STRENGTHENING OF SOFT CLAY USING ALKALI ACTIVATED FLY ASH
Keywords:
soft clay, alkali activated fly ash, Ordinary Portland Cement, unconfined compressive strengthAbstract
This study involves the stabilization of soft clay soil using sodium based Alkali activated (AA) fly ash in order to understand their effectiveness to stabilized soft clay. By using Unconfined Compressive Strength test (UCS), the effectiveness of this AA fly ash is compared with that of ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) at the age of 7 days and 28 days. A sample was soaked in water for a period of 14 days after curing 28 days in order to study the changes in strength of the sample when submerged in water. Sodium hydroxide concentrations of 12 molal were used in the AA specimen with fly ash percentage of 30 % to the total solid (ash + soil). Treatment with AA fly ash significantly increases the strength of the soil and soaking in water further improves the strength to large extent. UCS results of OPC and AA fly ash shows that AA fly was found to provide more strength at all ages except 7 days.