Utilizing Recycled Clay Brick Powder to Improve the Dispersivity and Water Stability of Dispersive Soil: A Sustainable Soil Improvement
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 36, Issue 12
Abstract
Dispersive soil is susceptible to water erosion and could cause damage in geotechnical engineering or hydraulic engineering projects. Recycled clay brick powder (RCBP) was used as a modifier to improve the dispersivity and water stability of dispersive soil in this study. Pinhole tests, crumb tests, disintegration tests, particle analysis tests, exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) tests, pH tests, conductivity tests, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses were conducted to explore the modification effects and corresponding mechanisms of RCBP on dispersive soil. The results revealed that the dispersivity of the soil significantly weakened as the RCBP content increased and curing time extended. Specifically, adding 4% RCBP to the soil and curing for 7 days effectively transformed dispersive soil into nondispersive soil. Furthermore, the final disintegration time of the soil sample with 10% RCBP cured for 28 days was 273% longer than that of the soil sample without curing. Moreover, the treatment led to decreased fines content, ESP value, and pH value in the soil samples. The decrease in ESP value indicated the replacement of sodium ions adsorbed on the soil particle surfaces with calcium ions, resulting in a reduction in the thickness of the diffuse electric double layer of soil particles, and subsequently reduced soil dispersivity. Additionally, the decrease in pH also contributed to the reduction of the diffuse electric double-layer thickness. XRD and SEM analyses confirmed the formation of cementing materials between soil particles due to the modification, which filled gaps and cemented particles to create a waterproof barrier between soil particles. In conclusion, the utilization of RCBP as a modifier for dispersive soil could be a win–win measure with promising outcomes. It is recommended that more than 4% RCBP should be added in engineering applications.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The authors are grateful to the anonymous reviewers and the editors for their insightful feedback on the initial draft of the manuscript. The authors thank Dr. Guoyun Zhang (State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China) for providing assistance in the scanning electron microscopy test. This research was sponsored by the Hydraulic Science and Technology Planning Project of Shaanxi Province (2023slkj-6, Application Study of MDC on the Dispersivity of Soil in Silt-Trap Dams).
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Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 36 • Issue 12 • December 2024
Copyright
© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Dec 5, 2023
Accepted: Apr 29, 2024
Published online: Sep 25, 2024
Published in print: Dec 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Feb 25, 2025
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Clays
- Ecosystems
- Engineering fundamentals
- Engineering materials (by type)
- Environmental engineering
- Geomechanics
- Geotechnical engineering
- Materials engineering
- Particles
- Soil analysis
- Soil dynamics
- Soil mechanics
- Soil properties
- Soil stabilization
- Soil tests
- Soil water
- Soils (by type)
- Tests (by type)
- Wastewater management
- Water and water resources
- Water management
- Water reclamation
- Water supply
- Water treatment
- Water use
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