Engineering properties of loess stabilized by a type of eco-material, calcium lignosulfonate

• Published in: Arabian journal of geosciences Vol. 12; no. 22; pp. 1 - 10
• Main Authors: Li, Guo-yu, Hou, Xin, Mu, Yan-hu, Ma, Wei, Wang, Fei, Zhou, Yu, Mao, Yun-cheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.11.2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Atterberg limits; Calcium; Carbonates; Chemical reactions; Clay; Clay minerals; Compression; Compressive strength; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth science; Earth Sciences; Electric double layer; Energy dissipation; Energy exchange; Engineering; Lignin; Lignosulfonates; Loess; Minerals; Organic chemistry; Original Paper; Properties; Silica; Silicon dioxide; Sodium hydroxide; Soil; Soil stabilization; Soils; Stabilization; Stabilizers; Sulfonation; Thickness; Chemical stabilization; Loess treatment; Compressive strength; Calcium lignosulfonate; Eco-material; Unloading-reloading test
• ISSN: 1866-7511; 1866-7538
• DOI: 10.1007/s12517-019-4876-0

The chemical stabilization, an important method to stabilize soil foundations, can consolidate the soil particles and raise the strength by chemical reactions. Calcium lignosulfonate, a type of eco-material, was used for loess improvement. Based on numerous experimental results, the engineering properties of stabilized loess such as Atterberg limits, uniaxial compression strength, internal damage, and physical phases were investigated to verify its stabilization effect and reveal its strengthening mechanisms, compared with the traditional stabilizers (NaOH and Na 2 O·nSiO 2 ). The results show that calcium lignosulfonate can increase the Atterberg limits and compressive strength and decrease the energy dissipation due to reduction in spacing of mineral crystal plane and thickness of electric double layer of particle, increase in compactness of structure, and increase in silica and carbonate cementations by the hydrolysis and chemical reactions with clay minerals in loess. The strength of the treated loess specimen increases with the growing content of calcium lignosulfonate. The results also prove that calcium lignosulfonate is a new eco-friendly stabilizer which would deserve further application in loess engineering.