Enhancing the Strength of Soft Clay Using Date Seed Ash

In the current study, the agricultural waste materials Date Seed Ash (DSA) is investigated. Various concentrations of DSA (5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) were applied, and the impact of DSA on the surface morphology and chemical composition of the tested soil (soft clay) was examined using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray. The results indicated that soft clay soil treated with DSA exhibited increased overall strength. By adding 15% DSA, the unconfined compression strength improves to more than double that of the sample without any treatment. Moreover, examining the morphology of soil samples treated with 10% and 15% DSA uncovered the formation of hydrated particles and cement-like compounds resulting from the interaction between the soil and DSA. In addition, as the DSA % grows, the compressibility and volume change factors decrease. The California Bearing Ratio and unconfined compression strength tests confirmed that DSA was an effective stabilizer of soft clay soil. In this study, the most effective amount of Date Seeds Ash (DSA) was 15% by adding weight to enhance the fundamental properties, and strength of soft clay soil.