Density control method for compression test of compacted lime-flyash stabilised fiber-soil mixtures

Area of Science:

• Geotechnical Engineering
• Soil Mechanics
• Material Science

Background:

• The unconfined compressive strength (UCS) test is standard for assessing lime-amended soil strength.
• Specimen preparation for UCS tests typically involves achieving maximum dry density (MDD) via the Proctor test.
• Conventional methods for specimen extraction are laborious, error-prone, and resource-intensive.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate an alternative protocol for preparing soil specimens at a controlled dry density.
• To address the limitations of traditional specimen preparation methods in terms of accuracy, efficiency, and material usage.

Main Methods:

• Statistical analysis was employed to validate the proposed specimen preparation method.
• Regression analysis was used to calibrate compaction effort for achieving specific target densities.
• The new protocol focuses on controlled dry density preparation, bypassing traditional core sampling.

Main Results:

• The alternative protocol demonstrated improved specimen quality.
• A significant reduction in the variability of UCS test data was observed.
• The method proved to be more efficient and reduced material consumption.

Conclusions:

• The devised protocol offers a more reliable and efficient approach to specimen preparation for UCS testing.
• This method enhances the quality of soil strength investigations, particularly for lime-amended soils.
• The findings support the adoption of this controlled dry density preparation technique for improved geotechnical testing.