Portland Cement for A-4 group Soil Stabilization

Abstract

In the geotechnical practice, the stabilization of soil using cement is a necessary procedure when soils
do not meet the geotechnical requirements i.e. they show low bearing capacity so it’s necessary to
improve their engineering properties generally adding lime or cement, or moisture of lime and
cement. The aim of this research focuses on the description of a geotechnical laboratory tests plan for
A-4 Group Soils according to AASTHO Soils Classification, generally consisting of gravel, sand, and
silt that will be treated with cement in order to find both the minimum cement content required to
harden this material and the optimum moisture content. This is research been developed in two
phases: a) the identification and characterization of physical-mechanical properties of natural soil;
b) the study of some experimental cement-soil moistures by laboratory tests in order to find the
optimum moisture content of soil, water, and cement. This research shows that the adding of 3% of
Portland cement in the soil can furnish a suitable combined stabilization process of these soils.
Finally, in support of geotechnical engineering, a quick geotechnical laboratory plan for stabilization
with cement and a detailed analyses of mechanical behavior obtained on soil-cement moisture has
been reported.