Soil Stabilisation

Soil Stabilisation is a method to strengthen soil when the ground bearing capacity of the ground is poor and too weak. Soil stabilisation is used for the construction of foundations, buildings, roads, railways, airports and the like.

Stabilisation Soil Types

The soil types for treatment can be almost any combination of sand, gravel, silt, crushed stone, natural gravels. Waste material can also be used such as cinder, fly ash, foundry sands and screenings from quarries and gravel pits. Old road granular base with or without bituminous coatings is another source of suitable material for treatment.

Cost-Benefit of Soil Stabilisation

When the ground conditions are not suitable for construction, the client has four options:

1. Find a new construction site
2. Redesign the structure for poor soil.
3. Remove the poor soil and replace it with good soil.
4. Improve the engineering properties of the site soils.

Option four can be an economical solution for some sites.

Soil Stabilisation Advantages

• Waterproofs the soil
• Improves soil strength
• Reduces soil volume change due to temperature or moisture
• Improves soil workability
• Reduces dust in the work environment
• Upgrades marginal materials
• Improves durability
• Dries wet soils
• Conserves aggregate materials
• Reduces cost
• Saves energy
• Reduces pavement thickness
• Improves stiffness and tensile strength of the material

Environmental Benefits of Soil Stabilisation

• Life of landfill extended
• Natural resources are extended
• Emissions from transport reduced
• Transport miles reduced

Soil Stabilisation Methods

There are many ways to stabilise soil. Before a method is selected test the soil in a laboratory. Tests can then be carried out using the various techniques to ensure the design strength of the sub-base can be achieved. The method selected will be determined by the economics of the technique to make the design strength.

• Cement Stabilisation
• Lime-Pozzolana Stabilisation
• Soil-Bituminous Stabilisation
• Organic Stabilisers

Soil Stabilisation Costs

Soil stabilisation is very economical when comparing it with imported granular fill and many piling options.

For example, when being used for equal load-bearing capacity for pavement and road construction, soil treatment is a more competitive solution.

The economy is achieved by using existing soils rather than importing new materials. No costly haulage and imported granular sub-base are required, saving both energy and raw material.

Soil Stabilisation for Road Construction

One of the most significant usages for soil stabilisation is pavement/road construction. Usage includes the construction of highways, major roads, streets, parking areas, industrial storage facilities and airports.

There are three main components of soil-cement pavement products, they are:

Full-Depth Reclamation

The old road surface of asphalt and the sub-base is recycled to create a much stronger aggregate cement sub-base for the new road.

Cement-Treated Base

Soil and or granular soils mixed with cement and water. The material hardens after compaction to create a durable paving material.

Cement-Modified Soils

Mix a small amount of cement with the poor soil to enhances the properties of the sub-base for road construction.

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