Experimental Research for the Application of Mining Waste in the Trench Cutting Remixing Deep Wall Method

Abstract EN

This paper focuses on the use of fly ash (FA) or ground granulated blast slag (GGBS) and reactive lime blends for cement-stabilized Nanjing clay, comparing them with Portland cement (PC) for enhanced technical performance.

A range of tests were conducted to investigate the properties of stabilized soils, including macrostrength (UCS), permeability, and microstructure analyses by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

The influence of PC : (FA + lime) ratio, PC : (GGBS + lime) ratio and curing time was addressed.

The UCS and permeability results revealed that PC-FA-lime was more efficient than PC-GGBS-lime as a binder for soil stabilization, with an optimum proportion of PC : (FA + lime) = 3 : 7 at 25% binder content, varying with curing time.

The microstructure analysis reveals that fly ash mainly changes the pore volume distribution, which ranges between 0.01 μm and 1 μm, and produces more CSH/CASH bonding and fissures due to the secondary hydration and pozzolanic reactions.

Based on the favourable results obtained, it can be concluded that the soft soils can be successfully stabilized by the combined action of cement, fly ash, and lime.

Since fly ash is much cheaper than cement, the addition of fly ash and lime in cement-soil mix may particularly become attractive and can result in cost reduction of construction.