CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION
1.1 Back Ground
Maintenance and replacement of pavement consumes a large portion of the budgets of
transportation departments in every country. Methods for reducing the cost of constructing
and maintaining pavements and lengthening pavement life can help transportation
departments better maintain the road network on limited budgets. Modern pavements are
expected to provide a high level of safety and comfort for their users. Pavements are
commonly designed using a combination of mechanistic and empirical approaches. These
methods involve selecting the appropriate soil and pavement parameters and then calculating
layer thicknesses for the sub base, base and the concrete pavement as appropriate. With any
method, a strength parameter is used to describe the sub grade or native material beneath the
pavement layers. Variations in the sub grade, even over short distances, are inevitable and
can occur abruptly or gradually, depending on the geologic history of the surface soils. A
high variability in sub grade soil characteristics may dictate the use of conservative estimates
that may lead to thicker pavements with higher construction costs or poor performance and
higher maintenance costs. In order to alleviate these problems, methods have been developed
to try and minimize the variability in sub grade characteristics.
Expansive clay is a clay soil that is prone to large volume changes (swelling and shrinking)
that are directly related to changes in water content. Soils with a high content of expansive
minerals can form deep cracks in drier seasons or years; such soils are called vertisols. Soils
with smectite clay minerals, including montmorillonite and bentonite, have the most dramatic
shrink-swell capacity.
Expansive soils have the tendency to swell when they come in contact with moisture and to
shrink if moisture is removed from them. These volume changes in swelling soils are the
cause of many problems in structures that come into their contact or constructed out of them.
The expansive soils in India have liquid limit values ranging from 40 to 100 %, plasticity
index ranging from 20 to 65 %.
1.2 Objectives of Study
Limited research is available done on the effect of Saw Dust on different geotechnical
properties of expansive soil. The present paper discusses the properties of locally available
expansive soil and saw dust mixed into it in different proportions. Index properties (Liquid
Limit, Plastic Limit, Plasticity index), Compaction properties (Optimum Moisture Content
(OMC) and Maximum Dry Density (MDD)), Direct Shear Test (DST) are considered in this
investigation.
One of the most common methods of fine soil improvement is to stabilize additives that
improve soil properties through physical and chemical changes. It is, however, worth noting
that fine soils behaviour should be well studied before deciding on the method modification
or stabilization is usually carried out to achieve the follow goals:
1. To evaluate the index property of soil.
2. To study the effect of saw dust on Atterberg limits of soil.
3. To study the effect of saw dust on OMC and MDD of soil.
4. To study the effect of saw dust on direct shear test of soil.
5. To study the effect of saw dust on undrained cohesion parameter of soil.
6. To study the effect of saw dust on soil by CBR test.
1.3 Scope of Work
Over the last years, environmental issues have prompted human to use industrial wastes as
alternatives to some construction materials. Both earthwork researchers and engineers have
paid considerable attention to using wastes in soil stabilization and improving physical and
mechanical properties of soils. This may help both remove environmental problems and
contribute to the economy. Industrial wastes such as fly ash, iron slag, quarry dust, plastic
wastes and iron filings show considerable potential to stabilize soils, which are occasionally
used to improve geotechnical properties of poor soils. Expansive soils shrink when they lose
their moisture but swell when they absorb water. Moisture absorption may occur as a result of
raining, torrents, leaking pipes of water or sewage, and impeded surface water evaporation
due to the built structures adjacent to water reservoirs. Expansive soils are highly vulnerable
to swelling.
In tire present study, Saw Dust or Wooden Dust is used to study the effect on the properties
of expansive soil. An improvement in the strength properties of soil by addition of Saw Dust
will help to find an application for waste materials to improve the properties of expansive soil
and can be used as a better stabilizing agent.
1.3 Outline of Dissertation
In first chapter, I have mentioned the need of soil improvement, various soil stabilization
techniques. I have also discussed the need of saw dust stabilization techniques as a soil
improvement techniques and it’s limitations. The brief discussion of objectives of my study
and scope of study also mentioned.
In chapter 2, I have gone through literature review on laboratory tests. I have also discussed
basic parameters of soil. The soil stabilization technique is also mentioned in this chapter.
In chapter 3, I have discussed testing methodology of my project. In this experimental
program, property of material such as soil, saw dust and preparation of soil sample is briefly
described.
Chapter 4 contains the results and discussion of using saw dust in expansive soil.
Finally in chapter 5, I have drawn the conclusion of my dissertation.