The Investigation of the Addition of Sodium Lignosulfonate to Lime Column Used For Improving the Expansive Soils

Abstract

The lime column (LC) technique has been commonly used for the improvement of expansive soils. The achievement of this technique depends on the lime diffusion into the expansive soils, but lime diffusion into the expansive soil is generally a slow process due to the low permeability of these soils. In this study, sodium lignosulfonate, which is used as a superplasticizer in the concrete industry, was added to lime columns to accelerate the diffusion of lime particles. First, treated expansive clay specimens with thirty-seven 4.5 mm diameter columns were prepared in an oedometer ring. These columns were filled with two different mixtures: water-lime and water-lime-sodium lignosulphonate to investigate the effect of the addition of sodium lignosulphonate. Free swell tests were done on these treated expansive clay specimens that were subjected to different curing periods, it was observed that the treated specimens with sodium lignosulphonate lime columns (NaLS-LC) are more effective than the treated specimens with lime columns (LC). A treated expansive clay specimen (in a 30cmx30cm mold) with seven pieces of 45 mm diameter sodium lignosulphonate lime columns were prepared to observe the alteration of engineering properties of untreated expansive clay specimen (US) located between the columns. Free swell and unconfined compressive strength tests were done on the undisturbed expansive clay specimens taken from the mold between the columns. SEM-EDX analyses were made to investigate whether the ettringite mineral, which leads to swelling of the expansive soil during lime stabilization, forms or not. While the ettringite mineral formed during the curing period in the lime column stabilization method, the addition of sodium lignosulphonate to lime columns blocked the formation of the ettringite mineral. It can be stated that sodium lignosulphonate lime columns (NaLS-LC) show better performance than lime columns (LC), in the treatment of expansive clays.