Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Characterization of Lime-Treated Bentonite Using Thermogravimetric Analysis for Assessing its Short-Term Strength Behaviour

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Indian Geotechnical Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The recent research infers that the detailed characterization of lime-treated soils using analytical techniques enables better understanding of the complex soil–lime interaction mechanisms as well as the pivotal factors influencing the efficacy of lime treatment. In view of this, the present study focuses on evaluating the effects of lime treatment on the strength properties of sodium bentonite clay in terms of the variations in thermal characteristics derived by employing analytical thermogravimetric analysis. This technique is effectively used to monitor the consumption of free lime and evolution of new cementitious hydration products (viz., calcium silicate hydrate and calcium aluminate hydrate), as well as detrimental lime carbonation phenomenon occurring in the sodium bentonite-lime composite during short-term curing. Based on the comparative evaluation of untreated and lime-treated sodium bentonite, variations in the weight loss corresponding to thermal decomposition of different chemical phases are estimated. The additional inferences from X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses substantiated the interpretations of thermogravimetric results regarding the lime stabilization mechanisms and consequent strength evolution in sodium bentonite-lime composites. Thus, the present study demonstrates that the comprehensive analysis of thermogravimetric results enables reliable interpretation of the soil–lime interaction mechanisms and the evolution of strength during curing.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

ATR:

Attenuated total reflectance

ASTM:

American society for testing and materials

CAH:

Calcium aluminate hydrate

CASH:

Calcium aluminate silicate hydrate

CEC:

Cation exchange capacity

CH:

Clay with high plasticity

CSH:

Calcium silicate hydrate

DSC:

Differential scanning calorimetry

DTG:

Derivative thermogravimetry

DTGS:

Deuterated triglycine sulfate

FTIR:

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

ICDD:

International centre for diffraction data

IR:

Infrared

LOI:

Loss on ignition

NBT:

Sodium bentonite

NMR:

Nuclear magnetic resonance

OLC:

Optimum lime content

OLCpH :

Optimum lime content as per Eades and Grim pH test

OLCUCS :

Optimum lime content as per 28-day unconfined compressive strength

SSA:

Specific surface area

SSR:

Sesqui-oxide ratio

TG:

Thermogravimetry

TGA:

Thermo gravimetric analysis

UCS:

Unconfined compressive strength

UCS28-day :

Unconfined compressive strength after 28-day curing

XRD:

X-ray diffraction

XRF:

X-ray fluorescence

References

  1. Arabi M (1987) Fabric and strength of clays stabilized with lime. Doctoral Dissertation, The polytechnic of Wales, Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan, UK

  2. Al-Mukhtar M, Khattab S, Alcover JF (2012) Microstructure and geotechnical properties of lime-treated expansive clayey soil. Eng Geol 139–140:17–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2012.04.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Eades JL, Grim RE (1966) A quick test to determine lime requirements for lime stabilization. Highw Res Board Bull 139:61–72

    Google Scholar 

  4. Rogers CDF, Glendinning S (1997) The role of lime migration in lime pile stabilization. Q J Eng Geol Hydrogeol 29:273–284. https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.QJEGH.1996.029.P4.02

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Jung C, Bobet A (2008) Post-construction evaluation of lime-treated soils. Joint Transport Research Program Technical Reports, pp 1–231. https://doi.org/10.5703/1288284313443

  6. Eisazadeh A, Kassim KA, Nur H (2010) Thermal characterization of lime stabilized soils. In: 19th World congress of soil science: soil solutions for a changing world, Brisbane, Australia, pp 21–23

  7. Nwakanma CA (1979) The use of red tropical soils as pozzolanas: reactions, products and properties. Doctoral Dissertation. The University of Leeds, UK, p 285

  8. Alarcon-Ruiz L, Platret G, Massieu E, Ehrlacher A (2005) The use of thermal analysis in assessing the effect of temperature on a cement paste. Cem Concr Res 35:609–613. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2004.06.015

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Villain G, Thiery M, Platret G (2007) Measurement methods of carbonation profiles in concrete: thermogravimetry, chemical analysis and gammadensimetry. Cem Concr Res 37:1182–1192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2007.04.015

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Pesce GL, Bowen CR, Rocha J et al (2014) Monitoring hydration in lime-metakaolin composites using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Clay Miner 49:341–358. https://doi.org/10.1180/claymin.2014.049.3.01

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Mitchell JK, Soga K (2005) Fundamentals of soil behaviour. Wiley, Hoboken

    Google Scholar 

  12. Klimesch DS, Ray A (2002) Evaluation of phases in a hydrothermally treated CaO–SiO2–H2O system. J Therm Anal Calorim 70:995–1003. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022289111046

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Gabrovsek R, Vuk T, Kaucic V (2006) Evaluation of the hydration of portland cement containing various carbonates. Acta Chim Slov 53:159–165

    Google Scholar 

  14. Eleni D, Thomas S, Aurela S, Fredrik V (2014) Literature study on the rate and mechanism of carbonation of lime in mortars. In: 9th International masonry conference, 7–9th July, Portugal

  15. Robin V, Cuisinier O, Masrouri F, Javadi AA (2014) A chemo-mechanical modeling of yield stress for lime treated soils. In: The international symposium on geomechanics from micro to macro, UK, pp 1531–1536. https://doi.org/10.1201/b17395-278

  16. Muller ACA (2014) Characterization of porosity and C–S–H in cement pastes by 1H NMR. Doctoral Dissertation, Ecole Polytechnique Federale De Lausanne, Switzerland, p 182

  17. Xie W, Gao Z, Liu K et al (2001) Thermal characterization of organically modified montmorillonite. Thermochim Acta 367–368:339–350. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0040-6031(00)00690-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Wild S, Arabi M, Leng-Ward G (1993) Sulphate expansion of lime-stabilized kaolinite: II. Reaction products and expansion. Clay Miner 28:569–583. https://doi.org/10.1180/claymin.1993.028.4.06

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Kolias S, Kasselouri-Rigopoulou V, Karahalios A (2005) Stabilisation of clayey soils with high calcium fly ash and cement. Cement Concr Compos 27:301–313. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2004.02.019

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Vitale E, Deneele D, Russo G (2016) Multiscale analysis on the behaviour of a lime treated bentonite. Proc Eng 158:87–91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2016.08.410

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Sharma NK, Swain SK, Sahoo UC (2012) Stabilization of a clayey soil with fly ash and lime: a micro level investigation. Geotech Geol Eng 30(5):1197–1205. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-012-9532-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Jung C, Bobet A, Siddiki NZ, Kim D (2011) Post construction evaluation of subgrades chemically treated with lime kiln dust. J Mater Civ Eng 23(7):931–940. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0000251

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. ASTM D5550 (2006) Standard test method for specific gravity of soil solids by gas pycnometer. ASTM International, West Conshohocken. https://doi.org/10.1520/D5550-14

    Google Scholar 

  24. ASTM D2216 (2010) Standard test method for laboratory determination of water (moisture) content of soil and rock by mass. ASTM International, West Conshohocken. https://doi.org/10.1520/d2216-10

    Google Scholar 

  25. Cerato AB, Lutenegger AJ (2002) Determination of surface area of fine-Grained Soils by the ethylene glycol monoethyl ether (EGME) method. Geotech Test J 25(3):1–7. https://doi.org/10.1520/GTJ11087J

    Google Scholar 

  26. Arnepalli DN, Shanthakumar S, Rao BH, Singh DN (2007) Comparison of methods for determining specific-surface area of fine-grained soils. Geotech Geol Eng 26:121–132. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-007-9152-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. ASTM D7503 (2010) Standard test method for measuring the exchange complex and cation exchange capacity of inorganic fine-grained soils. ASTM International, West Conshohocken. https://doi.org/10.1520/d7503-10

    Google Scholar 

  28. ASTM D4972 (2013) Standard test method for pH of soils. ASTM International, West Conshohocken. https://doi.org/10.1520/d4972

    Google Scholar 

  29. ASTM C1580 (2015) Standard test method for water-soluble sulfate in soil. ASTM International, West Conshohocken. https://doi.org/10.1520/c1580-15

    Google Scholar 

  30. ASTM D2974 (2007) Standard test methods for moisture, ash, and organic matter of peat and other organic soils. ASTM International, West Conshohocken. https://doi.org/10.1520/d2974-07a

    Google Scholar 

  31. Little DN, Nair S (2009) Recommended practice for stabilization of subgrade soils and base materials. National Cooperative Highway Research Program, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington. https://doi.org/10.17226/22999

    Google Scholar 

  32. ASTM D422 (2002) Standard test method for particle-size analysis of soils. ASTM International, West Conshohocken. https://doi.org/10.1520/d0422-63r02e01

    Google Scholar 

  33. ASTM D4318 (2010) Standard test methods for liquid limit, plastic limit, and plasticity index of soils. ASTM International, West Conshohocken. https://doi.org/10.1520/d4318

    Google Scholar 

  34. ASTM D2487 (2011) Standard practice for classification of soils for engineering purposes (unified soil classification system). ASTM International, West Conshohocken. https://doi.org/10.1520/d2487-17

    Google Scholar 

  35. Arnepalli DN, Das BB, Singh DN (2007) Methodology for rapid determination of pozzolanic activity of materials. J ASTM Int 4(6):1–11. https://doi.org/10.1520/JAI100343

    Google Scholar 

  36. ICDD (2010) Powder diffraction file inorganic and organic data book. In: Kabekkodu S (ed) International centre for diffraction data, newtown square, PA USA, Set 60. http://www.icdd.com. Accessed 10 Dec 2016

  37. ASTM D6276 (2006) Standard test method for using pH to estimate the soil-lime proportion requirement for soil stabilization. ASTM International, West Conshohocken. https://doi.org/10.1520/d6276-99a

    Google Scholar 

  38. Cherian C, Bandipally S, Arnepalli DN, Dhulipala VR, Korupolu RN (2016) Reappraisal of optimum lime content determination for lime stabilization of fine-grained soils. In: 6th Asian regional conference on geosynthetics—geosynthetics for infrastructure development, 8–11 November, New Delhi, India

  39. Cherian C, Arnepalli DN (2015) A critical appraisal of the role of clay mineralogy in lime stabilization. Int J Geosynth Ground Eng 1(8):1–20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40891-015-0009-3

    Google Scholar 

  40. Farooq SM, Rouf MA, Hoque SMA, Ashad SMA (2011) Effect of lime and curing period on unconfined compressive strength of Gazipur soil, Bangladesh. In: 4th Annual paper meet and 1st civil engineering congress, December 22–24, Dhaka, Bangladesh, pp 104–108

  41. Muhmed A, Wanatowski D (2013) Effect of lime stabilisation on the strength and microstructure of clay. IOSR J Mech Civl Eng 6(3):87–94. https://doi.org/10.9790/1684-638794

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Ciancio D, Beckett CTS, Carraro JAH (2014) Optimum lime content identification for lime-stabilised rammed earth. Constr Build Mater 53:59–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2013.11.077

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Sridharan A, Sivapullaiah P (2005) Mini compaction test apparatus for fine grained soils. Geotech Test J 28(3):240–246. https://doi.org/10.1520/GTJ12542

    Google Scholar 

  44. ASTM D2166 (2016) Standard test method for unconfined compressive strength of cohesive soil. ASTM International, West Conshohocken. https://doi.org/10.1520/d2166_d2166m-16

    Google Scholar 

  45. Bozbey I, Garaisayev S (2010) Effect of soil pulverization quality on lime stabilization of an expansive soil. Environ Earth Sci 60:1137–1151. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-009-0256-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. Horpibulsuk S, Rachan R, Chinkulkijniwat A, Raksachon Y, Suddeepong A (2010) Analysis of strength development in cement-stabilized silty clay from microstructural considerations. Constr Build Mater 24:2011–2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2010.03.011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. Zhang Q, Ye G (2012) Dehydration kinetics of Portland cement paste at high temperature. J Therm Anal Calorim 110:153–158. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-012-2303-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Al-Mukhtar M, Lasledj A, Alcover JF (2014) Lime consumption of different clayey soils. Appl Clay Sci 95:133–145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2014.03.024

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Dellisanti F, Minguzzi V, Valdre G (2006) Thermal and structural properties of Ca-rich Montmorillonite mechanically deformed by compaction and shear. Appl Clay Sci 31:282–289. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2005.09.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Bray HT, Redfern SAT (1999) Kinetics of dehydration of Ca-montmorillonite. Phys Chem Miner 26:591–600. https://doi.org/10.1007/s002690050223

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Roohbakhshan AR, Kalantari B (2014) Effect of lime and waste stone powder variation on the pH values, moisture content and dry density of clayey soil. Int J Adv Appl Sci 3(1):41–46

    Google Scholar 

  52. James BA (2013) Physicochemical behaviour of artificial lime stabilised sulphate bearing cohesive soils. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Nottingham, p 233

  53. Kontori E, Perraki T, Tsivilis S, Kakali G (2009) Zeolite blended cements: evaluation of their hydration rate by means of thermal analysis. J Therm Anal Calorim 96:993–998. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-009-0056-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  54. Ukrainczy N, Ukrainczyk M, Sipisic J, Matusinovic T (2006) XRD and TGA investigation of hardened cement paste degradation. In: International conference on materials, processes, friction and wear MATRIB’06 Vela Luka Croatia, pp 243–249

  55. Drits VA, Derkowski A, McCarty DK (2012) Kinetics of partial dehydroxylation in dioctahedral 2:1 layer clay minerals. Am Miner 97(5–6):930–950. https://doi.org/10.2138/am.2012.3971

    Article  Google Scholar 

  56. Samantasinghar S (2014) Geo-engineering properties of lime treated plastic soils. Masters Dissertation, National Institute of Rourkela, Orissa, India, p 61

  57. Ismail AIM (2004) Engineering and petrological characteristics of clayey silt soils to be used as road base and their improvement by lime and cement. Doctoral Dissertation, Technical University of Clausthal, Germany, p 192. ISBN 3-8920-716-8

  58. Jimenez F, Palomo A, Pastor JY, Martin A (2008) New cementitious materials based on alkali-activated fly ash: performance at high temperatures. J Am Ceram Soc 91:3308–3314. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1551-2916.2008.02625.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  59. Vedalakshmi R, Sundara Raj A, Srinivasan S, Ganesh Babu K (2003) Quantification of hydrated cement products of blended cements in low and medium strength concrete using TG and DTA technique. Thermochim Acta 407:49–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0040-6031(03)00286-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  60. Mackenzie RC, Heller-Kallai L, Rahman AA, Moir HM (1988) Interaction of kaolinite with calcite on heating: III. Effect of different kaolinites. Clay Miner 23:191–203. https://doi.org/10.1180/claymin.1988.023.2.06

    Article  Google Scholar 

  61. Eisazadeh A, Kassim KA, Nur H (2012) Solid-state NMR and FTIR studies of lime stabilized montmorillonitic and lateritic clays. Appl Clay Sci 67–68:5–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2012.05.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  62. Saeed KAH, Kassim KA, Yunus NZM, Nur H (2015) Physicochemical characterization of lime stabilized tropical kaolin. J Tekzol 72(3):83–90. https://doi.org/10.11113/jt.v72.4021

    Google Scholar 

  63. Saeed KAH, Kassim KA, Yunus NZM, Nur H (2013) Characterization of hydrated lime-stabilized brown kaolin clay. Int J Eng Res Technol 2(11):3722–3727

    Google Scholar 

  64. Bruckman VJ, Wriessnig K (2012) Improved soil carbonate determination by FTIR and X-ray analysis. Environ Chem Lett 11(1):65–70. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-012-0380-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to CECRI-CSIR, Karaikudi, Tamilnadu which supported the X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis for determining chemical composition of materials in this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamilnadu, 600 036, India

    Sandeep Bandipally, Chinchu Cherian & Dali Naidu Arnepalli

Authors
  1. Sandeep Bandipally
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Chinchu Cherian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Dali Naidu Arnepalli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dali Naidu Arnepalli.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Bandipally, S., Cherian, C. & Arnepalli, D.N. Characterization of Lime-Treated Bentonite Using Thermogravimetric Analysis for Assessing its Short-Term Strength Behaviour. Indian Geotech J 48, 393–404 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40098-018-0305-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40098-018-0305-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation