The presence of residual mica flakes in the soil poses significant challenges to geotechnical engineering constructions due to its poor compactability, low shear strength, and high compressibility. This often results in resource wastage, especially when the mica content exceeds 10%, which could otherwise be used in various civil engineering structures. The mechanical behavior of sand is notably influenced by the presence of flaky mica particles, affecting particle arrangements at a microlevel through bridging, ordering, and pore-filling phenomena. Addressing this issue requires an effective stabilization technique to improve the geotechnical properties of micaceous sand. This study focuses on the use of bentonite slurry as a stabilizer to improve the shear strength and compressibility behavior of micaceous sand containing 30% mica. Direct shear tests and 1D consolidation oedometer tests were performed on micaceous sand treated with varying percentages (0%, 2%, 4%, and 6%) of bentonite, with a curing period of 24 h to assess changes in shear strength and compressibility properties. The results indicate a consistent increase in shear strength with a higher bentonite content. Similarly, the compressibility index decreased significantly with increasing concentration of bentonite. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) image analyses were performed on treated micaceous sand specimens to understand the microscopic mechanisms behind the improved strength and compressibility. The study demonstrated that bentonite clay efficiently filled the voids created by mica, leading to the creation of a uniform and dense structure. This process resulted in an improvement in the shear strength and compressibility characteristics of the stabilized micaceous sand.

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Enhancing the Geotechnical Properties of Micaceous Sand Using Bentonite Slurry: An Eco-Friendly Substitute for Traditional Stabilizers

  • S. Anjali,
  • P. Seethalakshmi

摘要

The presence of residual mica flakes in the soil poses significant challenges to geotechnical engineering constructions due to its poor compactability, low shear strength, and high compressibility. This often results in resource wastage, especially when the mica content exceeds 10%, which could otherwise be used in various civil engineering structures. The mechanical behavior of sand is notably influenced by the presence of flaky mica particles, affecting particle arrangements at a microlevel through bridging, ordering, and pore-filling phenomena. Addressing this issue requires an effective stabilization technique to improve the geotechnical properties of micaceous sand. This study focuses on the use of bentonite slurry as a stabilizer to improve the shear strength and compressibility behavior of micaceous sand containing 30% mica. Direct shear tests and 1D consolidation oedometer tests were performed on micaceous sand treated with varying percentages (0%, 2%, 4%, and 6%) of bentonite, with a curing period of 24 h to assess changes in shear strength and compressibility properties. The results indicate a consistent increase in shear strength with a higher bentonite content. Similarly, the compressibility index decreased significantly with increasing concentration of bentonite. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) image analyses were performed on treated micaceous sand specimens to understand the microscopic mechanisms behind the improved strength and compressibility. The study demonstrated that bentonite clay efficiently filled the voids created by mica, leading to the creation of a uniform and dense structure. This process resulted in an improvement in the shear strength and compressibility characteristics of the stabilized micaceous sand.