Experimental Study of Engineering Properties of Kota Stone Slurry Powder and Fly Ash Mixed Expansive Soil

Abstract

Black cotton soils have the properties to shrink and develop cracks without any warning when water content is reduced in hot season and expand when it comes in contact with water content in rainy season. So, for a civil engineer it is very difficult task to design a foundation on black cotton soil. The properties of black cotton soils can also be improved by stabilizing the soils by mechanical means or by mixing of additives in different proportions by weight. The present study explores the behavior of black cotton soil when it is stabilized with Kota stone slurry powder (KSSP) and fly ash. Kota stone slurry powder and fly ash are locally available materials in abundance in Kota district in Rajasthan state. Kota stone slurry powder is generated during cutting, sawing, and polishing process in Kota stone industries. Fly ash is generated during thermal electricity production. Due to improper disposal, it considerably affects prime land, vegetations, surface, and underground water. There should be great priority to dispose these generating waste materials in scientific manner. The study reveals that mixing of KSSP with black cotton soil as a stabilizing agent improves the properties of the soil due to presence of silica and lime in it. The present study deals with determination of optimum percentage of utilization of KSSP and fly ash to improve the expansive soil. Index properties, Proctor test, and swelling index test were conducted to evaluate the magnitude of KSSP and fly ash mixed expansive soil.