Study on the Stabilization Mechanisms of Clayey Slope Surfaces Treated by Spraying with a New Soil Additive

• Published in: Applied sciences Vol. 9; no. 6; p. 1245
• Main Authors: Zhou, Cuiying, Zhao, Shanshan, Huang, Wei, Li, Dexian, Liu, Zhen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 25.03.2019
• Subjects: Additives; Aggregates; Clay; effective infiltration depth; Engineering; Moisture content; new soil additives; Organic solvents; Physical properties; Polymers; Scanning electron microscopy; silty clay; Soil erosion; Soil stabilization; Soil water; Soils; Spraying; stabilization mechanisms; Submerging; Water depth; Water stability; China
• ISSN: 2076-3417; 2076-3417
• DOI: 10.3390/app9061245

The topsoil of a clayey slope is easily washed off by rain due to its loose structure. To protect the slope surface, in recent years, several types of non-traditional soil additives have been used by means of mixing with soil. In this work, a new organic polymer soil stabilizer, named aqua-dispersing-nano-binder (ADNB), was sprayed on the soil surface to stabilize the topsoil of a clayey slope. To understand the interaction between the polymer and soil particles during the infiltration process as well as the stabilization mechanism, infiltration tests, water stability tests and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses were performed with different polymer contents. The infiltration tests showed that the infiltration rate of the polymer stabilizer in the soil was slower than that of water due to its characteristics of easy adhesion to soil particles, poor fluidity and large molecular volume. The maximum effective infiltration depth was achieved in the specimen treated with 2% ADNB, and the minimum was achieved in the specimen treated with 5% ADNB. The water stability of the soil increased with the content of the soil stabilizer in the soil aggregates with diameters of either 5–10 mm or 10–20 mm. The SEM analysis showed that the quantity of polymer decreased with infiltration depth; a polymer membrane was formed on the surface of the topsoil and chains were formed inside. The amelioration of the soil water stability may have been due to the bonding between soil particles and polymers generated after evaporation of water in the emulsion. The polymer stabilizer could be applied to improve the erosion resistance of the slope topsoil and reduce soil loss.