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Mechanical and Microscopic Properties of Cement Stabilized Silt

  • Geotechnical Engineering
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Abstract

In order to explore the strength, water stability, compressibility, shear properties of cement stabilized silt, the one-dimensional consolidation tests, direct shear and unconfined compression tests were conducted on cement solidified silt. In addition, the microscopic characteristics of cement stabilized silt were investigated by using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) tests. The unconfined compression tests showed that the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) raised with cement dosage increasing, and first increased rapidly and then raised slowly with the prolongation of curing time. As curing time prolonged, the water stability coefficient (K>r) of 2% cement stabilized silt raised significantly, while the Kr of 4% and 6% cement stabilized silt almost hardly changed. As cement dosage increased, at 7 days of curing age, the compressive modulus of cement stabilized silt raised. However, at 28 and 90 days of curing, the compressive modulus first raised and then reduced. As curing time increased, the compressive modulus increased at first and then deceased slightly. The direct shear tests demonstrated that the internal friction angle of cement solidified silt was almost unchanged with increasing cement dosage, but the internal friction angle increased slightly with the prolongation of curing time. For 2% and 4% cement stabilized silt, the cohesion raised with the prolongation of curing time. Meanwhile, the cohesion of 6% cement solidified silt at 7 days was slightly larger that of 28 days. Besides, the SEM and XRD analysis indicated that the loose structure of silt was improved due to cement addition.

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Abbreviations

c :

Cohesion

E s :

Compressive modulus

K r :

Water stability coefficient

q u :

Unconfined compression strength of specimen under standard curing condition

q u :

Unconfined compression strength of specimen cured in water

UCS:

Unconfined compression strength

α :

Compressibility coefficient

ϕ :

Internal friction angle

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Acknowledgements

The authors express their thanks to the KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering reviewers and editors for their instructive suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Transportation, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China

    Shaoyun Pu, Zhiduo Zhu, Weilong Song, Yu Wan & Hairong Wang

  2. Rail Transportation Engineering Co., Ltd., Beijing, 101300, China

    Shigong Song & Jun Zhang

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  1. Shaoyun Pu
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  2. Zhiduo Zhu
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  3. Weilong Song
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  4. Yu Wan
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Correspondence to Shaoyun Pu.

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Pu, S., Zhu, Z., Song, W. et al. Mechanical and Microscopic Properties of Cement Stabilized Silt. KSCE J Civ Eng 24, 2333–2344 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-020-1671-0

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