Animal-Protein-Based and Synthetic-Based Foamed Mixture Lightweight Soil Doped with Bauxite Tailings: Macro and Microscopic Properties

Abstract

In order to explore the effect of the foaming agent type on the properties of foamed mixture lightweight soil mixed with bauxite tailings (FMLSB), low-density (437.5 kg/m3 and 670 kg/m3) and high-density (902.5 kg/m3 and 1170 kg/m3) FMLSB were prepared using protein-based and synthetic-based foaming agents (AF and SF, respectively). The foam stability, micro characteristics, compressive strength, fluidity, and volume of water absorption of the FMLSB were investigated. The results showed that the foam made from AF had better strength and stability compared to SF. The internal pore sizes of both AF- and SF-FMLSB at low density were large, but at high density the internal pore sizes and area porosity of AF-FMLSB were smaller than those of SF-FMLSB. In terms of compressive strength, the compressive strength of AF-FMLSB was improved by 17.5% to 43.2% compared to SF-FMLSB. At low density, the fluidity of AF- and SF-FMLSB is similar, while at high density the fluidity of AF-FMLSB is much higher than that of SF-FMLSB. In addition, the stable volume of water absorption of SF-FMLSB is smaller than that of AF-FMLSB at low density, and the corresponding water resistance is better, but the situation is reversed at high density.