Effectiveness of Hydro-Insensitive Reinforced Resin for Soil Stabilization

Abstract

The world is moving with the heavy focus on global climate changes, the research and development emphasises on making products more and more environment friendly. The basic and most important part of the construction is soil and its properties. To ensure structures stability, it is equally important to have stability of soil. Soil stabilization is a process to alter the properties of soil by means of physical and/or chemical processes. The overall long term performance of structure largely depends on the soundness and engineering qualities of soil. To replace the soil is very quick solution but at the same time it is uneconomical and time consuming. There are different types of soil stability problems and methods to avoid instability before and after the structure has been con- structed. Recently, Chemical methods are very much significant to reduce the stability issue of the soil. As the chemical processes are more economical and less time consuming, the world is now moving to probability of using chemical methods in big construction projects. There are number of chemical methods which can be used but it depends on the specific properties that have to be modified. One of the new chemical methods is contain- ing polyurethane resins or foam to increase the bearing capacity and erosion resistance of the soil. The main advantage of this method is the time requirement for this process which is very less. Also for void filling, slab lifting, increase in bearing capacity and other basic stability issues can be overcome by this process. This study is organized by five samples of soil, four of them containing soil and different resin each and last one is only soil or control sample. The injection at same pressure is carried out and the comparison of the resins has been done by experimental analysis. In order to understand this process, microstructure analysis of resin and used soil have been done. The experimental testing includes some of the basic testing like compression test and erosion resistance test. Also the effect of the resins to the environment also been tested in the form of leachate test for water quality measurements.Using this pro- cess and resins can be a good solution for the soil stability and also in slab lifting. But the main thing is its effect on the environment and its usability to the soil areas which are in the contact with the water bodies. The leaching can be hazardous to the habitats in the nearby water bodies. A thermography or heat difference concept also has been used to observe resin in uenced area in the soil. Total Carbon, Total Nitrogen and Total Phosphorous content in the chemical samples has been tested. This chemical method can be efficient for the soil stability with the concern of envi- ronmental sustainability. Soil areas which are mixed with water bodies where resistance against continuous or random exposure of water is very important, this method serves the purpose. This process can also be used with rich biological habitats under and nearby water bodies without any adverse effects. This chemical method is proved to be effective for sandy type of soil. Effectiveness of this method in clay soil has been studied and results shows possible effective applicability.