Effect of Alkali Contamination on Swelling and Strength Characteristics of Soils

Alkali as pore fluid due to contamination from various sources affects the soils in different ways depending upon the mineralogical content present in the soil, and the concentration and duration of pore fluid. Properties of the soil get altered by the contamination of alkali. So, the present study aims to understand the mechanism of soil–alkali interaction and also to have a better knowledge about the changes in swelling, strength characteristics, and index properties in the soil due to the alkali interaction with the soil. Thonnakkal Clay and Kuttanad soil are selected to study the changes that occur when they are exposed to sodium hydroxide alkali contamination from various sources and to better understand the behavior of soil when contaminated with sodium hydroxide at 1 N and 4 N concentrations with varying percentages of 2.5, 5, and 10% by weight of the sample. The variations in index properties, strength characteristics, and swelling behavior are reported in this paper.