Strength Enhancement of Expansive Clay Using fly Ash-bagasse ash Binder and Basalt Fiber Reinforcement
摘要
This study investigates the synergistic effects of binder containing fly ash-bagasse ash and reinforced with basalt fiber (BF) for stabilizing of black cotton (BC) soil. The geotechnical characteristics of BC soil were evaluated. With the addition of the binder and BF, the MDD was increased from 1545 kg/m3 to 1760 kg/m3, while the OMC decreased from 24.5% to 20.10%. The Unconfined compressive strength of BC soil increased from 144.15 kPa to 424.20 kPa after binder treatment and further increased to 976.17 kPa when reinforced with 1.5% BF after 28 days of curing. The 28-day cured CBR of the treated soil improved from 2.65% to 13.62%. Similarly, the split tensile strength of treated soil increased from 48 kPa to 855 kPa. Morphological analysis using XRD and SEM-EDS was performed on the optimally binder-treated reinforced samples. The analysis confirmed improved particle bonding attributed to pozzolanic reactions forming cementitious compounds such as C-S-H, C-A-H, along with fiber reinforcement. The effect of binder on reinforced soil increases the interfacial bond strength between the soil and BF. These findings highlight that the incorporation of the optimized binder with BF provides a sustainable and effective approach for enhancing soil strength.