Application of Guar Gum Biopolymer in Geotechnical Engineering Practices: A New Sustainable Approach
摘要
The soil’s geotechnical properties play a crucial role in civil engineering practices. In the case of soft soil, it is essential to enhance the engineering characteristics of the soil. Usage of traditional stabilizers alone or in combinations with cement/lime leads to environmental concerns. Various approaches have been made to substitute the traditional technique of soil stabilization. Guar gum biopolymer, an eco-friendly material, is a sustainable approach to enhancing the engineering characteristics of soft soil. This study illustrates the application of guar gum biopolymer to soft soil, creating a new Earth-friendly strategy in geotechnical engineering practices. From the test results, it is found that guar gum biopolymer enhanced the geotechnical properties of the soft soil. In the current study, various percentages, i.e., 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, and 2.5% of guar gum, are mixed with the soft soil. The effect of guar gum biopolymer in terms of strength improvement was examined. Index properties, unconfined compressive strength, and resilient modulus are determined. A very minimal proportion of guar gum biopolymer enhances the engineering properties of the soft soil. Therefore, guar gum biopolymer holds a significant potential to substitute cement/lime as the traditional stabilizers in the context of development to replace the traditional technique of soil stabilization.