Journal of Sustainable Construction Engineering and Project Management

Volume 4 Issue 1

Resin as a Soil Stabilizer - A Review

Dr K Balan1, Ananya G2, Dhanya Krishnan R.3*
1
Vice Principle & Dean, 2,3M.Tech Student,
Department of Civil Engineering, Rajadhani Institute of Engineering and Technology,
Nagaroor, Trivandrum, India.

*Corresponding Author
E-mail Id:- dhanyakrdhanya@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
Soil is the most important construction material which is the support of any structure, no
matter what is the function the structure plays. But the problem is that the soil may be a little
tricky and the properties may not be suitable for construction. To make the soil suitable for
use, should be replaced or treated mechanically or chemically. Better to do treating than
replacing. Most suitable among the treatment is use of additives for better bonding. Among
the additives most suitable are polymers such as resins. There are many studies carried to
find the effect of adding various resins on various types of soils. Most of the studies shows
good improvement of soil properties. i.e., resin can be used as better stabilizing agent.

Keywords:- Resin, polymer, soil stabilization

INTRODUCTION When polymers are added to soil, they

The main problem the construction form a thin film around soil particles and
industry faces today is the scarcity of make a better bond between particles. This
suitable resources for construction. Both has an effect on soil properties such as
the land and materials available may be of density and stiffness, moisture retention
poor quality for the specific use. The capability, permeability, strength,
engineering properties of the available consistency limits and swelling.
resources may be modified as per the
demands. Improving the properties of soil Resin is a natural polymer of organic
to carry the imposed load is called Ground chemicals. Some of the examples are
Improvement Technique. The stabilization vinsol resin, rosin, stabinol, resins from
techniques started using from ancient tropical plants etc. There are some
times about thousands of years ago. synthetics resins such as bisphenol A.
Romans and Greeks used lime as stabilizer They are commonly used for production of
for earthen roads. There are many varnishes, food glazing agents; more than
methods such as addition of additives, that resins are good adhesives. Oldest use
providing drains, using vibration etc. Some of resin is in mid-stone age as glue for
commonly used additives are lime, hafting stone tool. The study of using resin
cement, bitumen, which result in as an engineering material started from
increasing the strength of engineering middle of twentieth century. Many resins
materials. Cement is one of the most are tried in varying percentage and most of
common stabilizer, when mixed with soil them show same optimum value. This
produces soil-cement. Also there are use of paper presents an overview of various
fibers such as polypropylene, coir etc. types of resins used for ground
However, the recent trend in this line is improvement and their impact on various
use of polymers. soil properties.

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 Journal of Sustainable Construction Engineering and Project Management
Volume 4 Issue 1

LITERATURE REVIEW and for higher clay silt ratio greater

Shawqui and Hovakeemian [10] tried to relative improvement was observed at
develop a water soluble polymer that can lower moisture content.
be used effectively efficiently and
economically as a soil stabilizer. A The improvement of properties of fine
composition of sulfonated-urea-melamine- sand using a water soluble two component
formaldehyde with polyvinyl alcohol was epoxy resin was reported by
tried as resin. The ratio by weight of Anagnostopoulos and Hadjispyrou [3] the
sulfonated-urea-melamine-formaldehyde specimen was sandy river soil of coarser
to polyvinyl alcohol varied from 100:1 to and finer gradation. They tried with resin
200:1. The urea content was 60% and only and resin along with sodium silicate.
melamine was 4% which made it more Water-resin ratio investigated were 1 and
economical. The two additives were added 2. Water-silicate ratio varied as 2 and 3.
to sandy soil to prepare the specimens for Compression test were carried out for each
test. Compressive strength was tested after cases.
curing period of 1, 3, 7, 14, 21 days.
It was found that no strength development
It was observed that at an application rate for coarser sand at water-resin ratio 2. For
of 1%, the compressive strength improved fine sand at same ratio had slight
by a factor of 3. Later it was compared fluctuation after 2 days. For water-resin
with other previously tried additives such ratio of 1 the strength increased in coarser
as urea formaldehyde based, polyurethane sand but at lower rate. But for fine sand
based, bitumen based, poly vinyl acetate increase is about 50%. Also in this case
based polymers. From the comparative porosity and permeability lowered
analysis it was found that the developed substantially. The treatment with resin
resin gave over 50% increase in strength alone showed that the strength
over other resins. development was not too high. This may
be due to reaction of hydrophilic part of
In order to achieve a CBR value of more resin with water inhibiting hardener to take
than 4 in clayey-silt soil for airport part in reaction. So sodium silicate injected
pavement construction. Majebi et al [1] additionally. With sodium sulphate-water
tried a non traditional stabilizer. They tried ratio of 2 and water-resin ratio of 1 the
a two-part system of resin (bisphenol increase in strength development after 28
A/epichlorohydrin) and hardner days was 445%. The combination with
(polyamide). The additives in different sodium sulphate-water ratio of 3 properties
percentages of 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 4.0% are further improved by 511.
tried at 40,65 and 900F temperatures. The
clay-silt ratio is also varied for samples as Seydabolhassan (2010) investigated the
0.4,0.5, and 0.6. effect of wet and dry conditions on
strength development in silty sand
At lower resin percentages the CBR value stabilized with resin. The resin used is
was lower. Highest CBR value was bisphenol A and polyamide hardener is the
obtained for 4% of resin content. At 4% second part. The resin to hardener ratio
CBR value increased by 20 to 60 units fixed as 1:0.15. Different resin content of
compared to soil without resin for various 3,4,5% and silt content of
clay silt ratio at 400F and variation is from 0,10,20,30,35,45,60% prepared. Different
50 to 90 units at 900 F. For lower clay-silt curing period of 1, 2, 4, 6, 7 days were
ratio CBR value have higher relative investigated.
improvement at higher moisture content

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 Journal of Sustainable Construction Engineering and Project Management
Volume 4 Issue 1

It was found that as the resin content Anagnastopoulos (2015) investigated

increases the unconfined compression about effect of epoxy resin (resin to
strength (UCS) increases due to better hardener 2.5:1) on cement stabilized silty
bonding. But strength of clean sand (0% clay. Triaxial tests were conducted using
silt) is higher than silty sand. It was noted soil with different resin-water ratio
that as silt content increases the strength (0.5,1,1.5,2), solid-water ratio (1,1.5), and
decreases up to 35% and then become cement proportion (0,20,30%). Different
almost constant. At 4% resin content and curing time of 7,30,90,180 were tried.
45,60% silt the strength reduced after
submerging in water. For 3% of resin the It was found that most specimens gained
same happened for 35 and 45% silt final strength in 90 days of curing, beyond
content. The strength improvement for 7- which no improvement is noted. Also
day wet curing is higher than 1 day wet found that increase in water content has
curing but lesser than dry curing. The most adverse effect on strength due to high
UCS value is for 5% resin and 0% silt dilution which will weaken the polymer-
content. soil matrix. The specimen with cement
showed more strength gain than specimen
The effect on strength of soil (clay)- without cement. For cement content of
cement mixed with acrylic resin was 30% the strength improvement was
investigated by Estabragh et al (2011). In 240%.ie, the resin alone can’t develop
the work two thermoplastic acrylic resins appreciable strength with soil and water.
R79 and R83 are used. Mixing of soil with
different cement contents of 5,8,12,16 and Smitha [11] investigated about the effect
20% and different resin content of 0,8 of resin on strength of Thonnakkal clay.
and10 % were done. As cement content Resin content is varied in 1,3,5,7 and 10%.
increases strength increases. Also it was It was concluded that adding resin
noted that for 10% of R83 shows higher increased the UCS value and as percentage
strength. of resin increases the strength increases.

Investigation on engineering properties of Bharath Kumar and Kiran Kumar [4]

acrylic resin on lime stabilized lateritic reported the influence of different resin-
clay soil was conducted by Fajobi et al [7]. water ratio on black cotton soil having
Soil mixed with 0,4,6,8, and 10% of lime different silt content. They tried varying
and 0,5,7.5, and 10% of acrylic resin. The percentages of resin (resin to hardener
study shows that soil properties such as 1:0.1) as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Using the
dry density, Atterberg limits improved by optimum value they found the shear
addition of 10%lime and 7.5% of acrylic parameters for different silt content (10,
resin which shows close result to addition 20, 30, 40, 50%) in the soil. They
of 10%lime and 10% resin. conducted UCS test to determine the shear
strength of soil.
Effect of natural resin on strength of silty
sand soil was investigated by Aksoy [12] It was found that 5% of resin showed
using astragalus. Resin was used at higher UCS value. Using 5% resin content
different percentages 0,1,3,5, and10%. The different silt content were tried at different
study showed that increasing amount of curing period. It was finally obtained that
resin caused strength degradation of soil. It friction angle decreased and cohesion
was concluded as adding 1% of resin increased for 5% resin, 40% silt at 7 days
suitable for sandy soil when considering curing.
the strength parameters.

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 Journal of Sustainable Construction Engineering and Project Management
Volume 4 Issue 1

A combination of cement and epoxy for 2. Anagnostopoulos, C. A. (2015).

stabilizing soft clay was reported by Strength properties of an epoxy resin
Hamidi and Marandi [6]. The resin system and cement-stabilized silty clay
used is epoxy resin based on diglycidyl soil. Applied clay science, 114, 517-
ether of bisphenol and aminoamide-based 529.
hardener(2:1). Two type of clay are tried- 3. Anagnostopoulos, C., & Hadjispyrou,
kaolinite and bentonite. They varied the S. (2004). Laboratory study of an
cement content 0, 5, 10, 20, 30%. epoxy resin grouted sand. Proceedings
of the Institution of Civil Engineers-
It was found that for bentonite clay the Ground Improvement, 8(1), 39-45.
UCS is improved than kaolinite clay. The 4. Kumar, M. B., & Kumar, T. K.
ratio of bentonite to kaolinite was about Strength Characteristics of Expansive
10. The strength and toughness of Soils Using Epoxy resin and Silty Soil.
bentonite samples increased over 100- 5. Bharathi, Anwar, Abdlrahman and
1000 times more than untreated samples. Abdulbasith (2019). Stabilisation Of
The combination of bentonite clay- Black Cotton Soil Using Epoxy Resin.
cement-epoxy (clay concrete) is lighter SSRG-IJCE-ISSN:2348-8352.
than cement concrete so can be 6. Estabragh, A. R., Beytolahpour, I., &
recommended instead of concrete piles. Javadi, A. A. (2011). Effect of resin on
the strength of soil-cement
The improvement in properties of black mixture. Journal of Materials in Civil
cotton soil added with epoxy resin is Engineering, 23(7), 969-976.
investigated by Bharathi [5]. The resin had 7. Fajobi, A. B., Ige, O. O., & Adeleye,
two components- bisphenol A based resin O. K. (2012). Engineering properties
and aliphatic polyamine based hardener of acrylic resin on lime stabilized
tried in varying percentages of 0,8 and soil. Transnational Journal of Science
10%. UCS value higher for 10% resin and Technology, 2(11), 113-127.
content and CBR increases up to 8%, then 8. Hamidi, S., & Marandi, S. M. (2018).
decreases. i.e., from this investigation 10% Clay concrete and effect of clay
of stabilizer is optimum. minerals types on stabilized soft clay
soils by epoxy resin. Applied Clay
CONCLUSION Science, 151, 92-101.
The study revealed that the strength of 9. Naeini, S. A., & Ghorbanali, M.
weak soil can be increased by the addition (2010). Effect of wet and dry
of resin along with other additives or conditions on strength of silty sand
independently. The polymeric reaction of soils stabilized with epoxy resin
resin creates a continuous gelatinous polymer. Journal of Applied
structure which impart strength and Sciences, 10(22), 2839-2846.
ductility to the soil. 10. Lahalih, S. M., & Hovakeemian, G.
(1988). Development of novel
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 Journal of Sustainable Construction Engineering and Project Management
Volume 4 Issue 1

12. Aksoy, H. S., & Gor, M. (2013). Effect Environmental Science and
of natural resin on strength parameters Development, 4(1), 11.
of Sandy soil. International Journal of

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