.90 N/mm
Table 4.4 optimum moisture content and
dry density

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International Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics Special Issue

b) CBR values at 2.5 mm

deflection Table 4.6
Moisture
California bearing ratio:
2
content(%)
Sample 1 2.45N/mm 26
2
Sample 2 3.05N/mm
2 24
Sample 3 2.78 N/mm
2
Sample 4 3.98N/mm 22 Moisture
Sample 5 3.54 N/mm content(
%)
20
EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS:
5.1 LIQUID LIMIT:

Fig no: 5.3 Variation of OMC (%)

Liquid limit
60 5.4 MAXIMUM DRY DENSITY:
40
20 Liquid
0 limit
Dry
density(g/cc)
Fig no: 5.1Variation of liquid limit 3
2
5.2 PLASTIC LIMIT: 1 Dry
density(g/
cc
Plastic limit 0
)
30
25 Plasti
c
20 limit Fig no: 5.4 variation of dry density

5.5 UNCONFINED COMPRESSION

TEST:
Fig no: 5.2 Variation of plastic limit
UCC(N/mm2)
5.3 OPTIMUM MOISTURE 1
CONTENT: 0.8

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0.6
0.4 UCC(N/m Fig no: 5.7 Variation of CBR value for
m2
0.2 different ratio
)
0 6. RESULTS:
1. It was observed that liquid limit of
Fig no: 5.5Variation of compression stress black cotton soil has been
parameters decreased from 48.32
5.6 CALIFORNIA BEARING TEST: % to 27.15%
a) CBR values at 5 mm deflection 2. It was observed that plastic limit of
black cotton soil has been
increased from 23.18
CBR(N/mm2) % to 29.12%
4 3. It was observed that maximum dry
density of black cotton soil has
3 3
been increased from 1.467 g/cm
2 3
to 2.231 g/cm
1 CBR(N/mm
4. It was observed that optimum
2)
0 moisture content of black cotton
soil has been decreased from
25.03% to 21.74%
5. It was observed that unconfined
compressive strength of black
Fig no: 5.6Variation of CBR value for cotton soil has been increased from
2 2
different ratio 0.512 N/mm to 0.881 N/mm
b) CBR values at 2.5 mm deflection 6. The maximum CBR value at 5 mm
2
deflection for 3.12 N/mm and
maximum CBR value at 2.5 mm
2
CBR (N/mm2 deflection for 3.98 N/mm
5
5. CONCLUSION:
4
The following conclusions are drawn
3 on the basis of test results obtained on
2 black cotton soil stabilized by NaCl and
1 fly ash
0
sample sample 3 sample sample 1. The materials NaCl and fly ash are
Sample 1 2 4 5
successfully implemented in black
CBR (N/mm2 cotton soil stabilization.

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International Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics Special Issue

2. The properties & strength addition of fly ash and NaCl

characteristics of black cotton soil suggest that, for each parameters of
& stabilizations are examined. the steady soil samples, there exists
3. The addition of NaCl (0%, 3%, an optimum fly ash and NaCl
6%, 9% &12%) and fly ash (0%, percentage for mixing with the soil
5%, 10%, 15%,& 20%) was mixed under the consideration, at which
for the stabilization of black cotton the respective parameters attains it
soil. most desirable values.
4. The liquid limit of the soils REFERENCES:
decrease with the addition of NaCl 1. Chen, F. H. (1988), “Foundations on
and fly ash which indicates a expansive soils”, Chen & Associates,
desirable change as a soil +NaCl Elsevier
+fly ash mix Publications,U.S.A.
5. Addition of NaCl and fly ash 2. ErdalCokca (2001) “Use Of Class
brings in an improvement in the C Fly
compaction parameters of the Ashes for the Stabilization – of an
steady soils by increasing the Expansive
maximum dry density of soil, with Soil” Journal of G3
decrease in the corresponding 3. Pandian,N.S.,Krishna,K.C.&Leelavath
values of optimum moisture amma B., (2002), Effect of Fly Ash on
content the CBR
6. The unconfined compressive Behavior of Soils , Indian
strength of the soil increase upon Geotechnical Conference , Allahabad ,
the addition of NaCl and fly ash. Vol.1,pp.183-186.
The trend of improvement in the 4. Phanikumar B.R.,
&RadheyS.Sharma(2004)
unconfined compression test is
“Effect of fly ash on
observed to be more pronounced
Engineering properties of Expansive Soil”
with the curing of the soil+ NaCl+
Journal
fly ash mix
of Geotechnical and Geo-environmental
7. We stimulated graph from the
Engineering Vol. 130, no 7, July, pp. 764-
relevant datas from above test.
767.
8. Finally we conclude that the study
of variation of different parameters 5. Arash hosseini gourabpasi
(2015)"Evaluation of the Properties of
viz. specific gravity, liquid limit,
Fly Ash for its Use in Geotechnical
plastic limit, maximum dry density, Applications ".PhD Thesis, IISC.
optimum moisture content, Bangalore.
unconfined compression test and 6. Raymond N.Yong and
California bearing ratio with BennoP.Warkentin

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(1975)" Soil Properties and Behavior

Elsevier Publications,
U.S.A.eotechnical and Geo-
environmental Engineering Vol. 127,
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expansive
soil”.Amsterdam:Elsevier Scientific
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Sridharan, A., (1996), Effect of fly ash
on the index
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