Technical Papers
Feb 27, 2023

Effect of Zeolitic Tuff on Strength, Resilient Modulus, and Permanent Strain of Lime-Stabilized Expansive Subgrade Soil

Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 35, Issue 5

Abstract

The present work aims to evaluate expansive soil stabilization using different additives. Twenty soil mixtures consisting of 10%, 20%, 25%, and 30% zeolitic tuff (ZT) with 2%, 4%, and 6% lime in various combinations were used to stabilize the soil for pavement subbase application. A comprehensive test program, including Atterberg’s limits, compaction, unconfined compression strength (UCS), California Bearing Ratio (CBR), resilient modulus, and permanent deformation, was performed on natural and stabilized soil specimens. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) supplied with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX) was used to confirm the study findings. Adding ZT increases the availability of the silica and alumina needed for the pozzolanic reaction; test results revealed that adding ZT increases the maximum dry unit weight, CBR, UCS, resilient modulus, decreases plasticity, and permanent deformation. As such, ZT can improve the physical and mechanical properties of lime-stabilized soil as a pavement’s subgrade and subbase layers.

Get full access to this article

View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.

Data Availability Statement

All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the published article.

References

AASHTO. 1991. Standard specification for classification of soils and soil-aggregate mixtures for highway construction purposes. AASHTO M145. Philadelphia, PA: ASTM.
AASHTO. 2003. Determining the resilient modulus of soils and aggregate materials. AASHTO T 307. Washington, DC: AASHTO.
AASHTO. 2008. Mechanistic-empirical pavement design guide: A manual of practice. Washington, DC: AASHTO.
Abu-Farsakh, M., S. Dhakal, and Q. Chen. 2015. “Laboratory characterization of cementitiously treated/stabilized very weak subgrade soil under cyclic loading.” Soils Found. 55 (3): 504–516. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sandf.2015.04.003.
Al-Asheh, S., F. Banat, and A. A. Fara. 2009. “Dehydration of ethanol-water azeotropic mixture by adsorption through phillipsite packed-column.” Sep. Sci. Technol. 44 (13): 3170–3188. https://doi.org/10.1080/01496390903182479.
Al-Jhayyish, A. K. 2014. “Incorporating chemical stabilization of the subgrade in pavement design and construction practices.” M.S. thesis, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Ohio Univ.
Al-Rawas, A. A., R. Taha, J. D. Nelson, B. T. Al-Shab, and H. Al-Siyabi. 2002. “A comparative evaluation of various additives used in the stabilization of expansive soils.” Geotech. Test. J. 25 (2): 199–209. https://doi.org/10.1520/GTJ11363J.
Al-Swaidani, A., I. Hammoud, and A. Meziab. 2016. “Effect of adding natural pozzolana on geotechnical properties of lime-stabilized clayey soil.” J. Rock Mech. Geotech. Eng. 8 (5): 714–725. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrmge.2016.04.002.
ASTM. 2008. Standard guide for evaluating effectiveness of admixtures for soil stabilization. ASTM D4609. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2012. Standard test methods for laboratory compaction characteristics of soil using standard effort (12400  ft-lbf/ft3 (600  kN-m/m3)). ASTM D698. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2016a. Standard test method for California bearing ratio (CBR) of laboratory-compacted soils. ASTM D1883. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2016b. Standard test method for unconfined compressive strength of cohesive soil. ASTM D2166. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2017a. Standard practice for classification of soils for engineering purposes (unified soil classification system). ASTM D2487. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2017b. Standard test methods for liquid limit, plastic limit, and plasticity index of soils. ASTM D4318. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2019. Standard test method for using pH to estimate the soil-lime proportion requirement for soil stabilization. ASTM D6276. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
ASTM. 2020. Standard terminology relating to concrete and concrete aggregates. ASTM C125. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
Barksdale, R. D. 1972. “Laboratory evaluation of rutting in base course materials.” In Proc., 3rd Int. Conf. on the Structural Design of Asphalt Pavements, 161–174. London: Grosvenor House.
Bell, F. G. 1996. “Lime stabilization of clay minerals and soils.” Eng. Geol. 42 (4): 223–237. https://doi.org/10.1016/0013-7952(96)00028-2.
Cai, G. H., S. Y. Liu, and X. Zheng. 2019. “Influence of drying-wetting cycles on engineering properties of carbonated silt admixed with reactive MgO.” Constr. Build. Mater. 204 (Apr): 84–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2019.01.125.
Chenarboni, H. A., S. H. Lajevardi, H. MolaAbasi, and E. Zeighami. 2021. “The effect of zeolite and cement stabilization on the mechanical behavior of expansive soils.” Constr. Build. Mater. 272 (Feb): 121630. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.121630.
Dhar, S., and M. Hussain. 2019. “The strength and microstructural behavior of lime stabilized subgrade soil in road construction.” Int. J. Geotech. Eng. 32 (15): 471–483. https://doi.org/10.1080/19386362.2019.1598623.
Du, Y.-J., N.-J. Jiang, S.-Y. Liu, S. Horpibulsuk, and A. Arulrajah. 2016. “Field evaluation of soft highway subgrade soil stabilized with calcium carbide residue.” Soils Found. 56 (2): 301–314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sandf.2016.02.012.
Dwairi, I. 1987. “A chemical study of the palagonitic tuffs of the Aritain area of Jordan, with special reference to nature, origin and industrial potential of the associated zeolite deposits.” Ph.D. dissertation, School of Environmental Sciences, Hull Univ.
Eades, J. L., and R. E. Grim. 1960. “Reaction of hydrated lime with pure clay minerals in soil stabilization.” Highway Res. Board Bull. (262): 51–63.
George, V., and A. Kumar. 2017. “Effect of soil parameters on modulus of resilience based on portable falling weight deflectometer tests on lateritic sub-grade soils.” Int. J. Geotech. Eng. 14 (1): 55–61. https://doi.org/10.1080/19386362.2017.1403075.
Harichane, K., M. Ghrici, and H. Gadouri. 2019. “Natural pozzolana used as a source of silica for improving the behaviour of lime–stabilised clayey soil.” Arabian J. Geosci. 12 (15): 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-019-4635-2.
Harichane, K., M. Ghrici, S. Kenai, and K. Grine. 2011. “Use of natural pozzolana and lime for stabilization of cohesive soils.” Geotech. Geol. Eng. 29 (5): 759–769. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-011-9415-z.
Hossain, K. M. A., M. Lachemi, and S. Easa. 2007. “Stabilized soils for construction applications incorporating natural resources of Papua new Guinea.” Resour. Conserv. Recycl. 51 (4): 711–731. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2006.12.003.
Jones, M. P., and M. W. Witczak. 1977. “Subgrade modulus on the San Diego test road.” Transp. Res. Rec. (641): 1–6.
Kang, X., G.-C. Kang, K.-T. Chang, and L. Ge. 2015. “Chemically stabilized soft clays for road-base construction.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 27 (7): 04014199. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0001156.
Khajeh, A., R. Jamshidi Chenari, H. MolaAbasi, and M. Payan. 2021. “An experimental investigation on geotechnical properties of a clayey soil stabilised with lime and zeolite in base and subbase courses.” Road Mater. Pavement Des. 23 (12): 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/14680629.2021.1997789.
Khoury, H. N., K. M. Ibrahim, R. A. Al Dwairi, and D. G. Torrente. 2015. “Wide spread zeolitization of the Neogene-Quaternary volcanic tuff in Jordan.” J. Afr. Earth. Sci. 101 (Jan): 420–429. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2014.09.018.
Latifi, N., A. S. A. Rashid, S. Siddiqua, and M. Z. Abd Majid. 2016. “Strength measurement and textural characteristics of tropical residual soil stabilised with liquid polymer.” Measurement 91 (Sep): 46–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.measurement.2016.05.029.
Lees, G., M. O. Abdelkader, and S. K. Hamdani. 1982. “Sodium chloride as an additive in lime-soil stabilization.” Highway Eng. 29 (2): 19–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/0148-9062(84)91149-5.
Little, D. 1995. Handbook for stabilization of pavement subgrades and base courses with lime. Arlington, VA: Lime Association of Texas.
Little, D. 1999. Evaluation of structural properties of lime stabilized soils and aggregates. Arlington, VA: National Lime Association.
Mallela, J., H. V. Quintus, and K. Smith. 2004. Consideration of limestabilized layers in mechanistic-empirical pavement design. Arlington, VA: National Lime Association.
Mertens, G., R. Snellings, K. Van Balen, B. Bicer-Simsir, P. Verlooy, and J. Elsen. 2009. “Pozzolanic reactions of common natural zeolites with lime and parameters affecting their reactivity.” Cem. Concr. Res. 39 (3): 233–240. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2008.11.008.
Mola-Abasi, H., and I. Shooshpasha. 2016. “Influence of zeolite and cement additions on mechanical behavior of sandy soil.” J. Rock Mech. Geotech. Eng. 8 (5): 746–752. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrmge.2016.01.008.
Najimi, M., J. Sobhani, B. Ahmadi, and M. Shekarchi. 2012. “An experimental study on durability properties of concrete containing zeolite as a highly reactive natural pozzolan.” Constr. Build. Mater. 35 (Oct): 1023–1033. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2012.04.038.
Nawasreh, M. K., S. M. Yasin, and N. A. Zurquiah. 2015. Mineral status and future opportunity; zeolitic tuff. Amman, Jordan: Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.
NCHRP (National Cooperative Highway Research Program). 2004. Guide for mechanistic-empirical design of new and rehabilitated pavement structures. Washington, DC: Transportation Research Board of the National Research Council.
NLA (National Lime Association). 2004. Lime-treated soil construction manual: Lime stabilization & lime modification. Arlington, VA: NLA.
Öncü, Ş., and H. Bilsel. 2017. “Effect of zeolite utilization on volume change and strength properties of expansive soil as landfill barrier.” Can. Geotech. J. 54 (9): 1320–1330. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2016-0483.
Patel, S., and J. T. Shahu. 2016. “Resilient response and permanent strain of steel slag-fly ash-dolime mix.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 28 (10): 04016106. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0001619.
Poon, C. S., L. Lam, S. C. Kou, and Z. S. Lin. 1999. “A study on the hydration rate of natural zeolite blended cement pastes.” Constr. Build. Mater. 13 (8): 427–432. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0950-0618(99)00048-3.
Puppala, A. J., S. Saride, and S. Chomtid. 2009. “Experimental and modeling studies of permanent strains of subgrade soils.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 135 (10): 1379–1389. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000163.
Reshidat, R. 1991. Evaluation of natural phillipsite tuff for agricultural application. Irbid, Jordan: Yarmouk Univ.
Rout, R. K., P. Ruttanapormakul, S. Valluru, and A. J. Puppala. 2012. “Resilient moduli behavior of lime-cement treated subgrade soils.” In GeoCongress 2012: State of the Art and Practice in Geotechnical Engineering, Geotechnical Special Publication 225, edited by R. D. Hryciw, A. Athanasopoulos-Zekkos, and N. Yesiller, 1428–1437. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Titi, H. H., M. B. Elias, and S. Helwany. 2006. Determination of typical resilient modulus values for selected soils in Wisconsin. Milwaukee, WI: Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation, Univ. of Wisconsin.
Uzal, B., L. Turanlı, H. Yücel, M. C. Göncüoğlu, and A. Çulfaz. 2010. “Pozzolanic activity of clinoptilolite: A comparative study with silica fume, fly ash and a non-zeolitic natural pozzolan.” Cem. Concr. Res. 40 (3): 398–404. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2009.10.016.
Virgil Ping, W., Z. Yang, C. Liu, and B. Dietrich. 2001. “Measuring resilient modulus of granular materials in flexible pavements.” Transp. Res. Rec. 1778 (1): 81–90. https://doi.org/10.3141/1778-10.

Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 35Issue 5May 2023

History

Received: Oct 16, 2021
Accepted: Aug 8, 2022
Published online: Feb 27, 2023
Published in print: May 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Jul 27, 2023

Permissions

Request permissions for this article.

Authors

Affiliations

Hussein M. Abdallah [email protected]
Graduate Research Assistant, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Jordan Univ. of Science & Technology, P.O. Box 3030, Irbid 2210, Jordan. Email: [email protected]
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Jordan Univ. of Science & Technology, P.O. Box 3030, Irbid 2210, Jordan (corresponding author). ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4370-9007. Email: [email protected]
Madhar M. Taamneh [email protected]
Associate Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Yarmouk Univ., P.O. Box 566, Irbid 21163, Jordan. Email: [email protected]
Mohammad O. Taamneh [email protected]
Graduate Research Assistant, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Jordan Univ. of Science & Technology, P.O. Box 3030, Irbid 2210, Jordan. Email: [email protected]
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Al-Balqa Applied Univ., Salt 19117, Jordan. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3737-0721. Email: [email protected]

Metrics & Citations

Metrics

Citations

Download citation

If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.

View Options

Get Access

Access content

Please select your options to get access

Log in/Register Log in via your institution (Shibboleth)
ASCE Members: Please log in to see member pricing

Purchase

Save for later Information on ASCE Library Cards
ASCE Library Cards let you download journal articles, proceedings papers, and available book chapters across the entire ASCE Library platform. ASCE Library Cards remain active for 24 months or until all downloads are used. Note: This content will be debited as one download at time of checkout.

Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
ASCE Library Card (5 downloads)
$105.00
Add to cart
ASCE Library Card (20 downloads)
$280.00
Add to cart
Buy Single Article
$35.00
Add to cart

Get Access

Access content

Please select your options to get access

Log in/Register Log in via your institution (Shibboleth)
ASCE Members: Please log in to see member pricing

Purchase

Save for later Information on ASCE Library Cards
ASCE Library Cards let you download journal articles, proceedings papers, and available book chapters across the entire ASCE Library platform. ASCE Library Cards remain active for 24 months or until all downloads are used. Note: This content will be debited as one download at time of checkout.

Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
ASCE Library Card (5 downloads)
$105.00
Add to cart
ASCE Library Card (20 downloads)
$280.00
Add to cart
Buy Single Article
$35.00
Add to cart

Media

Figures

Other

Tables

Share

Share

Copy the content Link

Share with email

Email a colleague

Share