GEOMECHANICS AND ENGINEERING, cilt.10, sa.5, ss.689-707, 2016 (SCI-Expanded)
Soil stabilization is one of the useful method of ground improvement for soil with low bearing capacity and high settlement and unrequired swelling potential. Generally, the stabilization is carried out by adding some solid materials. The main objective of this research was to investigate the feasibility of stabilization of organic soils and sewage sludge to obtain low cost alternative embankment material by the addition of two different slags. Slags were used as a replacement for weak soil at ratios of 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%, where sewage sludge and organic soil were blended with slags separately. The maximum dry unit weights and the optimum water contents for all soil mixtures were determined. In order to investigate the influence of the slags on the strength of sewage sludge and organic soil, and to obtain the optimal mix design; compaction tests, the California bearing ratio (CBR) test, unconfined compressive strength (UCS) test, hydraulic conductivity test (HCT) and pH tests were carried out on slag-soil specimens. Unconfined compressive tests were performed on non-cured samples and those cured at 7 days. The test results obtained from untreated specimens were compared to tests results obtained from soil samples treated with slag. Laboratory tests results indicated that blending slags with organic soil or sewage sludge improved the engineering properties of organic or sewage sludge. Therefore, it is concluded that slag can be potentially used as a stabilizer to improve the properties of organic soils and sewage sludge.