Solidification Treatment of Wastewater and Waste Soil Generated during Binhai Reclamation: A Study on Mechanical Properties and Resource Utilization

Abstract

Coastal reclamation projects generate an accumulation of wastewater and waste soil, resulting in highly saturated soft soil. Presently, there is a scarcity of research regarding the lightweight solidification and three-dimensional mechanical properties of these soils. Additionally, there is a dearth of specialized models for stabilizing soils containing wastewater using lightweight solidification technology, and pertinent engineering solutions are lacking. By introducing solidifying agents and foaming agents to treat wastewater in soft fill soil, a novel type of solidified lightweight material is produced, imparting strength. This study investigates its three-dimensional mechanical properties. During triaxial tests with equal stress (σ3) and equal b values, the softening of the curve noticeably diminished at b = 0.25. In the plane strain test, cohesion increased by 10.7% compared to the traditional triaxial tests, and the internal friction angle increased by 11%. Subsequently, a three-dimensional Cambridge model was established. At elevated confining pressures, the corrected curve closely approximated the test curve, demonstrating a minimum model accuracy of approximately 96% at a confining pressure of 20 KPa. These findings offer valuable numerical references and a theoretical foundation for the efficient utilization of wastewater and waste soil.