Influence of rock powder on the behaviour of an organic soil

This paper aims to present the use of rock powder as an agent to improve the behaviour of organic soil. The rock powder, a waste material, was mixed with the organic soil at different contents, namely 10%, 20%, 35%, and 50% by dry weight of the mixture. Experiments have been conducted in fall cone, compaction, unconfined compression strength, and oedometer testing apparatuses. The influence of 50% rock powder content on the Atterberg limits and undrained shear strength (s(u)) of organic soil was to be decreased of the order of 30% and 80%, respectively. The results have shown a marked effect of rock powder inclusion on compaction tests with a substantial increase in dry unit weight (gamma) and a decrease in optimum moisture content (w(opt)). Although unconfined compressive strength (q(u)) values have increased slightly with the addition of rock powder, the dramatic decrease observed in energy absorption values indicates that the additive gives the mixture a relatively brittle behaviour. It is also among the observations reached that the waste rock powder inclusion affects consolidation characteristics at varying rates, with a substantial decrease in compression index (c(c)), swelling index (c(s)), initial void ratio (e(o)), and volumetric compressibility (m(v)), and increase in the coefficient of consolidation (c(v)) up to about 25%. The results are presented for reducing the environmental impact of rock powder by treating organic soil.

Automated summary

This paper explores the use of rock powder as an agent to improve the behavior of organic soil. The study found that the addition of rock powder can significantly affect the compaction properties and consolidation characteristics of the soil, including increasing dry unit weight, decreasing optimum moisture content, and reducing compression index.