Mechanical Properties and Microscopic Mechanism of Cement-Stabilized Calcareous Sand Improved with a Nano-MgO Additive
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 23, Issue 2
Abstract
Calcareous sand fractures easily, has poor mechanical properties, and usually needs to be stabilized for engineering applications using additives. In this study, nano-MgO was used to enhance the mechanical properties of cement-stabilized calcareous sand (CCS). Unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and unconsolidated undrained (UU) triaxial shear tests were conducted on nano-MgO-modified CCS (MCCS) specimens, and the microscopic mechanism was investigated using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Finally, models to predict the UCS and shear strength of MCCS were formulated. The results showed that the addition of nano-MgO can enhance the strength and stiffness of CCS, with MCCS reaching its maximum strength of 2.1 MPa at 28 days when the nano-MgO content was 1%. Furthermore, the deviatoric stress first increased and then decreased as the nano-MgO content increased, reaching its maximum value when the nano-MgO content was 1.5%. The optimal nano-MgO content obtained from the UCS tests was different from that obtained from the UU tests. This improvement in CCS strength was due to the nano-MgO filling and cementation of hydrates such as Mg7Si8O22(OH)2, Mg(OH)2, and CaAl2Si3O10(H2O)2. However, too much nano-MgO reduces the strength of CCS because the nano-MgO expands during hydration.
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Acknowledgments
This research was partially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 52179107). We thank Prof. Jun Hu from Hainan University for providing the calcareous sand.
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Published In
International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 23 • Issue 2 • February 2023
Copyright
© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 22, 2022
Accepted: Aug 26, 2022
Published online: Nov 17, 2022
Published in print: Feb 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Apr 17, 2023
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Calcareous soils
- Cement
- Concrete
- Engineering fundamentals
- Engineering materials (by type)
- Geomechanics
- Geotechnical engineering
- Laboratory tests
- Material mechanics
- Material properties
- Materials engineering
- Mechanical properties
- Nanomechanics
- Shear tests
- Soil cement
- Soil mechanics
- Soil properties
- Soils (by type)
- Tests (by type)
- Triaxial tests
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