Published by : International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)

http://www.ijert.org ISSN: 2278-0181

Vol. 5 Issue 06, June-2016

Analysis of Strength Properties of Sandy Soil

stabilized with Sugarcane Bagasse Ash
Sukrit Garg Veena U
M.E. Student, Assistant Professor,
Department of Civil Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering,
Chandigarh University, Punjab, India Chandigarh University, Punjab, India

Abstract— In the fast developing world, a better way to and also as an admixture. Recent studies show that it can be
overcome the scarcity of resources is to use them more used as a binding material for stabilizing soil just like fly ash.
efficiently. The land with well characterized soil is such a limited Fly ash though is better than bagasse ash, but what gives
resource in construction and transportation fields. Nowadays, priority to bagasse is that it is free of cost whereas fly ash is
soil stabilization is accepted as a common practice to improve
costly.
the engineering properties of locally available soil to meet the
strength requirements for different projects. A number of II. LITERATURE REVIEW
studies have been done on application of waste materials for soil
M. Chittaranjan et al. (2011) studied the use of
stabilization since this practice can be cost effective as well as it
can solve the problem of waste disposal, which is a threat to Agricultural wastes as soil stabilizers. In this study bagasse
environment. Sugar-cane bagasse ash is one of the major ash, rice husk ash and groundnut shell ash were used to
agricultural waste in north India. Some recent studies proved stabilize the soil. These admixtures were added separately at
the applicability of Bagasse ash as a cementing material both in different percentages and CBR test was carried out to find out
concrete and for stabilizing soil. The presence of silica, calcium, improvement in strength of mix. An increase in CBR value
and alumina brings pozzolanic characteristics to Bagasse ash, was observed with the increase in percentage of waste.
which when hydrated can bind the soil particles together. A Ken C. Onyelowe (2012) studied compaction
number of research works have been conducted on characteristics and CBR value of lateritic soil stabilized with
improvement of expansive soil using bagasse ash, while, little
both cement and Bagasse ash. The studies were conducted at
results are available on effectiveness of Bagasse ash in
improving properties of sandy soil. In the present study, the two fixed cement contents such as 4% and 6% of weight of
influence of Bagasse ash on engineering properties of sandy soil soil, and varying ash contents. The increased strength
found in Chandigarh University campus (Mohali District, properties showed capability of bagasse ash in strengthening
Punjab), is experimentally analyzed by conducting Light the soil properties.
compaction test and CBR test. K. S. Gandhi (2012) conducted different tests on
expansive clayey soil with varying percentage of bagasse ash
Keywords— Soil Stabilization, Sandy Soil, CBR, Standard to check the effect on swelling pressure and on basic
Proctor Test properties. He observed a rapid strength gain as well as a
I. INTRODUCTION decrease in swell potential of Bagasse ash stabilized subgrade
A. Soil stabilization soil.
Soil is the ultimate foundation which takes all the loads Kiran R. G. and Kiran L (2013) analyzed Strength
exerted by all the living and non-living things on earth. At Characteristics of Black Cotton Soil stabilized using Bagasse
some places, naturally occurring soil itself will be capable of Ash along with cement and lime as additives. Compaction
bearing all the loads acting on it, while at some other places test, CBR test and UCS tests were conducted on pure soil and
soil is not strong enough to carry all the loads safely. There soil samples with different percentages of bagasse ash and
comes the importance of soil stabilization. Soil stabilization other additives. Density of soil was not found to be changed
is a process of improving soil properties by blending and considerably, while, strength properties showed significant
mixing additional materials with soil. This can be carried out improvement.
by adding cementing materials such as cement, lime, Amit S. Kharade et al. (2014) conducted laboratory
bitumen/asphalt etc. or chemicals such as calcium chloride, experiments such as CBR test and UCS test on black cotton
sodium chloride etc.to the soil. Soil stabilization plays an soil with partial replacement by Bagasse Ash at different
important role in highway engineering as it helps to provide a percentages. An optimum value of Bagasse ash content was
subgrade of sufficient strength. figured out at which the soil-ash mix exhibited the maximum
strength properties.
B. Bagasse ash as a stabilizing material Prakash Chavan and Dr.M.S.Nagakumar (2014) evaluated
Sugar refining industry produces a huge amount of the plasticity index, specific gravity, compaction
Bagasse ash as waste product. Disposal of bagasse ash is characteristics, CBR value and unconfined compressive
posing a big environmental issue and it is necessary to go for strength (UCS) of Bagasse Ash stabilized black-cotton soil.
urgent remedial measures. Bagasse ash is rich in amorphous The Plasticity index showed a decreasing trend with increase
silica, calcium, alumina etc. which induces pozzolanic is ash content, whereas strength properties were observed to
properties so that bagasse ash can act as a cementing
material. It has already been used as a concreting material

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Published by : International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
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Vol. 5 Issue 06, June-2016

be increased to peak values at optimum ash content and Description Abbreviation Percentage (%)
decreased on further addition of ash. Silica Sio2 60.26
Iron Fe2o3 5.03
III. SCOPE OF STUDY Calcium Cao 8.35
Magnesium Mgo 0.40
Even though a number of studies have been carried out on Sodium Na20 1.33
use of bagasse ash as a soil stabilization material, most of Potassium K2o 5.57
them were done for expansive clayey soil. In the present Chloride Cl 0.20
study, influence of bagasse ash on engineering properties of Sulphate So4 1.30
sandy soil is studied experimentally. Phosphorus P2o5 2.69
Loss of Ignition - 3.39
IV . EXPERIMENTAL WORK Alumina Al2o3 10.73
Titanium Tio2 0.13
Soil selection and classification Manganese Mn 0.078
Soil required to conduct the experimental works was Wax Content - Nil
collected from Chandigarh University campus, Gharuan, Table 2: Chemical properties of bagasse ash (K. S. Gandhi, 2012)
located in Mohali district of Punjab state. Sieve analysis was
conducted to determine the particle size distribution of the Tests conducted
soil (Fig.1) as per IS 2720 (Part 4) – 1985 and specific A.Light Compaction Test
gravity was determined using Pycnometer according to IS Light compaction test (Standard Proctor Test) was conducted
2386(Part III)-1963. The primary test results are listed out in on the pure soil to find out maximum dry density( d,max)and
table 1. optimum moisture content (OMC) according to specifications
Bagasse ash given by IS: 2720 (Part VII)-1980. Same test was repeated by
Bagasse ash was collected from The Morinda Co-op. Sugar replacing some percentage of soil by Bagasse ash such as 5%,
Mills Limited (Rupnagar District, Punjab) and processed it to 7% and 10% of total weight.
get about 10kgs of dry bagasse ash. Chemical properties of B.CBR test
bagasse ash are shown in table 2 (sited from K. S. Gandhi, California Bearing Ratio of the soil was determined as
2012) specified in IS 2720 (Part XVI) – 1987. Same test was
repeated by replacing some percentage of soil by Bagasse ash
such as 5%, 7% and 10% of total weight.
RESULTS OBTAINED
Compaction curves were plotted for samples with different
percentage of bagasse ash which is illustrated in Fig.2.
Variation of maximum dry density with different percentages
of bagasse ash is shown graphically in Fig.3. Variation of
OMC with different percentages of bagasse ash is shown
graphically in Fig.4. Fig.5 shows the variation of CBR value
with different percentages of bagasse ash.

Fig.1: Grain size distribution of soil

Specific gravity 2.64
Fine fraction 3.97%
Coefficient of uniformity (Cu) 1.28
Coefficient of curvature (Cc) 1.01

IS classification Poorly graded Sand (SP)

Table 1: Properties of soil used for experiments

Fig. 2: Compaction curves

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Published by : International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
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Vol. 5 Issue 06, June-2016

V. CONCLUSIONS
Influence of sugarcane bagasse ash on engineering properties
like maximum dry density, OMC and CBR value of sandy
soil was studied experimentally. It was observed that
optimum moisture content increases with increase in %
Bagasse ash due to the increase in specific surface, whereas,
maximum dry density of soil decreases with increase in % of
Bagasse ash. This is due to the basic fact that the soil-bagasse
ash mix have different specific gravity than the original soil.
Also the presence of fine particles (bagasse ash) increases the
capillary force developed due to addition of water. This
capillary force resists the rearrangement of particles against
the external compactive energy.
The experimental results shows considerable improvement in
CBR value by replacing 6-7% soil by Bagasse ash. It was
observed that further increase in ash content reduce the
bearing capacity of soil. The reason for strength
improvement is that the hydration of the bagasse ash forms
Fig. 3: Variation of maximum dry density with % of bagasse ash the normal hydration products that bind soil particles
together. As the bagasse ash content is increased it reaches an
optimum value at which the ash content is sufficient to make
proper bonding between all the soil particles. If ash content is
increased further, it will not contribute to the strength gain.
Instead, it reduces the soil strength. From the present study, it
was concluded that for improving the strength of sandy soil
present in local region of Chandigarh University, the
optimum value of bagasse ash content is 6-7% of total dry
weight of the mix.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors are highly greatful to The Morinda Co-op. Sugar
Mills Limited for supplying the Bagasse ash for research;
also we would like to acknowledge the Department of Civil
Engineering, Chandigarh University for providing all
facilities during research work.

Fig. 4: Variation of optimum moisture content with % of bagasse ash REFERENCES

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