Soil Stabilization Using Agro-industrial Waste

Stabilization of soil is essential to create strong foundations for infrastructure. Studies are being conducted to evaluate the efficacy of existing methods and to develop novel methods in the domain of soil stabilization. Though economy, efficiency and sustainability are the key aspects to be considered in any stage of a project, most of the existing practices fails to fulfil these altogether. Using refuse and industrial wastes as additives in ground improvement can help preserve the environment and promote sustainable practices. The present study aims at using agro-industrial wastes viz. eggshell powder and sugarcane bagasse ash as stabilizing materials. Due to the pozzolanic characteristics of these materials, they can be used as a good substitute for industrial lime also. The effect of adding eggshell powder and bagasse ash on the strength and settlement properties of soft soil will be evaluated based on various laboratory tests such as unconfined compressive strength test, permeability test, compaction test, CBR test etc. The best additive proportion was determined based on test outcomes, which assisted in analyzing how soil qualities improved in the presence of additives.