A Laboratory Study of Binder Stabilization of Oily Refinery and Dredged Marine Sediments

This paper discusses the results of a laboratory testing program associated with the design a cap foundation layer for the closure of a 66-acre former effluent treatment pond of an oil refinery. Stabilization with binder of a layer of oily refinery sediments and recently deposited dredged marine sediments was selected as the more appropriate technique to improve the strength, reduce permeability and allow for future refinery uses of the capped area, while reducing settlements and long-term grading and maintenance issues that could potentially result from the cap placement and other construction activities. Strength, compressibility, and permeability performance improvement were achieved by using selected binder formulations and a sandy soil physical filler. The cementing effect due to pozzolanic reaction products resulted in a structuration of the very soft, normally consolidated sediments and in the development of a yield stress separating small strains from large strains, which governed the compression and shearing behavior of the treated sediments. Controlled moisture and stress conditions during curing minimized the deterioration of sediments cemented structure due to swell and shrinkage and consequent loss of strength and permeability performance.