Laboratory characterization of cement-stabilized soil and quality assessment using non-destructive techniques
摘要
Soil stabilization with traditional stabilizing agents such as cement and lime is a widely adopted and well-established practice in pavement construction worldwide. While the adoption of stabilized materials as a sustainable substitute for conventional granular layers has been strongly advocated by several authorities, their practical implementation remains constrained. This is primarily due to typical challenges encountered to conduct reliable field quality assessment and comprehensive performance evaluation of stabilized layers. The current practice of extracting cores from the cured layers to assess the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) is not always successful, as the cores tend to break or crack during removal. While non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques like ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) and rebound hammer are well established for concrete, their applicability to cement-stabilized soils have not been adequately explored. This study investigates the suitability NDT equipment for quality assessment of stabilized layers. In the present study, a local silty soil was stabilized using cement at dosages varying from 3 to 9% by dry weight of soil. The cement content was optimized for the sub-base and base layers of pavement by taking into account both strength and durability characteristics. Various non-destructive tests, such as the ultrasonic pulse velocity test and the rebound hammer test, typically used for rigid pavements, were employed to assess the cement-stabilized silty soil. Correlations were established between UCS and UPV, as well as between UCS and elastic modulus, allowing for indirect estimation of strength without the need for destructive testing. The results demonstrate the potential of NDT to provide a reliable and rapid quality control framework for stabilized soil layers in pavement construction.