Stabilization of Expansive Soils Using Industrial Wastes

India is a vast country with several types of soil among which expansive soils constitute over an area of 546,000 km2. Expansive soils consist of various clay minerals which enhance swelling and shrinkage characteristics that need to be treated with stabilizers to prepare it for constructional activities without causing any distress to structures founded on them in reality. Generation of industrial wastes produced by industries nowadays is increasing enormously and causing potential threat to the environment. In the present experimental study, natural expansive soils were procured from different locations in Karnataka having liquid limit range from 45 to 75%. A detailed study of index properties and compaction characteristics for IS light and heavy compaction of plain soils and soils replaced by design mix proportion of steel dust and sugarcane bagasse ash has been carried out. Correlations were established between the compaction, swelling, and shear strength characteristics with index properties using MLRA (multiple linear regression analysis). The MDD and UCS of blended soils were found to be higher than the plain soils, thereby achieving the design economics.