Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Microfabric Evaluation of Lime-Treated Clays by Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry and Environment Scanning Electron Microscopy

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
International Journal of Civil Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study investigates the microstructure of lime-treated clayey soils using mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) analyses. Parameters that were varied include lime percent (3, 6, 9%), curing duration (7, 28 days and 1 year), soil pulverization level and mellowing period (1 and 24 h). All samples were compacted at optimum water contents using standard Proctor compaction energy. The 34 MIP and several ESEM analyses conducted on these samples showed that lime content and curing duration had significant impact on the resulting microstructure. MIP results, presented as mercury intrusion curves, total porosity values and pore size distribution histograms revealed that lime stabilization changed the microfabric of clayey soils through a dynamic pore refinement process. Although increases in pore sizes and porosities were observed in the short term (up to 28 days), after a curing period of 1 year, considerable decreases in pore sizes and porosities were noted. A novel “Pore Size Amplification Factor”, (PSAF) was calculated to determine the amplification and/or deamplification of different pore size ranges compared to the untreated soil. ESEM analyses confirmed that while the addition of lime to clayey soils initially increased pore size within the microstructure, over time, as the pores became partially or even completely blocked, the pore sizes reduced. Pores of different sizes and cementation within and on the particles were visible. ESEM findings also showed that pore shapes were not always circular as is assumed in MIP analyses. The results of this study add valuable insight into the time related changes in the microfabric of lime-treated soils.

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
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ganapathy GP, Gobinath R, Akinwumi II, Kovendiran S, Thangarai M, Lokesh N, Anas MS, Murugan R, Yogeswaran P, Hema S (2016) Bio-Enzymatic stabilization of a soil having poor engineering properties. Int J Civil Eng. doi:10.1007/s40999-016-0056-8

    Google Scholar 

  2. Tajdini M, Nabizadeh A, Taherkhani H (2016) Effect of added waste rubber on the properties and failure mode of kaolinite clay. Int J Civil Eng. doi:10.1007/s40999-016-0057-7

    Google Scholar 

  3. Abdi MR, Mirzaeifar H (2016) Effects of discrete short polypropylene fibers on behavior of artificially cemented kaolinite. Int J Civil Eng 14(4):253–262. doi:10.1007/s40999-016-0022-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Mallela J, Quintus HV, Smith KL (2004) Consideration of lime stabilized layers in mechanistic-empirical pavement design. The National Lime Association, Arlington

    Google Scholar 

  5. Muller CJ (2005) Pozzolanic activity of natural clay minerals with respect to environmental geotechnics. Doctor of Technical Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich

    Google Scholar 

  6. Narasimha N, Rajasekaran G (1986) Reaction products formed in lime stabilized marine clays. J Geotech Eng 122(5):329–336

    Google Scholar 

  7. Locat J, Berube MA, Choquette M (1990) Laboratory investigations on the lime stabilization of sensitive clays: shear strength development. Can Geotech J 27(3):305–314. doi:10.1139/t90-041

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Dash S, Hussain M (2012) Lime stabilization of soils: reappraisal. J Civil Mater Civil Eng 24(6):707–714. doi:10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0000431

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Beetham P, Dijkstra T, Dixon N, Fleming P, Hutchison R, Bateman J (2014) Lime stabilisation for earthworks: a UK perspective. ICE Proc Ground Improvement. doi:10.1680/grim.13.00030.

  10. Mitchell JK (1976) Fundamentals of soil mechanics. Wiley, New York, p 422 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Giesche H (2006) Mercury porosimetry: a general (Practical) overview. Part Syst Char. doi:10.1002/ppsc.200601009

    Google Scholar 

  12. ASTM D4404-10 (2010) Standard test method for determination of pore volume and pore volume distribution of soil and rock by mercury intrusion porosimetry. ASTM International, West Conshohocken

  13. Wild S, Arabi M, Rowlands GO (1987) Relation between pore size distribution, permeability, and cementitious gel formation in cured clay–lime systems. Mater Sci Technol 3(12):1005–1011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Cuisinier O, Auriol JC, Borgne TL, Deneele D (2011) Microstructure and hydraulic conductivity of a compacted lime-treated soil. Eng Geol 123(3):187–193

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Stoltz G, Cuisinier O, Masrouri F (2012) Multi-scale analysis of the swelling and shrinkage of a lime-treated expansive clayey soil. Appl Clay Sci 61:44–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Russo G, Modoni G (2013) Fabric changes induced by lime addition on a compacted alluvial soil. Geotech Lett 3(2):93–97. doi:10.1680/geolett.13.023

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Lemaire K, Deneele D, Bonnet S, Legret M (2013) Effects of lime and cement treatment on the physicochemical, microstructural and mechanical characteristics of a plastic silt. Eng Geol 166:255–261

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Tran DT, Cui Y, Tang AM, Audiguier M, Cojean R (2014) Effects of lime treatment on the microstructure and hydraulic conductivity of Héricourt clay. J Rock Mech Geotech Eng 6(5):399–404. doi:10.1016/j.jrmge.2014.07.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Wang Y, Cui Y, Tang AM, Tang C, Benahmed N (2015) Effects of aggregate size on water retention capacity and microstructure of lime-treated silty soil. ICE Publ Inst Civil Eng 5(4):269–274

    Google Scholar 

  20. Wang Y, Cui Y, Tang AM, Tang C, Benahmed N (2016) Changes in thermal conductivity, suction and microstructure of a compacted lime-treated silty soil during curing. Eng Geol 202:114–121

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Wang Y, Duc M, Cui Y, Tang AM, Benahmed N, Sun WJ, Ye MY (2017) Aggregate size effect on the development of cementitious compounds in a lime-treated soil during curing. Appl Clay Sci 36:58–66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Ural N (2016) Effects of additives on the microstructure of clay. Road Mater Pavement Des 17(1):104–119. doi:10.1080/14680629.2015.1064011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Al-Mukhtar M, Khattab S, Alcover JF (2012) Microstructure and geotechnical properties of lime-treated expansive clayey soil. Eng Geol 139–140:17–27

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Garaisayev S (2008) Chemical stabilization of expansive soils. M. Sc. Thesis submitted to Istanbul University, Institute of Sciences, in Turkish, p 170

  25. Bozbey I, Garaisayev S (2010) Effects of soil pulverization quality on lime stabilization of an expansive clay. Environ Earth Sci 60:6:1137–1151. doi:10.1007/s12665-009-0256-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Muhammed (2012) Resilient modulus of lime stabilized clays. Master of Science Thesis. Istanbul University, MA Turkish

  27. Kamal NA (2012) Utilization lime and fly ash stabilized clays as pavement material. In Turkish, submitted to Istanbul University, Master of Science Thesis. 188 p.

  28. Bozbey I, Kamal NA, Abut Y (2016) Effects of soil pulverisation level and freeze and thaw cycles on fly-ash- and lime-stabilised high plasticity clay: implications on pavement design and performance. Road Mater Pavement Des. doi:10.1080/14680629.2016.1207553

    Google Scholar 

  29. Holtz RD, Kovacs DK (1981) Introduction to geotechnical engineering. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River

    Google Scholar 

  30. Webb PA (2001) An introduction to the physical characterization of materials by mercury intrusion porosimetry with emphasis on reduction and presentation of experimental data. Micromeritics Instrument Corp., in http://www.micromeritics.com/pdf/app_articles/mercury_paper.pdf. Accessed 15 Mar 2015

Download references

Acknowledgements

This reseach was funded by Istanbul University, Scientific Research Projects Fund, Projects No. YADOP 4641 and ACIP 2993-54739. I would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for the constructive and insightful comments and suggestions.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geotechnical Engineering Division, Civil Engineering Department, Istanbul University, Avcilar, Istanbul, Turkey

    İlknur Bozbey

Authors
  1. İlknur Bozbey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to İlknur Bozbey.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Bozbey, İ. Microfabric Evaluation of Lime-Treated Clays by Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry and Environment Scanning Electron Microscopy. Int J Civ Eng 16, 443–456 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40999-017-0151-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40999-017-0151-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation