Sulfate-Heaving Studies on Chemically Treated Sulfate-Rich Geomaterials
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 31, Issue 6
Abstract
Sulfate heaving often occurs when soils rich with sulfates are treated with calcium-based stabilizers such as lime and cement materials. This heaving has inflicted severe distress on several transportation infrastructure types including highways, runways, tunnel liners, dwellings, and other structures. Soil and environmental factors can influence the sulfate-heaving phenomenon in soils. This paper summarizes lessons learned from sulfate-heaving problems documented in the United States. It includes a summary of the various test methods used to quantify sulfate amounts and different treatment methods applied to sulfate soils to mitigate sulfate-induced heaving distress. In an experimental study documented in this paper, percentage changes in sulfates and reactive alumina before and after treating soils with lime and cement additives are analyzed to explain their contributions to ettringite mineral formation and related soil heaving. A method using reactive alumina and soluble sulfate measurements in effective screening of stabilizer treatments for sulfate rich soils is presented. An unmanned aerial inspection was carried out to inspect the heaving distress on a pavement section built over high-sulfate soils in Texas. This study showed an effective combined lime and fly ash treatment of high-sulfate soils with an extended mellowing period. Updates from ongoing and recently completed investigations of sulfate-heaving mitigation and their salient findings are discussed and presented.
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Acknowledgments
The contents of this paper reflect the views of the authors, who are responsible for the facts and accuracy of the data presented. The authors would like to acknowledge the National Science Foundation (Program Director: Dr. Richard J. Fragaszy) for supporting this research under NSF Grant no. 0100255, as well as the US Army Corps of Engineers—Fort Worth District for the support of sulfate heave studies. The Texas Department of Transportation has provided support for a recently completed research project (0-6618) as well as an implementation project (5-6618). Another UAV project (TxDOT 0-6944) provided monitoring data for pavement test sections. All support from the TxDOT RTI office, along with various personnel including Jimmy Si, Richard Williammee, and Wade Blackman from the Paris and Fort Worth districts, is acknowledged.
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Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 31 • Issue 6 • June 2019
Copyright
©2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Aug 30, 2018
Accepted: Dec 7, 2018
Published online: Mar 27, 2019
Published in print: Jun 1, 2019
Discussion open until: Aug 27, 2019
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