Stabilization of Expansive Soil Using Lime Pile and Lime Precipitation Techniques-A Comparative Study

This paper presents a comparative study of stabilization of expansive soil using lime pile and lime precipitation technique. Lime precipitation was carried out by sequential permeation of calcium chloride (CaCl2) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solutions through a central hole in the compacted expansive clay. Similarly, lime pile was installed in a central hole of compacted expansive soil. After 30 days of curing, the undisturbed soil specimens were collected from different radial distances for evaluation of physico-chemical, index, and engineering properties. Microstructural changes were captured using scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images and electron dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis (EDAX) for both treated and untreated soils. The index and engineering properties of treated soils indicate that the lime precipitation treatment was effective up to a radial distance of 2.5 d from the central hole of diameter, d, while the lime pile treatment was limited to a radial distance of less than 0.8 d.