Effects of Soil-Cement Stabilization on the Index Properties of Subgrades of Three Selected Roads in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria
- 1 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
- 2 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
- 3 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
Abstract
In this study, the impact of soil-cement stabilization on the index properties of the subgrade of roads was investigated. Efforts were on the means of improving the bearing capacity of the subgrade of a flexible pavement structure. Three selected roads (Ogbia-Nembe, section of the East-West Road and section of Port Harcourt-Aba Road) in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria were examined to determine the effect of sand-cement stabilization on the compaction index property of their undisturbed subgrade and the optimal ratio of soil-cement on the expansive soils at which the California Bearing Ratio (CBR) is optimized. Disturbed soil samples were collected from twenty trial pits on each of the three study roads using a hand ulger and tested for their respective compaction index properties. It was discovered that their California Bearing Ratio (CBR) w as very low. Some of the collected specimen materials were stabilized with varying percentages of soil - cement contents ranging from 6 % - 14% in order to ascertain its effects on the compaction index properties of the sample soils. Results of the various stabilization test procedures show that: Stabilization of the soil using Soil-Cement Stabilization affected the Compaction Index properties of the soil and further improved the California Bearing Ratio (CBR). On the Ogbia-Nembe Road; Soil-Cement stabilization improved the CBR and is optimized at a 10% sand-cement ratio with optimum moisture content ranging from 6.2 % - 14%, maximum dry density ranges from 1700 - 1780 kg/m 3 , yielding an average CBR of 42.7% for soaked samples. On the section of East-West Road from Eleme Junction to Etteh Junction; Soil-Cement stabilization improved the CBR and is optimized at a 14% sand-cement ratio with optimum moisture content ranging from 6.2 % - 14.2%, maximum dry density ranges from 1660 - 1800 kg/m 3 , yielding an average CBR of 43.9% for soaked samples. On the section of Port Harcourt-Aba Express Road from Eleme Junction to Osisioma Junction; Soil-Cement stabilization improved the CBR and is optimized at a 12% sand-cement ratio having an optimum moisture content ranging from 5.4 % - 17.3%, maximum dry density ranges from 1610 - 1740 kg/m 3 , and an average California Bearing Ratio for soaked samples at 40%.
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