Effect of Bagasse ash and Lime on the Compaction and Strength Properties of Black Cotton Soil

Abstract

Bagasse ash is an industrial agro-waste abundantly available by-product in the sugarcane industry after combustion of bagasse. Sugar industries are facing severe environmental problems due to the lack of sustainable solutions for their waste management. Bagasse ash is effectively utilized for geotechnical applications due to the presence of reactive silica. The predominant reactive silica content in Bagasse ash, but insufficient lime content improves strength of black cotton soil with addition of lime. In the present study Bagasse ash and Lime is utilized to improve the compaction and strength behavior of highly expansive soil [known as black cotton (BC) soil] from India. Bagasse ash is added in different proportions by weight (5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30%) and Lime is added in different proportion by weight (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6%) to the black cotton soil. Laboratory tests involved determination of compaction characteristics and strength properties. It is found that 15 % Bagasse ash and 4% lime content is the optimum quantity to improve the compaction and strength properties of BC soil. The test results show that, with the addition of Bagasse ash and Lime to BC soil, the maximum dry unit weight decreases with increase in optimum moisture content (OMC), which can be mainly attributed to the improvement in gradation of the soil. It is also observed that with addition of bagasse ash and Lime to BC soil there is significant improvement in strength which is attributed due to the pozzolanic reaction.