Effects of rubber crumbs, plastic powder and paper sludge on swelling behaviourof expansive soil

Abstract

The expansive soil is a type of organic clay soil with medium to high compressibility which expands when meet with water and shrinks when the water evaporates. It expands during the rainy season due to intake of water and shrinks during the summer season. It possess low strength and undergoes excessive volume changes, making their use in the constructions very difficult. The stabilization is required to improve the above stated properties. A lot of damages occurs to structures founded on this type of soil. The aim of the study was to reduce the swell percentage and increase the strength (Unconfined Compressive Strength) of the expansive soil with the use of waste materials. Experiments were carried out in the given sample by adding combination of Rubber Crumbs, Paper sludge, Plastic powder. Experiments were carried out in the given sample by adding combination of Rubber Crumbs, Paper sludge, Plastic powder. The clay soil is stabilized using three different waste material under different proportions in which 5% of rubber crumbs and 5% of plastic powder gives good results and combination of the two gives good improvements in strength as well as the swelling behavior of soil.