BEHAVIOUR OF LATERITIC SOIL

STABILIZED WITH ARECANUT

COIR FOR PAVEMENTS

GUIDED BY, PRESENTED BY,

Dr. USHA THOMAS L.MEGHA MOHAN
PRINCIPAL MTCH, GT
ROLL NO: 4

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 INTRODUCTION
 Subgrade – structure formed by natural or borrowed soil –
other layers of pavements are laid.
 Quality & stability of subgrade – performance & service of
any road during its life span
 Soil stabilisation – common method – enhance the properties
of soil – different stabilizers.
 Usage of natural fiber as reinforcement – effective
technology.
 Effect of randomly spaced Arecanut coir to soil mix.
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 INTRODUCTION (CONTD......)

 Engineering properties & Bearing capacity – enhances –

stabilizing with Arecanut coir & binding material (cement).
 Coir content – varied b/w 0.2 % - 1% with an increment of
0.2%
 Uniform dosage of 3% cement was added to soil – further
improvement.
 Lab tests – Unconfined compressive strength (UCS),
California bearing ratio(CBR), durability & fatigue tests.
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 LITERATURE REVIEWS
 Lekha and Sreedevi - studied on coir fiber for stabilization of
weak sub grade soils - included treating the weak soil with coir
fibre at different quantities and studying the changes in
Optimum Moisture Content (OMC), Maximum Dry Density
(MDD) and California Bearing Ratio(CBR)values. The OMC
was found to be increased with the increase in the percentage
of coir fibre content and MDD decreased.

 Kumar and Singh - tried different combinations of

polypropylene fiber and fly ash on soil. It was observed that
the addition of fiber to soil satisfy all the geotechnical
properties to meet the requirements of sub base layer.
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 LITERATURE REVIEWS (CONTD......)

 Bijayananda et al. - conducted a series of laboratory

soaked and unsoaked CBR tests on randomly oriented

fiber reinforced and unreinforced specimens of clayey

soil, compacted at OMC and MDD. From CBR test

results - engineering performance of fiber inclusion was

examined. Results indicated the inclusion of coir fiber

enhanced the CBR strength of the soil specimens.

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 CASE STUDY
 MATERIALS USED :-

1) Lateritic soil

 Obtained from Dakshina Kannada District, India.

 Geotechnical properties - Specific gravity, Soil

classification, Consistency limits, Compaction
characteristics, UCS and CBR values - conducted as per
IS procedures.
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PROPERTIES OF LATERITIC SOIL
PROPERTY VALUE
1) CONSISTENCY LIMITS (%)

LIQUID LIMIT 56
PLASTIC LIMIT 29
PLASTICITY INDEX 27
SHRINKAGE LIMIT 28
2) COMPACTION PROPERTIES

MODIFIED COMPACTION
MDD (g /cc) 1.69
OMC (%) 17
STANDARD COMPACTION
MDD (g /cc) 1.63
OMC (%) 19.2
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 PROPERTIES (CONTD.....)
PROPERTY VALUE

3) UCS (kPa)

STANDARD PROCTOR COMPACTION 138

MODIFIED PROCTOR COMPACTION 206

4) CBR VALUE (%)

MODIFIED PROCTOR COMPACTION

a) OMC CONDITION 5.26

b) SOAKED CONDITION 3.18

STANDARD PROCTOR COMPACTION

a) OMC CONDITION 3.14

b) SOAKED CONDITION 2.04

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GRAIN SIZE DISTRIBUTION CURVE

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 From grain size distribution curve – soil consisted of 9% gravel,
44% sand, 32% silt & 15% clay.
 As per IS classification – lateritic soil – belongs to SC group
( clayey sand) & specific gravity – 2.45
2) Arecanut coir
 Collected - Puttur, Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka state,
India.
 Dry Arecanut shells – brown in colour –
coir from shell was extracted manually in
the lab. Aspect ratio & specific gravity of Arecanut coir – 80 &
0.67 10
 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ARECANUT COIR

DIAMETER LENGTH DENSITY (g YOUNG’S TENSILE

(mm) (mm) /cc) MODULUS STRENGTH
(KN/mm2) (KN/m2)

0.35 28 1.09 27 2.2

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF ARECANUT COIR

CELLULOSE HEMICELLULOSE LIGNIN ASH PECTIN WAX (%)

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%)

NIL 35-64.8 13-24.8 4.4 NIL NIL

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 Quantity of coir to be used is an important parameter.
 Different quantities of coir - different effect in the same soil
sample.
 Insufficient quantity of coir - less stabilization of the soil
 Excess quantity - ineffective stabilization & decrease the
strength of the soil.
 Determine the optimum quantity of coir the CBR and UCS
tests were conducted on each of the soil sample - varying
percentages of coir by weight of soil.
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 DOSAGE OF ARECANUT COIR

DOSAGE PERCENTAGE BY WEIGHT PER 1 KG OF

WEIGHT OF SOIL SOIL (gm)

1 0.2 2

2 0.4 4

3 0.6 6

4 0.8 8

5 1.0 10

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3) Cement
 3% OPC 43 grade cement collected from local market was used.
4) Stabilization using Arecanut coir with 3% cement
 Soil mixed with coir – no curing is required – no chemical
reaction b/w soil & coir.
 In this study – soil has been further stabilized – adding 3%
cement – enhance bonding & strength.
 Addition of cement – friction b/w soil &coir.
 Strength of soil – terms of CBR, UCS, Fatigue life – evaluated
for 3, 7 & 28 days curing periods.
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 METHODS :-

 UCS & CBR tests

 Sample preparation

 Preparation of soil specimens – UCS & CBR tests in lab – standard

procedures.

 CBR tests – both moist & soaked conditions.

 OMC – modified proctor test – 17% for plain soil specimen.

 Prepare soil coir mix – required quantity of arecanut coir – mixed with

dry soil – water added in 2 stages – obtain homogenous specimens.

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 1st stage – half of water added to mixture – 15 min continuous
hand mixing – remaining water – 5 min hand mixing.
 Soil cement coir mix – dry soil, cement & coir added & mixed
together – required quantity of water added.
 Each mixture specimens – different dosages – OMC & MDD was
maintained.
 Samples cured – varying curing periods – maintaining moisture
content.
 Completion of curing period – specimens for soaked CBR test –
placed in water for 4 days – taken out – allowed to drain – before
being loaded.
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 Durability test
 Durability – important factor for stabilized soils.
 Good stabilizer – help to gain strength & to retain bonding with soil
– seasonal changes.
 Checking durability – essential

 Two tests – Wet dry & Freeze thaw

 Procedures - ASTM D559 & 560
 Test Procedure
o Soil specimen – 76mm height, 35mm diameter – 7 days moist
curing.
o 12 cycles – each of WD & FT cycles.
o Maximum weight loss of specimen – less than 14% after 12 cycles.
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DURABILITY SAMPLES ON WET DRY AND FREEZE THAW TEST

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 Fatigue test
 Conducted on Repeated Load Testing machine.
 Specimens – cured for predetermined period.
 Loading level – fraction of UCS values of each specimen –
same condition of dosages.
 Loadings – 1/3rd , ½ & 2/3rd of UCS values.
 Test Procedure
o Specimen – 38 mm diameter, 75mm height – deflection
sensing transducers – deformation of specimen.
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o Control unit – loading stress level, frequency of loading &
type of waveform were fed to loading device.
o Loading system & data acquisition – switched on together
– fatigue load application process initiated – continued till
failure occurred.
o Data acquisition system – recorded vertical deformation –
till failure – output was saved in a result file.
o Failure pattern – visually observed.

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FATIGUE TESTING MACHINE

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 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
 Effect of coir content on Compaction

 Compaction tests – lateritic soil – reinforced with different % of

Arecanut coir for both modified & standard proctor cases.

 Coir % increases – MDD decreases – lateritic soil being heavy in

weight compared with coir

 Density of sample decreases.

 OMC increases with increase in % of coir – coir absorbs more

water.
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 COMPACTION TEST RESULTS
SAMPLE MODIFIED COMPACTION STANDARD COMPACTION

MDD (g/cc) OMC (%) MDD (g/cc) OMC (%)

LATERITIC 1.69 17.0 1.63 19.2

SOIL (LS)

LS+0.2% COIR 1.68 19.6 1.63 19.9

LS+0.4% COIR 1.66 20.0 1.59 20.5

LS+0.6% COIR 1.64 20.6 1.55 21.2

LS+0.8% COIR 1.58 21.0 1.51 22.2

LS+1.0% COIR 1.47 23.0 1.43 23.8

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 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS (CONTD..)

 Effect of coir content on UCS

 Tests – conducted for both standard & modified proctor
compaction cases.
 % of coir increases – UCS value also increases – up to a
certain limit – slightly decreases.
 Optimum strength – obtained at 0.6% coir & 3% cement
content – further increase in coir – leads to decease in
strength.
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 UCS VALUES FOR ARECANUT TREATED WITH 7 DAYS CURING PERIOD

800

700

600

500

400

300
UCS (kPa)

200

100

Modified
compaction
Standard
compaction
Soil Mix
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 VARIATION OF UCS WITH CURING PERIOD FOR SOIL
WITH CEMENT AND COIR

UCS (kPa)
DOSAGE 3 DAYS 7 DAYS 28 DAYS
M S M S M S
LS+3%CEMENT+0%COIR 373 288 489 328 540 386

LS+3%CEMENT+0.2%COIR 441 350 520 376 602 485

LS+3%CEMENT+0.4%COIR 532 456 615 495 687 522

LS+3%CEMENT+0.6%COIR 559 502 717 514 896 600

LS+3%CEMENT+0.8%COIR 501 291 608 417 704 519

LS+3%CEMENT+1.0%COIR 475 295 543 383 622 470

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27
 Effect of coir content on CBR

 Increase in % of coir – increase in CBR value – addition of coir –

shear resistance to the soil.
 Increase in strength was less – lack of chemical reaction b/w arecanut
coir & lateritic soil.
 Good improvement – CBR value with constant dosage of 3% cement.
 Curing period increased – CBR values increased – max CBR value
obtained at 0.6% replacement of soil by coir – decreased.
 Increase in CBR value – coir offered better resistance to penetration
of plunger.
 Increase in CBR value – better packing of different fractions.

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CBR VALUES FOR ARECANUT COIR TREATED SOIL WITH 7
DAYS CURING PERIOD

MC: MODIFIED COMPACTION ; SC: STANDARD

COMPACTION 29
 VARIATION OF CBR WITH CURING PERIOD
DOSAGE CBR (%)
3 DAYS 7 DAYS 28 DAYS
OMC Soaked OMC Soaked OMC Soaked

LS+3%CEMENT+0.2%COIR 30 16 50 18 51 19

LS+3%CEMENT+0.4%COIR 36 18 54 24 55 26

LS+3%CEMENT+0.6%COIR 39 24 63 40 64 42

LS+3%CEMENT+0.8%COIR 31 21 50 24 52 25

LS+3%CEMENT+1.0%COIR 24 17 45 19 46 20

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 Effect of coir content on durability test

 Soil cement coir mixtures – passed wet dry criteria – only for

mixture with 1% coir.

 Freeze thaw samples – withstand 12 cycles within 14% weight

loss for all mixtures.

 Coir modification – improved durability performance of mixtures.

 Greater the % of cement & coir content – durability was better.

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 DURABILITY TEST RESULTS FOR STABILIZED SOIL

No of Percentage weight loss

cycles
Dosage 1 Dosage 2 Dosage 3 Dosage 4 Dosage 5
W D W D W D W D W D
LS Collapsed
1 -2.04 8.98 -1.78 9.93 -1.21 10.23 -1.86 7.69 -2.36 8.91
2 Collapsed 0.67 12.94 0.58 11.56 -2.12 8.95 -3.26 9.16
3 Collapsed 0.94 14.32 1.28 10.24 -2.52 10.72
6 Collapsed 5.64 12.38 0.50 13.33
7 7.61 14.56 1.13 14.68
8 9.85 16.58 3.57 19.97
9 Collapsed 9.67 20.12
10 10.25 21.45
11 11.18 21.98
12 12.66 22.23
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 Effect of coir content on fatigue life
 Repeated loading test – determine fatigue behaviour of untreated
& treated soil samples.
 Fatigue strength – no: of load cycles that the material can
withstand – at given stress level.
 Addition of cement & coir to soil – increased fatigue strength.
 Fatigue life of soil – influenced by coir dosage.
 Lower stress levels – higher fatigue life.
 With increase in stress level – reduced fatigue life.
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STRESS STANDARD COMPACTION MODIFIED COMPACTION
RATIO
(%) UCS (kPa) Applied No: of UCS (kPa) Applied No: of
load (kg) failure load (kg) failure
cycle cycle

3% Cement+ 0% Arecanut Coir

0.33 15 14098 19 36024
0.50 45 23 13985 58 29 35876
0.67 30 13241 39 35241
3% Cement + 0.2% Arecanut Coir
0.33 19 15758 20 36453
0.50 56 28 15023 60 30 35985
0.67 37 14322 40 35324
3% Cement + 0.4% Arecanut Coir
0.33 21 25874 24 66947
0.50 62 31 24925 72 36 56124
0.67 41 24764 48 55824
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STRESS STANDARD COMPACTION MODIFIED COMPACTION
RATIO
(%) UCS (kPa) Applied No: of UCS (kPa) Applied No: of
Load (kg) failure Load (kg) failure
cycle cycle
3% Cement + 0.6% Arecanut Coir
0.33 - 24 25965 - 28 66947
0.50 71 36 25572 84 42 66452
0.67 - 47 24897 - 56 66325
3% Cement + 0.8% Arecanut Coir
0.33 - 21 36045 - 24 67087
0.50 63 32 35982 73 37 66941
0.67 - 42 35421 - 49 66547
3% Cement + 1% Arecanut Coir
0.33 - 19 46125 - 22 77104
0.50 56 28 46010 65 33 76854
0.67 - 37 45872 - 44 76358

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 CONCLUSIONS
 Addition of Arecanut coir to lateritic soil – medium
improvement in the soil properties & OMC was
found to be 0.6% by weight of soil.
 Addition of Arecanut coir – with 3% cement by
weight of soil – increases UCS & CBR values.
 Wet dry & Freeze thaw cycles – variations in volume
– more significant during drying wetting cycles.

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 CONCLUSIONS (CONTD.....)
 Fatigue life – increased for stabilized soil – improving
with coir dosage
 Arecanut coir stabilization – economical – naturally
available agricultural waste & only small amount of
cement – optimum stabilization.
 Overall cost of road construction – reduced – compared
to conventional methods.

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Thank
you
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