ELECTRO-OSMOTIC STABILIZATION OF EXPANSIVE SOILS

Abstract

It is well established that soil properties such as shear strength, permeability and compressibility could be improved considerably by effective drainage under electro-osmotic condi-tions. However the effects of electro-osmosis on tho undesired properties namely swelling and swelling pressure of the expansive soils have not yet been attempted. In this investigation, the possibility of the reduction of swelling and swelling pressure of three different types of expansive soils of India has been investigated by the addition of various chemicals under electro-osmotic conditions. Further the variation in unconfined compressive strength, permeability and the shear strength parameters c' and cDi (with respect to effect-ive stresses) after electro-osmotic treatment has also been investigated. From the test results it is understood that treatment of lime or Potassium chloride stabilizes the expansive soils by bringing down the magnitudes of swelling and swelling pressure by a great deal and increasing the strength and permeability of these soils by a large extent after the electro-osmotic treatment. Potassium chloride treatment under electro-osmotic conditions has been proved to be the very first successful technique in stabilizing the undesired properties (swelling and swelling pressure) which will enable stabilization of expansive soils in the field without disturbing the soil strata.