Eco-Friendly Soil Stabilization Using Rice Husk Ash and Coconut Coir
摘要
Sustainable and innovative approaches are critical in addressing engineering problems, particularly in the infrastructure development of any country. Presently, significant focus is being placed on utilizing waste materials in an environmental friendly manner. The demand for good quality soil to construct vital structures is increasing daily. However, soil of such standards is limited. Various methods for soil stabilization are available to enhance the desired properties of the soil. The present study uses waste products such as Rice Husk Ash (RHA) and Coconut coir, both eco-friendly waste products, as soil stabilizers. RHA is a byproduct of milling rice and has cementitious qualities that bind particles together to increase soil strength. A byproduct of coconuts, Coconut coir fibre functions as reinforcement and gives tensile strength, improving soil cohesiveness. Tests for Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) and California Bearing Ratio (CBR) were conducted on clay soil mixed with RHA and Coconut coir in the laboratory to evaluate the strength enhancement. The results obtained from the study showed that adding 1% RHA to the soil increased its unconfined compressive strength (UCS) by 5.48 times while adding 1% Coconut coir increased it by 5.85 times compare to UCS value of only clay soil. The CBR value improved to 8.35% and 6.10% from 2.36% under unsoaked conditions when the soil was mixed with 1% RHA and 1% Coconut coir, respectively. This study revealed the potential of RHA and Coconut coir in improving the strength of clay soil.