Accepted Manuscript

Comparative measurement of compaction impact of clay stabilized with cement,

peat ash and silica sand
Leong Sing Wong, Seyedesmaeil Mousavi, Shahab Sobhani, Sih Ying Kong,
Ahmed Hussien Birima, Nur Irfah Mohd Pauzi
PII:
DOI:
Reference:

S0263-2241(16)30490-0
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.measurement.2016.08.029
MEASUR 4307

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Measurement

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Revised Date:
Accepted Date:

6 December 2015
22 July 2016
25 August 2016

Please cite this article as: L.S. Wong, S. Mousavi, S. Sobhani, S.Y. Kong, A.H. Birima, N.I.M. Pauzi, Comparative
measurement of compaction impact of clay stabilized with cement, peat ash and silica sand, Measurement (2016),
doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.measurement.2016.08.029

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Comparative measurement of compaction impact of

clay stabilized with cement, peat ash and silica sand
Leong Sing Wong a,*, Seyedesmaeil Mousavi b, Shahab Sobhani b, Sih Ying
Kong c, Ahmed Hussien Birima b, Nur Irfah Mohd Pauzi b
a

College of Graduate Studies, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, IKRAM-UNITEN Road, 43000 Kajang,
Selangor, Malaysia
b

Civil Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, IKRAMUNITEN Road, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia

School of Engineering, Monash University Malaysia, Lagoon Selatan Road, 47500 Bandar Sunway,
Selangor, Malaysia
E-mail address of each author
Leong Sing Wong, wongls2011@gmail.com
Seyedesmaeil Mousavi, matin_mousavi54@yahoo.com
Shahab Sobhani, shahab.sobhani@gmail.com
Sih Ying Kong, kong.sih.ying@monash.edu
Ahmed Hussien Birima, ahussein@uniten.edu.my
Nur Irfah Mohd Pauzi, irfah@uniten.edu.my

*Name of Corresponding Author: Leong Sing Wong

Complete Postal Address: College of Graduate Studies, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, IKRAM-UNITEN Road,
43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
Tel: (+6013) 330 7265
Fax: (+603) 8926 3507
E-mail: wongls2011@gmail.com
Alternate E-mail: wongls@uniten.edu.my; wongls79@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
This paper concentrates on measuring the compact ability of Taman Wetland clay stabilized
with cement, peat ash and silica sand. The organic content of peat makes it a problematic
basement soil for highway construction. Such problem can be solved by removing and
incinerating the peat for generating peat ash which is applicable for stabilization of the
compacted clay. Compaction tests were conducted on both untreated and stabilized clay
specimens. The mix designs from the compaction tests were applied on stabilized clay
specimens for testing using direct shear apparatus. A feasible mix design can be developed by
partially replacing the cement with 1.5% peat ash in the test specimens. Test specimen with
the mix design has the highest cohesion of 133 kPa as compared to those of test specimens
with other mix designs under study. Such cohesiveness is attributable to the formation of
cementation crystals which effectively clogged its pore spaces.

Keywords: Clay; Cement; Peat ash; Silica sand; Stabilization; Compaction

1. Introduction
Low bearing capacity and high vulnerability to volume change has made soft clay a
problematic foundation soil for highway embankment support. Rapid settlement of soft clay
as a result of loading may induce a serious damage to a highway if cracks on the highway are
severe. Soil treatment by compaction and chemical stabilization is a practical ground
improvement method that is commonly used to strengthen soft clay for highway construction.
In the terminology of soil mechanics, soil compaction is defined as a process that induces
increment in soil density as a result of decrement in its air-voids content, with the water
volume remains constant. In fact, compaction is widely used in many geotechnical
applications to improve soil densification [1]. Compaction on a soil is impacted by
mechanical force due to rolling or tamping or vibrating. Under such circumstances, the
engineering behavior of the soil is improved in a way that its porosity is decreased to a
minimum, subsequently reducing its rate of permeability. According to Xia [2], cohesive soil
such as clay can be properly compacted to reach a state in which the soil mass becomes
virtually impermeable. Such condition enhances the soil shear strength and arrests excessive
soil volume changes due to settlement.
Chemical stabilization of a soil on the other hand, involves the process of positive
alteration of soil engineering properties with chemical additives to cause the soil to possess
sufficient load bearing characteristics for supporting normal stresses induced by an
infrastructure such as highway. Through stabilization, the plasticity of fine grained soil is
reduced, and its compressive strength and load bearing properties are improved [3]. Among
the chemical additives, lime and cement are identified as binding agents for crystallization
purpose in stabilized soils. It is noteworthy that in soil stabilization, the functions of partial
cement replacing materials such as metakaolin, palm oil fuel ash, granulated blast furnace
slag, kaolin, sodium bentonite, rice husk ash and fly ash have been extensively researched in

numerous studies [4-11]. Furthermore, it was established in the research works of Wong et al.
[7] and Wong [10] that the degree of improvement in stabilized soil tends to increase with
increasing content of silica sand due to filler implication. Recently, Mousavi and Wong [12]
have investigated the engineering performance of soft clay stabilized with cement, peat ash
and silica sand. One deficiency of the study is that the state of compact ability of the
stabilized soil was not evaluated. As such, the role of peat ash at modifying the soil compact
ability cannot be completely comprehended. It is necessary to highlight that peat ash is
produced through a process of calcining peat at a high temperature. With very poor
engineering properties and extreme softness, peat is categorized as a waste material because it
is often dumped from construction sites due to its problematic nature as a foundation soil.
Therefore, it is advantageous to utilize peat as a supplementary material of cement for soil
stabilization purpose.
To establish an acceptable setting for soft clay stabilized with cement, peat ash and silica
sand in order to reach a dense packing condition, it is important to measure the compact
ability and strength of the stabilized soil. The focus of this study is to explore a feasible mix
design of the stabilized soil by gaging its compaction properties in term of maximum dry
density, optimal water content and air-voids content. The values of the air-voids content of
the stabilized soil under study were related to its direct shear parameters and unconfined
compressive strength in order to confirm the efficiency of the mix design for the application
of the soil treatment.

2. Materials for the soil treatment

Sampling of soft clay was done at a site in Taman Wetland, Putrajaya, Malaysia. The site
is situated about 34 km from Petronas Twin Tower, Kuala Lumpur. Soft clay was sampled
from trial pits with the depth of each trial pit is about 1.5 m from the ground surface. The

color of the soft clay was found to be light brown (Fig. 1). After sampling, the soil samples
were transferred to the laboratory; then left for air drying and passed through 2 mm sieve
size. The sieved clay was tested for its basic properties inclusive of specific gravity, natural
water content, organic content, liquid limit, plastic limit and pH. The basic tests were
performed in accordance to the British and US ASTM Standards as specified by Head [13].
The average values of the soil basic properties are indicated in Table 1. With an organic
content of less than 10%, the soil is termed as inorganic soil. A liquidity index of 65.37% and
a pH value of 7.10 imply that in natural condition, the soil exists in plastic state with a very
slight degree of alkalinity. Based on the values of the soil liquid limit and plasticity index, it
can be interpreted from the plasticity chart with reference to BS Standard that the soil can be
classified as CLAY of high plasticity with a subgroup symbol of CH. The clay with similar
degree of plasticity was also found in the experimental work of Rashid et al. [14]. The
experimental work focused on the consistency limits of silty CLAY sampled from a site in
Permas Jaya district, Johor, Malaysia.
The type of Ordinary Portland cement used in this research work is YTL cement which
was sourced from YTL Cement Limited. Silica sand was sampled from a site nearby Langat
River in Kajang, air dried and passed through 2 mm sieve size for the purpose to be included
as filler in the soil stabilization. With an intention to produce peat ash in laboratory, fibrous
peat was excavated from Sri Nadi village in the Klang district, Selangor, Malaysia and wet
sieved through 2 mm mesh sieve. The objective of the wet sieving was to separate coarse
materials such as stones and roots which had particle sizes greater than 2 mm from the wet
peat. The wet peat was then calcined in a muffle furnace at a temperature of 400C for 5
hours in order to generate peat ash. A sample of the peat ash is shown in Fig. 2.
X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) tests were conducted on the materials involved in the soil
stabilization and the results are shown in Table 2. Quicklime (CaO), silica (SiO2), alumina

(Al2O3) and iron oxide (Fe2O3) were identified by Wong et al. [8] as the necessary oxide
compounds for cementation purpose. It is evident in Table 2 that the total amount of such
oxide compounds is 95.7664% which exceeds 90%, as discovered in the standard Ordinary
Portland cement in the studies of Felekoglu et al. [15] and Pourkoshidi et al. [16].
In all the studies, it was observed that the ratio of CaO to SiO2 for Ordinary Portland
cement is about 3, which is necessary for hydraulic reactions to take place when cement
reacts with water. Furthermore, both CaO and SiO2 are the main strength contributing oxide
compounds for soil stabilization with cement. With 89.0011% SiO2, it is proven that the silica
sand is characterized by quartz as a dominating mineral. Taman Wetland clay can be
classified as a natural pozzolan because it has pozzolanic compounds (SiO2 + Fe2O3) of 89%
which is much higher than the minimal required pozzolanic content of 70% as specified in
ASTM C38 standard. By having 50% CaO and 22% Fe2O3, it is shown that peat ash has
binding properties that can contribute to the cementation process in the stabilized soil.

3. Plan of experimental investigation

An organized plan of experimental investigation for the research work was developed in
order to systematize laboratory testing on the compacted and stabilized soil specimens. The
methods to conduct the experimental work were detailed up so that the standardized research
approach to acquire the desired results could be outlined. Rationalization of the mix design
for the test specimens was done after a critical evaluation on the results of the experimental
investigation.
.
3.1 Methods to conduct experimental work
The methods of conducting the experimental work followed the guidelines by Head [13]
which were set on the basis of British and US (ASTM) standards. Standard Proctor

compaction tests with reference to ASTMD698 were first carried out on test specimens of
untreated and stabilized clay. For standard Proctor test on untreated soil specimen, about 20
kg of dried clay was prepared by sieving the soil to pass through 2 mm mesh sieve. The aim
of the sieving was to remove roots, plants and coarse materials from the soil. As a first step of
the test, the sieved clay was mixed with a specified amount of water on a large tray. A
standard Proctor mold of 105 mm internal diameter and 115.5 mm height was fixed on a base
plate before weighing. A steel collar was later attached to the mold. The compaction
procedure began by placing the soil in three equal layers in the mold with each soil layer
subjected to a compaction at 27 blows using a standard 25 kg compaction hammer that has a
diameter of 50 mm. After the soil compaction, the collar was removed and the compacted soil
was trimmed to eliminate excessive soil. With base plate as support, the mold which
contained the compacted soil was weighted on a balance apparatus. A soil sample was
obtained from the bottom of the compacted soil for the purpose of determining its water
content. On the basis of the weight and water content of the compacted soil, the soil bulk and
dry densities were determined. The compaction process was repeated on the same type of
clay with several variations in water content in order to generate a series of data for the soil
dry densities. The data were later used to establish the soil maximum dry density, optimum
water content and air-voids content. Following similar procedure, the compaction tests were
performed on stabilized clay specimens of various trial mix designs in order to establish a
feasible mix design with acceptable maximum dry density, optimum water content and airvoids content. ren [1] justified that the compaction parameters are important in most of the
practical situations needing densification of soils, such as highway and railway subgrades and
foundation soils.
Based on each mix design, the stabilized clay was then prepared, compacted and extruded
to produce a test specimen of 60 60 mm2 area and 20 mm height using an extruding

machine and a steel cutter for direct shear box test. The test specimen was then put in
standard direct shear box apparatus, applied with a normal stress and sheared horizontally at a
rate of 1.5 mm min-1 until failure with the procedure in accordance to the standard of ASTM
D3080. During the test, the readings of the applied load, shear displacement and vertical
deformation were recorded for the purpose of establishing result trends so that the shear
strength parameters, namely cohesion and internal angle friction of the stabilized soil could
be interpreted. The direct shear tests were repeated for the test specimens with a similar mix
design at various applied stresses.
For each mix design, test specimen of stabilized clay was produced by extruding the
stabilized soil from a compaction mold for unconfined compression test. The stabilized clay
specimen was then subjected to testing in a standard laboratory compression apparatus and
sheared vertically under an axial strain rate of 1.5 mm min -1 in unconfined condition in
accordance to the standard of ASTM D2166-06. In the test, the data of the axial forces acting
on the test specimen and the resulting vertical deformations were captured for the purpose of
establishing the relationship between axial stress and axial strain of the stabilized soil. The
peak axial stress is defined as the unconfined compressive strength of the stabilized clay
specimen.

3.2 Rationale of mix design selection

Nine mix designs were identified from the trial test results involved in the preparation of the
stabilized clay specimens for the laboratory experimentation. The mix designs were
shortlisted on the basis of the findings from the study of Mousavi [17]. It is proven from the
study that a feasible stabilization of the compacted clay is achievable with a mix design of
20% Ordinary Portland cement and 5% silica sand by dry weight of the clay. Addition of the
low amount of silica sand to stabilize the soil is justified by the study for economical reason

and for the purpose of enhancing the soil compact ability due to inclusion of solid material
from the coarse particles of sand. Wong [18] stipulated that inclusion of sand grains is
essential in the formation of cement-based material considering the fact that it would lead to
the reduction of void spaces within the material. However, mixing of sand has to be done in a
controlled way to see the effect on the coarse fraction on the compaction characteristics [19].
In addition to that, a partial replacement of the cement with peat ash is necessary to enhance
the filler effect of the stabilized soil and as an effort to reduce the cement usage. For that
reason, the partial replacement of the cement with peat ash for the mix designs was varied
between 0 and 2%. It should be noted that the compact ability of the stabilized clay
specimens with peat ash were compared relatively by setting the base line level of
improvement of compaction performance in the control specimens without peat ash. This
implies that the concept of scientific control is used in the rationalization of mix design
selection. Through scientific control, the reliability of the results can be enhanced by relative
comparison between control measurement of mix design without peat ash and treatment
measurement of mix designs with peat ash. In order to measure the influence of air-voids
content of the stabilized clay on its strength performance, the direct shear test results of both
cohesion and angle of internal friction; as well as the results of unconfined compressive
strength were plotted with varying partial replacement of the cement with peat ash in the
stabilized soil. The trends of such strength parameters were evaluated so that a justification
could be made to rationalize the feasible mix design of the stabilized soil after compaction.

4. Results and discussion

By relating the values of direct shear parameters and unconfined compressive strength to
those of the compaction parameters, it is possible to conceptualize the positive effect of the
cement and peat ash on the clay stabilization. Morphological examination on the surface of

the stabilized soil provides microscopic evidence on the binding impact caused by the
stabilizing materials on the clay. With respect to that, the influence of the mix designs on the
compact ability, strength characteristics and micro-structure of the stabilized soil are
discussed from section 4.1 to 4.3 respectively.

4.1 Implication of peat ash as partial replacement of Ordinary Portland cement on the
compaction properties of the stabilized soil
In Fig. 3, there is an obvious observation on a consistent decrease of optimum water
content with increasing peat ash quantity in the test specimens of stabilized clay. Such
trending compaction behavior implies the capability of peat ash to induce hydration reaction
from Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) that promoted the binding action in the stabilized soil.
A decreasing pattern of optimal water content with increasing amount of Class C fly ash in
stabilized clay is traceable from the published work of Yilmaz [3]. It is recognized that Class
C fly ash possesses both hydration and pozzolanic properties. In contrast to that of Class C
fly ash in the study of Yilmaz [3], there is a decreasing trend of maximum dry density with
increasing peat ash as partial replacement of OPC in the stabilized soil (Fig. 4). This is
reasonable as peat ash has lighter unit weight when compared to that of OPC. In a similar
manner, it is proven from the study of Anggraini et al. [20] that increasing light weight coir
fiber in lime treated soft soil resulted in a decrease of its maximum dry density. The trend of
decrease in the maximum dry density can be logically related to the pattern of air-voids
content with increment of peat ash addition as partial replacement of the cement in the soil
stabilization as shown in Fig. 5.
It is also depicted in Fig. 5 that between 0 and 1.5% partial replacement of OPC with peat
ash, there is a small change in the air-voids content of the stabilized soil with a range between
0.23 and 0.53%. Further partially replacing the OPC with peat ash at 1.75% resulted in an

10

abrupt increase of its air-voids content at 1.04% in the stabilized soil. This is an indication
that beyond 1.5% partial replacement of OPC with peat ash, it is impossible to further
improve the compaction ability of the stabilized soil due to insufficient cement hydration
products to impart binding effect on the soil and peat ash particles that would ultimately
reduce its air-voids volume. Peat ash is required to enhance the filler impact on the stabilized
soil. However, the amount of peat ash has to be rationalized as it is important to note from the
justification of Wong et al. [8] that an adequate amount of cement in stabilized soil is
essential to induce the formation of primary cementation products that function as binder of
the soil.
Based on statistical observation of Fig. 3, Fig. 4 and Fig. 5; it is evident that the lowest
value of coefficient of determination (R2) is 0.95. Such indication proved that for each one of
the figures, the discrepancy between the observed and linearly regressed values of the
compaction parameter is relatively small. This implies that the proportion of variance in the
compaction parameter is highly predictable from the mix design in each one of the figures.
A comparison of the compaction curves between the untreated clay and the clay stabilized
with the mix design of 1.5% partial replacement of OPC with peat ash is shown in Fig. 6. As
anticipated, the respective air-voids content and maximum dry density of the stabilized peat
were found to be 6.74% lesser and 5.71% greater as compared to those of the untreated clay.
Without stabilization, the clay after compaction was realized to have an air-voids content of
7.27% and a maximum dry density of 1.782 Mg m-3. Obuzor et al. [21] clarified that a better
compaction of stabilized soil is achievable with lesser air void that contributes to improved
chemical resistance accruing from the formation of more calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) gel
and change in micro-pore orientation. Similar behavior in term of maximum dry density can
be observed from the compaction curves of both untreated and fly ash treated clay from the
published work of Yilmaz [3]. This is attributed to the pore refinement of the stabilized clay

11

as a result of the filling influence of the peat ash. With reference to the similar function of the
peat ash, Wong et al. [8] observed the positive filling effect of sodium bentonite that blocked
the pore spaces of cemented soil, thus closely packing, strengthening its matrix as the
hydration and secondary pozzolanic products were formed during cement hydrolysis. In
addition to that, the significant increase of maximum dry density in the stabilized clay was
caused by the compaction effort in the standard Proctor tests.

4.2 Influence of peat ash content as partial substitute of OPC on cohesion, angle of
internal friction and unconfined compressive strength of the stabilized soil
The shear strength of a soil is generally recognized by two internal mechanisms including
cohesion and angle of internal friction [22]. Table 3 shows the trend of cohesion and angle of
internal friction with various percentages of partial replacement of OPC with peat ash in the
stabilized soil. By comparing the trending behavior of the shear strength properties with that
of the air-voids content in Fig. 5, it can be deduced that the lesser the air-voids content, the
higher is the cohesion and the lower is the angle of internal friction of the stabilized soil. In
particular, there were small differences among the cohesion and angle of internal friction
values when the stabilized soil was applied with a mix design between 0 to 1.5% partial
replacements of OPC with the peat ash. On the basis of the mix design of the stabilized soil
with 1.5% partial replacement of OPC with the peat ash for comparison purpose, it can be
analyzed that further partial substitution of OPC with 1.75 and 2% peat ash resulted in abrupt
decrease of cohesion by 46 and 53% respectively. For the two mix designs, it was realized
that there exists a drastic increase in the corresponding angle of internal friction of the
stabilized soil by 93 and 113% respectively. In a similar trend of development, a significant
decrease in the unconfined compressive strength of the stabilized soil by 124 kPa is
noticeable when comparing the unconfined compression test results of the mix designs

12

between 1.5 and 1.75% partial replacements of OPC with the peat ash as indicated in Table 4.
It is worth noting that according to Wong [10], unconfined compressive strength is a key
parameter that can be used to gage the mechanical performance of stabilized soil. The results
imply that a mix design of more than 1.5% partial replacement of OPC with peat ash is not
feasible to be applied to stabilize the soil due to inadequate cementation and filler effects as a
consequence of the mixture proportions between OPC and peat ash. Such a discovery points
to the fact that enough binding contribution and compaction effort must be achieved by an
appropriate amount of OPC in combination of peat ash in order to produce a cohesive
stabilized soil with consistent volume stability and strength. This provides a concrete
justification that the mix design with 1.5% partial replacement of OPC with peat ash can be
reasonably utilized in the making of the stabilized soil. Experimental evidences that linked
the strength of stabilized soils to the increase in the formation of hydration products can also
be traced from the research works of Raftari et al. [23] and Cristelo et al. [24].

4.3 Micro structural evidence of stabilized soil

Scanning electron micrograph of the stabilized soil provides micro-structural proof on its
cementation impact as a result of cement hydrolysis from the combined action of OPC and
peat ash in the presence of water. Fig. 7 shows the scanning electron micrograph of the
stabilized soil with the mix design of 1.5% partial replacement of OPC with peat ash. There is
an obvious indication from the figure that as a result of compaction, the surface of the
stabilized soil was densely packed with discrete soil particles and cementation compounds
that acted as binder which contributed to the soil reinforcement. The cementation compounds
produced contribute to the strong inter-particle bond that can offer the great resistance to
swelling and shrinkage of the soil [25]. Wong et al. [7] corroborated that such cementation
compounds are primarily characterized by immediate precipitation of calcium silicate hydrate

13

crystals due to the increase of alkalinity and the loss of water content in the process of cement
hydrolysis of stabilized soil. Apart from the binding implication of the cementation
compounds, stabilization of the soil was enhanced by clogging of the soil pores as result of
the filling action of particles from peat ash and silica sand.

5. Conclusions
By investigating the stabilizing influence of the clay with OPC, silica sand and peat ash
under compaction, a rationale mix design for the soil stabilization can be substantiated. On
the basis of the research findings, the following points are concluded.
i.

By increasing the content of peat ash as partial replacement of OPC in the mix design of
the stabilized soil, the optimum water content and maximum dry density decreased in a
steady manner. However, the air-voids content increased significantly by 2-fold when
raising the peat ash content from 1.5 to 1.75% in the mix design of the stabilized soil.
This implies that stabilized clay with the mix design of 1.5% partial substitution of OPC
with peat ash had a threshold effect on its compaction state in a sense that the combined
reaction of cement hydrolysis and filler effect of peat ash and silica sand could be
feasibly achieved with the application of the mix design.

ii. For the stabilized soil, both cohesion and unconfined compressive strength reduced; and
angle of internal friction increased when the OPC was partially replaced with 1.75% peat
ash as compared to those of 1.5% partial replacement of OPC with peat ash in the mix
designs. Such concluding remark provides a strong justification that adequate
cohesiveness, hardness and frictional resistance of the stabilized soil could be reasonably
established with the mix design of 1.5% partial replacement of OPC with peat ash.

14

iii. Based on microscopy observation, the close packing condition of particles in the
stabilized soil is attributable to the combination of compaction and stabilization effects of
the soil with the inclusion of OPC, silica sand and peat ash.

Acknowledgement
The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support from the Ministry of Education
(MOE) of Malaysia through Exploratory Research Grant Scheme (ERGS) (Project reference
number: 13012013ERGS).

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[22] D.J. Armaghani, M. Hajihassani, B.Y. Bejarbaneh, A. Marto, E.T. Mohamad, Indirect
measure of shale shear strength parameters by means of rock index tests through an
optimized artificial neural network. Measurement 55 (2014) 487-498.
[23] M. Raftari, A.S.A. Rashid, K.A. Kassim, H. Moayedi, Evaluation of kaolin slurry
properties treated with cement. Measurement 50 (2014) 222-228.
[24] N. Cristelo, S. Glendinning, L. Fernandes, A.T. Pinto, Effect of calcium content on soil
stabilisation with alkaline activation. Constr. Build. Mater. 29 (2012) 167-174.
[25] Y. Cai, B. Shi, C.W.W. Ng, Effect of polypropylene fibre and lime admixture on
engineering properties of clayey soil. Eng. Geol. 87 (2006) 230-240.

List of Figures
Fig. 1. Taman Wetland clay

17

Fig. 2. Peat ash

Fig. 3. Influence of peat ash as partial replacement of Ordinary Portland cement on optimum
water content of stabilized clay
Fig. 4. Impact of peat ash as partial replacement of Ordinary Portland cement on maximum
dry density of stabilized clay
Fig. 5. Effect of peat ash as partial replacement of Ordinary Portland cement on air-voids
content of stabilized clay
Fig. 6. Typical compaction curves for untreated and treated clays
Fig. 7. Scanning Electron Micrograph taken from the surface of stabilized soil specimen with
a binder composition of OPC 18%, PA 2%, SS 5%

List of Tables
Table 1. Basic properties of Taman Wetland clay
Table 2. Chemical compositions of materials for stabilization of the soil under study
Table 3. Direct shear parameters for the stabilized clay of various mix designs
Table 4. Unconfined compressive strength for the stabilized clay of various mix designs

18

Table 1: Basic properties of Taman Wetland clay

Soil property
Specific gravity
Natural water content (%)
Organic content (%)
Liquid limit (%)
Plastic limit (%)
Plasticity index (%)
Liquidity index (%)
pH

Average value
2.80
45.23
5.51
56.12
24.67
31.45
65.37
7.10

19

Table 2: Chemical compositions of materials for stabilization of the soil under study
Weight (%)
Oxide compound

Ordinary
Portland
cement

Silica
sand

Taman Wetland clay

Peat
ash

MgO

2.0648

0.1774

Al2O3

5.6111

5.1661

SiO2

21.5602

89.0011

76.6873

P2O5

0.7513

SO3

2.1688

0.1421

K2O

1.4632

6.8600

2.8794

CaO

64.9375

0.3372

1.6275

49.9477

TiO2

1.4029

2.4714

V2O5

0.1307

0.3113

MnO

0.2382

Fe2O3

3.6576

1.0301

12.2232

17.7265

ZnO
SrO

0.0083
-

0.2344
0.3489

ZrO2

0.5205

BaO
Br
SO3
Cl

3.1627
0.2255
22.7316
2.1936

Total weight (%)

100.0000

100.0002

100.0001

99.9998

20

Table 3: Direct shear parameters for the stabilized clay of various mix designs
Mix Design
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Partial replacement of
OPC with peat ash (%)
0.00
0.25
0.50
0.75
1.00
1.25
1.50
1.75
2.00

Cohesion
(kPa)
136
132
130
129
128
131
133
72
63

Angle of internal
friction ()
14
16
19
21
22
17
15
29
32

21

Table 4: Unconfined compressive strength for the stabilized clay of various mix designs
Mix Design No. Partial replacement of
OPC with peat ash (%)
1
0.00
2
0.25
3
0.50
4
0.75
5
1.00
6
1.25
7
1.50
8
1.75
9
2.00

Unconfined compressive
strength (kPa)
269
265
258
255
251
261
263
139
69

22

Figure 1: Taman Wetland clay

23

Figure 2: Peat ash

24

18.00

Optimum water content (%)

17.80
17.60

R = 0.95

17.40
17.20
17.00
16.80
0.00
0.25
0.50
0.75
1.00
1.25
1.50
1.75
2.00
Partial replacement of Ordinary Portland cement with peat ash (%)

Figure 3: Influence of peat ash as partial replacement of Ordinary Portland cement on

optimum water content of stabilized clay

Maximum dry density (Mg m-3)

1.865
R = 0.98

1.860

1.855

1.850

1.845
0.00
0.25
0.50
0.75
1.00
1.25
1.50
1.75
2.00
Partial replacement of Ordinary Portland cement with peat ash (%)

Figure 4: Impact of peat ash as partial replacement of Ordinary Portland cement on maximum
dry density of stabilized clay

25

3.00

R = 0.98
Air-voids content (%)

2.50
2.00
1.50
1.00
0.50
0.00
0.00

0.25
0.50
0.75
1.00
1.25
1.50
1.75
2.00
Partial replacement of Ordinary Portland cement with peat ash (%)

Figure 5: Effect of peat ash as partial replacement of Ordinary Portland cement on air-voids
content of stabilized clay

2.05
Maximum dry density (Mg m-3)

Untreated clay

2.00
Treated clay (8% Ordinary Portland
cement: 2% peat ash: 5% silica sand)
Air voids = 0%

1.95
1.90
1.85
1.80
1.75
1.70
1.65
1.60
0

10 12 14 16
Water content (%)

18

20

22

24

Figure 6: Typical compaction curves for untreated and treated clays

26

Figure 7: Scanning Electron Micrograph taken from the surface of stabilized soil specimen
with a binder composition of OPC 18%, PA 2%, SS 5%

27