Experimental Study of Thermal Conductivity in Soil Stabilization for Sustainable Construction Applications

Abstract

Soils in Saudi Arabia are emerging as potential sustainable building materials, a notion central to this study. The research is crucial for advancing construction practices in arid areas by enhancing soil thermal properties through stabilization. Focusing on Hejaz region soils, the study evaluates the impact of stabilizers such as cement, lime, and cement kiln dust (CKD) on their thermal behavior. This investigation, using two specific soil types designated as Soil A and Soil B, varied the concentration of additives from 0% to 15% over a 12-week duration. Employing a TLS-100 for thermal measurements, it was found that Soil A, with a 12.5% cement concentration, showed a significant 164.54% increase in thermal conductivity. When treated with 2.5% lime, Soil A reached a thermal conductivity of 0.555 W/(m·K), whereas Soil B exhibited a 53.00% decrease under similar lime concentration, reflecting diverse soil responses. Notably, a 15% CKD application in Soil A led to an astounding 213.55% rise in thermal conductivity, with Soil B recording an 82.7% increase. The findings emphasize the substantial influence of soil stabilization in improving the thermal characteristics of Hejaz soils, especially with cement and CKD, and, to a varying extent. This study is pivotal in identifying precise, soil-specific stabilization methods in Saudi Arabia’s Hejaz region, essential for developing sustainable engineering applications and optimizing construction materials for better thermal efficiency.