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INNOVATIVE UTILIZATION OF LIGNOSULPHONATE - A NON-TRADITIONAL

STABILIZER ON CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT OF SWELL-SHRINK BEHAVIOR
OF EXPANSIVE CLAYS

Reference No : 242017003613
Saved By : BHUVANESHWARI SUBRAMANIAN
Saved Date : 10-Aug-2017

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 Generated on 10-Aug-2017 12:09 PM
Proposal

Proposal

Reference No : 242017003613

Proposal Details

Project Title : INNOVATIVE UTILIZATION OF LIGNOSULPHONATE - A NON-TRADITIONAL STABILIZER ON

CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT OF SWELL-SHRINK BEHAVIOR OF EXPANSIVE CLAYS
Scheme : Early Career Research Award
Broad Area : Engineering Sciences Sub Area : Engineering Sciences(ECR)

Duration In Month : 36 Total Cost (in Rs.) : 23,57,258

Name of Principal BHUVANESHWARI SUBRAMANIAN Email ID : eshwari_28@yahoo.co.in
Investigator :
Date of Birth : 28-Nov-1981 Contact No : +919840369765
Category : OBC Gender : Female
Nationality : Indian Is differently abled : No
Designation : Assistant Professor Department : Civil Dept.
PI Address : No.2,Plot no 278-279, 4th street, 5th main road, jeyachandran nagar,Pallikaranai, chennai
PI Institute : VELS Institute of Science, State : Tamil nadu
Technology & Advanced Studies
(VISTAS)
PI Institute Address : Velan nagar, pallavaram, Pin Code : 600100
meenambakkam, Chennai, Tamil
nadu-600043
Institute Joining 01 July, 2016
Date :

Project Summary : The rapid development and infrastructural growth have led to a boom in the construction industry.
The space crunch and less availability of suitable sites have led to the utilization of unsuitable sites,
after the necessary alteration, to be used for construction activities. The problematic soils
(expansive soils, soft clays) pose a great threat to the construction activities. The foundation
options available when an unsuitable soil without sufficient bearing capacity is encountered is to go
for the expensive pile foundation or any other kind of structural alterations. This indirectly leads to a
larger consumption of construction materials and in-turn leads to higher greenhouse gas emissions.
Nevertheless, the choice of stabilization with alkaline additives (Cement, lime, Fly ash) has been
used for decades with large success rates, however these additives used in large quantities with

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their stabilizing mechanism through the formation of cementitious compounds tend to alter the
nature of the ground water as well as affects the biodiversity in the soil and reduces the soil-carbon
ratio as well. These disadvantages have forced us to search for a more environmentally friendly,
nature based polymeric material which can be a waste byproduct but still could be a suitable
stabilizer.
Thus, this study proposes to attempt for usage of such an additive and check its suitability for the
foundation soil stabilization. Lignosulphonate (LS) a lignin based product derived from a waste from
the paper industry is to be used as an additive for stabilizing the problematic soil-expansive and soft
clay as well. Its suitability is substantiated with respect to Index properties, Engineering properties,
and Microstructural changes. The main objective of the present study is to carry out a comparative
study between lime and LS treated soil. Unconfined compressive strength and CBR test will be
carried out for different curing period for the LS treated soil, which can comprehensively elaborate
the effectiveness of the additive, further the durability tests which verify the additive’s stability under
cycles of loading (simulating traffic loading) as well as cycles of wetting and drying for the
expansive soil simulating the field conditions would be a significant measure of the long-term
stability of the LS treated soil. The laboratory test results yielding comparatively improved results in
the soil properties would be further substantiated in the small-scale field testing. Considerable
improvement in the geotechnical characteristics of the soil can go a long way and can be a viable
solution to numerous field problems. It will find its application in many other construction
applications like in pavements, foundation issues and stabilizing the slopes etc.

Objective : • Pilot tests to study the effect of different percentage of LS on expansive soil and
determine the optimum contents suitable for stabilization is ascertained.
•Determination of index and engineering properties of LS and Lime treated soils with respect to
different curing periods.
•Microstructural studies XRD/SEM on LS/Lime treated soil is carried out to understand the intricate
stabilizing mechanism at the microstructural level.
•Comparative evaluation of LS /Lime treated soil.
•Durability studies on LS/Lime treated soil in order to determine the stability of the additives under
cycles of wetting and drying.
•Determination of resilient modulus through cyclic triaxial tests

Keywords : Expansive soil, Lignosulphonate, Cementitious, Durability, Microstructure, Resilient modulus

Expected Output and Outcome of the proposal :
The laboratory test results yielding comparatively improved results in the soil properties would be further substantiated in
the small-scale field testing. Further cost comparison would be made between the LS mixing of the soil and the traditional
methods of piling and chemical stabilization. The preliminary field testing would be mixing directly with LS and compacting
in layers and the increase in the bearing capacity would be measured. The tests would be carried out with the geotechnical
firm “Geotechnical Solutions” in Chennai. The success of the proposed project depends on the strength improvement on
par with lime treatment. The results are expected to be 1 or 2 folds higher than lime for expansive soils. Having these
parameters ensured, this stabilization option could be applied for various field applications. Unlike lime and cement, the pH
of the soil water would not be altered and the local flora and fauna would be unaffected as such the bio-diversity would be
maintained. Based on the success of the field testing and the cost effectiveness in using this method, it could be
recommended for renovation of foundations works and small-scale foundation stabilization.

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1.ORIGIN OF THE PROPOSAL

Expansive soils are spread all over the world and found to be highly problematic due to their
swell-shrink behaviour caused by the seasonal fluctuation in moisture content (Chen, 1988). Hot
climate and poor drainage conditions are usually associated with the formation of expansive
montmorillonite soils. Lightly loaded structures, such as the single-storey dwellings, pavements,
canal linings and railway tracks, founded on expansive soil experience severe distress due to the
swell shrink behaviour. The problems caused by expansive soils costs significantly and could be
twice the cost of flood damage or damage caused by landslides and more than 20 times the cost of
earthquake damage (Bell, 1988).

In India, expansive soils are generally termed as the black cotton soil. It is spread over nearly 20%
of the land area (Mohan and Jain,1961). Chennai city in Tamil Nadu is dominated with transported
expansive soils and soils of marine origin. The buildings constructed in these areas show severe
cracks and excessive differential settlements (Ramasamy and Anirudhen,2009). When the
subgrade material in the pavement is expansive in nature, it has to withstand repeated traffic
loading and it should also be stable towards moisture ingress. The moisture ingress can be either
through surface infiltration or from the underlying ground water table (Christopher et al.,2006).
The subgrade is the top surface of the road bed upon which the pavement structure and shoulders
are constructed. Under the cyclic loading, the layers of the pavements behave elastically with the
accumulation of plastic deformation during the repeated cycles.

Hence it is important to have a systematic study to stabilise the expansive soil to reduce the
damages. The commonly adopted method when such problematic soils are encountered are by-
passing the structural load to a deeper level through pile foundations, which are often very
expensive, use of under reamed pile foundations, mat foundations, cohesive non-swelling (CNS)
layer technique (Katti,1979) and chemical alteration. However, the most sought-after technique is
the chemical alteration, nevertheless alkaline stabilizers (cement, lime, flyash, industrial by-
products such as the, cement bypass dust, copper slag, slag cement and granulated blast furnace
slag (GBFS)) are predominantly used and has a greater success rate which have been proved in
many applications. However, the usage of these additives poses severe environmental hazard to
the surrounding. The additives increase the pH of the soil environment which in turn causes
corrosion of the buried pipelines (Rao and Thyagaraj, 2003). The change in the soil pH causes

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great threat to the ground water local vegetation and organisms present. The lime treated soils
show excessive brittle behavior (Bhuvaneshwari et al.,2013, Kamruzzaman et al., 2009) which can
cause excessive cracks. Moreover, the stability of the soil is also questionable under traffic loading
or impact loading (Lefebvre and Rochelle, 1974). In addition, use of these alkaline based
stabilizers increases the emission of greenhouse gases in their production and also consumes 2%
of the global energy in their production. (Boynton, 1980; Albino et al., 2011).

In the recent past, few research works are focused on the utilization of non-traditional stabilizers
which are “environmentally sustainable”. It is an initiative to convert waste into wealth. The
additives could be a by-product of agricultural origin or food industry origin (like natural polymers,
lignin based stabilisers). These non-traditional stabilizers which are non-toxic, non-corrosive and
environmental friendly (Desmet et al., 1985) can be effectively used in the place of alkaline
stabilizers. They also have the potential to be used in lesser quantity and could prove more durable
under water ingress in foundation applications. The main advantage of using a non-traditional
stabilizer is that they can reduce the carbon content in the atmosphere thereby increasing the soil
organic carbon (SOC) which has a direct impact on the global climatic change (Chan,2008).
Reduction of carbon foot print is one of the basic requirement of smart city concepts. Developing
countries like India, where the concept of smart cities are yet to be implemented requires green
concepts at every step towards development. The usage of less polluting and more environmentally
sustainable additives helps us keep a step forward towards smart cities.

2. REVIEW OF STATUS OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE SUBJECT

2.1 International Status:

Stabilising expansive soil by the addition of lime is an ancient art and an age-old practice, which
has been followed all over the world. Lime is an effective stabilizing agent for soft soil and
expansive soils and can enormously increase the workability, and strength while limiting volume
changes. Lime has many applications in the geotechnical engineering practices like airfield
pavements, stabilising underlying soils in highways, canal linings, earth dams and building
structures. Investigations on the behaviour of lime treated soils were studied by numerous
researchers. Bell (1988) has carried out extensive studies using lime to understand the changes in
the behaviour of expansive soils, specifically on the changes in Atterberg’s limits, moisture–
density relationships and strength of the soil. The addition of lime to clay soil causes an immediate

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increase in the plastic limit. The increase is directly proportional to the amount of lime added and
was found to be very high for Montmorillonitic soil. Overall, there is a decrease in plasticity index
but the effects on liquid limit and plastic limit vary depending on the type of clay mineral present.

Design of Pavements in Expansive Soils

Potentially, expansive black cotton soils are characterized by extreme cracks and hardness when
dry, and heaving during moisture ingress. In semi- arid climatic conditions characterized by long
dry seasons and short wet seasons, the problem of swelling and shrinkage gets aggravated leading
to pavement distortion, cracking and general unevenness. The seasonal moisture variations can
cause further deterioration of the pavements. The pavement life is affected and enormous losses
are incurred. When encountered during pavement construction, these soils require special
treatment methods to counter their volume change behavior. Methods like replacement with
borrow material or stabilization methods using lime, fly ash or cement is suggested.
The material properties of lime-stabilized soils and their impact on overall pavement performance
can be divided into 3 categories (Little, 1999): strength, resilient modulus, resilient modulus
stiffness, durability
Puppala et al. (1996), carried out cyclic triaxial tests using the AASHTO T-294 protocol to
determine the resilient modulus of lime treated cohesive silty clay soils. The percentage of lime
was established based on the increase in the plastic limit on lime addition. They also found the
effect of the molding water contents on the MR (resilient modulus) of the lime treated soil. Further
empirical correlations were also developed to predict the resilient modulus from moisture content,
dry density, CBR and UCC. was adopted for the purpose. Thus, lime is a well-established stabilizer
for mitigating the swelling nature of the expansive soil both at micro and macro structural level.
Nevertheless, lime and cement based stabilizers generally create an alkaline environment with pH
close to 9-11. Hence, with respect to environmental concerns, there is a need for an less alkaline
stabilizer which can still mitigate swelling without affecting the ecological diversity.

Lignosulphonate (LS) is one of the natural bi-product and a non-traditional stabilizer used in recent
times in many other engineering applications. Its usage covers a wide area of applications as a dust
control of mud roads, in brick making, water treatment units, leather tanning industry. Also utilized
in as an alternate for drilling fluid and also in concrete technology. However utilization of LS in
the field of soil stabilization is a recent practice and limited research works has been initiated.
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Mirzababaei et al., (2017) have carried out tests on expansive soil using hydrophilic polymers to
improve the unconfined compressive strength(UCC) of both dense and soft clay deposits. Two
chemical additives namely poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) and 1,2,3,4 Butane tetra carboxylic acid
(BTCA) were used in 0.1 to 1.5% dosages and improvement in UCC strength was determined. The
organic co-polymer increased the UCS strength of very soft clays from 10kPa to nearly 116kPa.
Apart from strength increase, the polymers form PVA hydrogels in between the soil particles
causing soil aggregations. Polymer based compounds stabilize the soil through particle
aggregations through absorption of water, however the strength increase is yet to be studied.
Few research works were carried out two decades ago by Puppala and Hanchanloet (1999) and
Tingle and Santori (2003), specifically using lignosulphonate. They carried out laboratory
investigations on cohesive soils. It is highlighted that lignosulfonate accompanied by a small
amount of sulphuric acid showed a profound improvement in shear strength and resilient modulus
of soil. Tingle and Santori (2003) investigated the effect of lignosulfonate on different types of
clayey soils and they concluded that lignosulfonates were capable of significantly improving the
strength of clayey soils of low plasticity.

Considerable research has been carried out in University of Wollongong (Indraratna et al. 2008;
Vinod et al. 2010; Athukorala et al. 2013: Alazigha et al. 2016) on the Lignosulphonate (LS)
treatment of expansive soils, dispersive erodible soils. Conclusive results were drawn by them in
the aspects of swell pressure and swell potential. They have also delineated significant findings on
the micro-structural behavior of clay particles and LS interaction. Indraratna et al. (2008)
conducted research on internal erosion behaviour of lignosulfonate treated dispersive soils and
they highlighted that lignosulfonate treatment improved the erosion resistance of the treated soil
similar to traditional admixtures such as lime and cement. Further the stabilization of dispersive
soils with LS was studied by Vinod et al., 2010, using process simulation apparatus for internal
crack erosion. LS treated soils revealed improvement in the erosional parameters such as the
critical shear stress and co-efficient of soil erosion. They have also carried out the micro-chemical
analyses of LS treated soils. Sophisticated Analytical Techniques like SEM, XRD, Fourier
transform Infrared-spectroscopy and Energy Dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy were used to
understand the interaction at the microscopic level. These studies revealed a reduction of the
double layer thickness of the clay particles and formation of particle cluster or aggregates, ensuring
a ductile behavior of the treated soil.

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Indraratna et al., (2012) carried out laboratory strength tests on LS treated clay soils. The
unconfined compressive strength tests results indicated an increase in the ultimate strength and
stiffness of LS treated soils. They also observed that the LS stabilization completely depends on
the clay minerology. The reactive clay soil which has the presence of Montmorillonite reacts better
with LS than kaolinite. Further FTIR analysis also showed that the stabilizing reaction is through
electrostatic reaction process. The results revealed a reduction in the double layer thickness, due
to increase in the ionic concentration.

Alazigha et al., (2016) carried out one-dimensional swell tests on LS treated Australian expansive
soil. The LS treated samples exhibited considerable reduction in swelling, and were stable over
freeze-thaw cycles. The microstructural analysis also revealed a reduced specific surface area
which has further reduced the swell potential of the otherwise expansive soil.

The improvement in the behavior of silty foundation soil was studied by Zhang et al., (2016), the
silty soil was treated with lignin-based industrial by-product. The engineering property tests
revealed a ductile behavior for around 12% of LS treated silty soil.

Though few research works had been carried out in the utilization of lignosulfonates for stabilizing
process, there does not exist a protocol or codal provisions for the usage of the LS. Further the
behavior of the treated material under cyclic loading conditions simulating pavement traffic
loading is not focused. Hence this study primarily focusses on bringing out a standard protocol
in utilization of LS in terms of quantity and quality to be adopted in soil stabilization for various
applications.

2.2 National Status

In India, the central part, mainly regions of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh are dominated by
expansive soils, commonly called as black cotton soils. Expansive soils are also found in certain
regions of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Bundelhand region in Utter Pradesh and parts of
Karnataka. Nearly 20% of land area of India is covered with expansive soils (Mohan and Jain,
1961). The thickness of these soil deposits varies from few centimeters to 10 to 12 meters.
Numerous research work has been carried out in India with respect to the stabilization of the black
cotton soil. Additives such as lime, cement, flyash and other industrial by-products has been
extensively used in the soil stabilization to mitigate swelling and reduce the compressibility for

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soft clays as well. Non swelling layer technique, Katti (1979), Rajasekharan and Rao (1997), Rao
and Venkatasamy(2002), Rao and Thyagaraj (2003) have carried out works on lime piles and lime
slurry stabilization. Many works have been carried out on understanding the microstructural
mechanism of lime-clay stabilization. Bhuvaneshwari, et al (2010). Phanikumar (2009), carried
out laboratory scale experiments to bring out the combined action of lime and fly ash on swelling
and consolidation characteristics of black cotton soils. However very few studies have been carried
out in India on utilization of lignosulfonate for treatment of expansive soils.

Various forms of lignin have been used in the stabilization of soil. Lekha et al (2015) studied the
effect of electrolyte lignin stabilizer (ELS) in stabilizing the black cotton soil present in the
northern part of Karnataka, India. They used ELS in combination with Flyash to improve the
properties of the BC-subgrade soil for pavements. Apart from the determination of routine
geotechnical properties, dynamic repeated load test was conducted to examine the fatigue behavior
of the soil. Durability aspects of the soils was also checked by wet-dry and freeze-thaw cycles.
They inferred that the combination of ELS and Flyash worked out well in reducing the swelling
behavior to 2% and improvement in the UCC strength to 5 folds.

Rajoria and Kaur (2015) have carried out some research on polymer based stabilization of locally
available black cotton soil in Bhopal. They have used a polymer called Renolith in conjuction with
cement. Routine geotechnical experiments were carried out on the treated samples. SEM -
micrographs were also observed to understand the microstructural details. A considerable decrease
in the plastic limit was observed. CBR values depicted a nearly 8 folds increase and the UCC
values showed a 3-fold increase. Micrographs revealed a polymer coating around the soil particle.

However not much work has been carried out on the individual application of the lignosulphonate
and its effect on both swelling and soft clays. The present study mainly focusses on sole effect of
lignosulphonate on the soil. The objective of the present study is to find the feasibility of usage of
lignosulphonate as an environmental sustainable stabilizer and an alternative to the alkaline
stabilizer, an ecofriendly environmentally sustainable stabilizer for the enhancement of soil
properties.

2.3 Importance of the proposed project in the context of current status

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The swift urbanization and infrastructural developmental has led to a boom in the construction
industry. The space crunch and fewer availability of suitable sites has led to the utilization of
unsuitable sites, after the necessary alteration, to be used for construction activities. The foundation
options available when an unsuitable soil without sufficient bearing capacity is encountered is to
go for the expensive pile foundation or any other kind of structural alterations. This indirectly leads
to a larger consumption of construction materials and in-turn leads to higher greenhouse gas
emissions. Nevertheless, the choice of stabilization with alkaline additives (Cement, lime, Fly ash)
has been used for decades with large success rates, however these additives used in large quantities
with their stabilizing mechanism through the formation of cementitious compounds tend to alter
the nature of the ground water as well as affects the biodiversity in the soil and reduces the soil-
carbon ratio as well. These disadvantages has forced us to search for a more environment friendly,
nature based polymeric material which can be a waste by-product but still could serve as a suitable
stabilizer. Thus, this study proposes to attempt for usage of such an additive and check its
suitability for the foundation soil stabilization. Lignosulphonate a lignin based product derived as
a waste from the paper industry is used as an additive for stabilizing the expansive soil. Its
suitability is substantiated with respect to Index properties, Engineering properties and
microstructural changes. The results are proposed to be compared with an alkaline counterpart –
Lime. Considerable improvement in the geotechnical characteristics of the soil can go a long way
and can be a viable solution to numerous field problems. It will find its application in many other
construction applications like in pavements, foundation issues and stabilizing the slopes etc.

2.4 Basis for Selection of Location

The soil sites for the current study is planned to be identified in Chennai, Coastal city in Tamil
Nadu. Chennai is a port city on the coast of the Bay of Bengal with two minor rivers flowing
through the city. The city is dominated with transported expansive soils and soils of marine origin.
The southern parts of the city is dominated by the desiccated stiff clay underlain by very soft clays
of very low shear strength. The areas near Taramani and Thiruvanmiyur are dominated by soft
clays which extends to a depth of nearly 9 to 10 meters. The areas near Siruseri towards the south
of Chennai has deep deposits of expansive soils. Hence the foundation options in these areas are
usually piling or lime treatment. However chemical stabilization utilizes huge quantities of
material which again pose a large threat to the environment, indirectly escalates the project cost.

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The current study which proposes to use an alternate eco-friendly material if found to be
substantially superior to lime and cement could be a viable alternative construction material and
would also bring down the construction cost.

3.WORK PLAN

3.1 METHODOLOGY

3.1.1 INTRODUCTION

The research work is planned with extensive laboratory experiments, usage of analytical
techniques, experiment based inferences and special equipments. A potentially problematic soil
site will be chosen for this particular study. Two additives are chosen, in order to stabilize the
expansive soil chosen for the research. Lignosulfonate (LS) a natural polymer based non-
traditional stabilizer is chosen for this study, Lime-a traditional stabilizer is also used in order to
bring in the effectiveness of the LS and for the comparative studies as well. The soil is to be
collected, dried and pulverized and all the geotechnical experiments are to be carried out as per the
guidelines of IS:2720, Indian Standards - Compendium for method of tests for soils. The series of
geotechnical tests are carried out on the selected soil to bring out its characteristic property before
treatment and after treatment and thus a comparative study is to be made, analyzing the results and
as such a possibility of improved properties are anticipated. Further the stabilized soil is tested for
its suitability as a subgrade material by running series of tests determining the Resilient Modulus
of the treated soil.

(i) Objective of the present study

• Selection of suitable site for the project, highly expansive soil site is to be chosen.

• Pilot tests to study the effect of different percentage of LS on expansive soil and
determine the optimum contents suitable for stabilization is to be ascertained.

• Determination of Index and Engineering properties of LS and Lime treated soils with
respect to different curing periods.

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 • Microstructural studies XRD/SEM on LS/Lime treated soil is to be carried out to
understand the intricate stabilizing mechanism at the microstructural level.

• Comparative evaluation of LS /Lime treated soil.

• Durability studies on LS/Lime treated soil in order to determine the stability of the
additives under cycles of wetting and drying.

• Determination of Resilient Modulus (MR) of the soil and treated samples under
different curing periods to establish the behavior under cyclic loading, simulating
traffic loads.

(ii) Test details – All the tests carried out for determination of index properties of soil are
as per IS 2720, Indian Standards - Compendium for method of tests for soils.The
details of the tests are listed in the Table 1

1. Index property tests- Atterberg’s Limits- Liquid limit, Plastic limit, Shrinkage limit,
Grain size analysis, free swell tests- classification of soil.

2. Engineering property tests- Proctor’s compaction, Unconfined compressive strength

tests(UCC), California bearing ratio tests(CBR), one-dimensional swell.

3. Determination of Resilient Modulus- as per AASHTO-T307-99 (2012) using cyclic

triaxial apparatus.

4. Chemical analysis- pH, electrical conductivity, using pH meter and electrical

conductivity meter.

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 5. Micro-structural properties- Scanning electron microscope (SEM), SEM is an
analytical tool often used for measurement of fabric of clays because of its higher
resolution capacity and large depth of focus and yields more information at the micro-
structural level. X-Ray diffraction (XRD)-Analytical technique for obtaining the
minerals present in the soil through X-Ray analysis.

3.1.2 EXPERIMENTAL METHODOLOGY

▪ The soil samples will be collected from the respective site. The possible places of interest
are to be chosen in Chennai. The problematic soils are to be identified, brought to the lab,
oven dried, pulverized and kept ready for the soil testing.

▪ The index property tests (Atterberg’s Limits- Liquid limit, Plastic limit, Shrinkage limit,
Grain size analysis, free swell tests) are to be carried out on the soil and the soil will be
classified as potentially high swelling clays.

▪ Expansive soils- The soil identified as expansive soil, is to be subjected to direct mixing
with two stabilizers chosen for this particular study.

▪ Lime -Traditional stabilizer, Lignosulphonate – Nontraditional stabilizer

▪ The project work will be carried out in 6 phases in 3 years. The details of the phases are
given in Sec 3.2.

(i) Expansive Soil-Lime treatment and Lignosulphonate (LS) treatment

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 The author has previously worked extensively on lime treatment of expansive soils
(Bhuvaneshwari et al.,2013) and some of the results are given in Fig.2 and Fig.3

• Lime treatment of the soil is to be initiated with the determination of ICL (initial
consumption of lime) value of the soil. The selected expansive soil will be treated with ICL
lime value taken as the optimum content.

• The expansive soil will be mixed with the calcium lignosulphonate (LS), commercially
procured from the market on weight basis. Pilot tests are to be carried out with different
percentage of LS and the optimum content is determined.

• The index property tests (Atterberg’s Limits- Liquid limit, Plastic limit, Shrinkage limit,
Grain size analysis, Free swell tests) are to be carried out for the treated soil (Lime/LS).

• The engineering property tests - Proctor’s compaction, Unconfined compressive strength

tests (UCC), California bearing ratio tests (CBR), one-dimensional swell (Lime/LS).

• The undrained compressive strength properties are also to be determined for the lime
treated samples subjected to certain period of curing- 7,14 and 28 days, allowing for the
formation of cementation products. Similar tests will be carried out on LS-Soil mixes to
understand the stabilization behavior and effect of curing as well. The effect of different
percentage of lime with curing period on UCC strength for expansive soil collected at
Siruseri (Chennai) is depicted in Fig.2.

• Further the treated samples are also to be subjected to micro-structural analysis, X- Ray
diffraction analysis, where the mineral constituents are identified with their peak angles.
The stabilization with lime suppresses some of the expansive soil mineral peaks. The SEM
micrographs clearly depicts the fabric orientation which will be distinctly different for
treated soil showing cementations, indicating formation of new compounds and
aggregations.

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• Durability studies will be carried out in specially fabricated oedometer which incorporates
a heating element. An elevated temperature of 40 ± 5˚C is to be maintained during the
drying process. The set-up consists of a fixed ring oedometer cell of size 100 mm diameter
and 50 mm thickness placed inside a stainless-steel container (outer jacket). The outer face
of the jacket holds a nichrome coil tightly sandwiched between two asbestos sheets. The
temperature of the whole system is controlled by a thermostat. The schematic
representation of the experimental set-up is shown in Fig. 1.

• The current standard test method to determine the resilient modulus is described by
AASHTO T 307-99, the traffic conditions are simulated by applying a series of repeated
deviatoric stresses, separated by rest periods and field conditions are simulated by
conditioning sequences. The test is carried out in a triaxial set up with provisions for cyclic
load application by air pressure through servo-controlled valve. The test is carried out by
applying a series of deviatoric and confining pressure combinations. Each cycle is of 1.0
second duration with 0.1 second for load application followed by a rest period of 0.9
second. The load is applied in terms of an initial conditioning phase of 500 cycles and the
subsequent fifteen sequences are carried out at 100 cycles each. The resilient and
permanent deformations, measured by the transducers (both Axial and Actuator), are used
for the calculation of resilient micro strain and the permanent strain. The resilient modulus
is then calculated as the ratio of the cyclic stress applied to that of the resilient micro strain.
The Resilient modulus values (MR) for lime soil blend with respect to different curing
periods is depicted in Fig.3. A typical resilient modulus test set up is shown in Fig. 4. The
resilient modulus apparatus incur heavy costs. Hence these tests are planned to be carried
out in the premium institutes where the research facility is available and could be carried
at certain charges. The approximate cost of the testing would be around 15000 per sample.
It is planned to carry out tests on 25 samples which would give a total cost of 3,75,000
INR.

• The results thus obtained for both additives are to be compared and their suitability is
inferred.

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 • The outline of the experimental scheme is given in Schematic I and Schematic II.
Table 1. Details of the tests and corresponding codal procedure adopted
Soil Property
Grain Size Distribution
Liquid Limit
Plastic Limit
Shrinkage Limit
Linear Shrinkage
Specific Gravity
Free swell index
Max Dry Density and
Optimum moisture content
Unconfined Compressive
strength
CBR value
Swell Pressure and Swell
Potential
Resilient Modulus (MR)
Details of test
Sieve analysis, Hydrometer
Casagrande apparatus
Hand rolling method
Mercury displacement
method
Faster method for finding
shrinkage of the samples
Density bottle method
Free Swell Index test
Proctor’s Compaction
method
UCC test
California bearing ratio test
One Dimensional Swell test
Cyclic Triaxial test
Codal Procedure adopted
IS:2720 (Part 3-Sec1)
IS: 2720 (Part 5 -1985)
IS:2720 (Part 5 -1985)
IS: 2720 (Part 6 -1972)
IS:2720 (Part 20-1966)
IS:2720 (Part 3- Sec 1)
IS:2720 (Part 40- 1977)
IS:2720 (Part 5-1970)
IS:4332 (Part 5-1970)
IS:2720 (Part 16-1979)
IS:2720(Part 41- 1977)
AASHTO t307-99 (2007)
13
Fig. 1. Schematic view of the Modified Oedometer set up

14
 80
2% lime 4% lime
70

% Increase in strength
6% lime 8% lime
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
3 14 21 28
Curing period (days)

Fig. 2 Percentage of increase in strength for different curing periods and percentage of lime

300 0 days cured 3 days cured

28 days cured
250

200
MR (MPa)

150

100

50

0
0 4 6 8
Percentage of lime

Fig. 3 Variation of MR value with percentage of lime and curing period

(σ1=68.9 kPa, σ3 = 41.4 kPa)
15
 Servo control unit
for load
application

Load Cell LVDT

Triaxial
chamber
Soil Sample

Fig. 4 Typical Triaxial cell set up for Resilient Modulus determination

16
SCHEMATIC 1: Soil Identification and Classification

PROBLEMATIC SOILS

EXPANSIVE SOIL

IDENTIFICATION OF HIGH SWELL POTENTIAL SITE

&
COLLECTION OF SOIL

INDEX PROPERTY TESTS, (LL,PL,SL)

GRAIN SIZE ANALYSIS,FREE SWELL INDEX

CLASSIFICATION OF SOIL AS HIGH SWELL POTENTIAL SOIL

MINEROLOGICAL DETAILS, MONTMORILLONITE MINERAL

TREAMENT WITH STABILIZERS -LIME, LIGONOSULFONATE

17
SCHEMATIC II – Details of tests to be carried out

Expansive soil

Lime/
Lignosulphonate
treatment

Index Property Engineering Microstructural

Durability Studies
determination properties properties

ICL value Cyclic wetting and

Compaction tests SEM, XRD
determination drying

UCC tests ( with Cyclic Triaxial test,

Atterberg's limits (
curing, 7,14,28 MR value
LL,PL,SL)
days determination

CBR tests

18
3.2 TIME SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES

Table 2: Time Schedule

Sl.No. Activity Duration (Months)

1 Literature review
3

2 Recruitment of JRF
3

3 Equipment Procurement
3

4 Site selection and soil collection

6

5 Expansive soil- LS treatment - Index and

9
engineering properties/effect of curing period
6 Treatment with lime and comparative studies
(LS and Lime) 12

7 Microstructural Studies
6

8 Durability Studies- Cyclic wetting and drying

6

9 Durability Studies- Cyclic triaxial testing

6

10 Compilation of all test results, report

6
preparation

19
 Year I Year II Year III

Activity
Phase I (0-6) Phase II (6-12) Phase III (12-18) Phase IV (18-24) Phase V (24-30) Phase VI (30-36)

Literature Review

Recruitment of JRF

Equipments procurement

Site selection, soil collection

Expansive soil- LS treatment - Index

and engineering properties/effect of
curing period
Treatment with lime and comparative
studies (LS and Lime)

Microstructural Studies

Durability studies (Cyclic wetting and

drying)

Durability Studies- Cyclic triaxial

testing

Compilation of test results and report

preparation and submission

Fig.5 Bar Chart depicting the time schedule of the activities planned

20
3.3 SUGGESTED PLAN OF ACTION FOR UTILIZATION OF RESEARCH OUTCOME
EXPECTED FROM THE PROJECT

Unconfined compressive strength and CBR test are to be carried out for different curing period for
the LS treated soil, which can comprehensively elaborate the effectiveness of the additive, further
the durability tests for the expansive soil simulating the field conditions which verifies the
additive’s stability under cycles of wetting and drying and also its suitability as a pavement
subgrade material would be a significant measure of the long-term stability of the LS treated soil.
The laboratory test results yielding comparatively improved results in the soil properties would be
further substantiated in the small-scale field testing. Further cost comparison would be made
between the LS mixing of the soil and the traditional methods of piling and chemical stabilization.
The preliminary field testing would be mixing directly with LS and compacting in layers and the
increase in the bearing capacity would be measured. The tests would be carried out with the
geotechnical firm by name “Geotechnical Solutions” in Chennai. Based on the success of the field
testing and the cost effectiveness in using this method, it could be recommended for renovation of
foundations works and small-scale foundation stabilization.

3.4 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND RISK ANALYSIS

From the literature studies and research works carried out, it is evident that LS treatment does not
increase the pH of the soil water. Hence the impact on the surrounding flora and fauna is not
endangered. Since it is an eco-friendly polymer based additive, the risks involved are negligible.
Further the strength aspects would be ascertained by both laboratory and field test as well, hence
the uncertainties pertaining to the durability and stability of LS soil mixes would be very well be
experimentally verified before any practical applications. Specific impact on the environment
would be checked by carrying out periodic water quality analysis.

21
4. EXPERTISE:

4.1 Expertise available with the investigators in executing the project

• The PI has carried out significant studies on lime treatment of expansive soils during
doctoral research at IITM (Indian Institute of Technology Madras), Chennai.

• The PI has carried out laboratory tests on lime treated expansive soils. Index property tests,
Determination of engineering properties and microstructural studies.

• Has sufficient expertise on the necessary laboratory equipments and experiments.

• Has published 8 papers (Journal as well as conference) on topics related to the current
proposal.

• The author has inferred several conclusions for lime treatment of expansive soils

Lime treatment significantly modifies the expansive soils both at microstructural and
macrostructural level as well. Some of the inferences are given below.

• For the lime treated soil there is nearly 4 times increase in UCC strength, and 10 folds
increase in permeability. Lime additions lesser than LMO (lime modification optimum)
cannot invoke permanent reactions due to insufficient quantity of lime. Lime percentage
greater than the LMO can bring about pozzolanic reactions which are more permanent and
causes increase in the strength with time. Percentage of lime at and 1 to 2% above LMO
shows tremendous increase of strength to nearly 15 times of the untreated soil due to the
time bound reactions.
• Lime addition reduces the specific surface area and increases the pore size compared to the
untreated soil. The formation of clusters and aggregation of clay platelets, with respect to
curing period were observed from the micro porosimetry results which showed an
increased mesoporous (200Å in diameter) volume on lime addition.

• The SEM results also substantiated the above conclusions depicting the formation of
clusters of particles with increase in the curing period. The XRD patterns shows

22
 suppression of the quartz peak and formation of CSH (2θ = 29.8°) for all percentages of
lime and curing period rather than the complete alteration of clay mineralogy.

Paper Published related to the lime treatment is given in the section 4.3.

The expertise the author has gained through previous research will enable the PI to carry out the
current research work.

4.2 Summary of roles/responsibilities for all Investigators:

S.No Name of the investigators Roles/Responsibilities

1. Dr.S.Bhuvaneshwari Principal Investigator

4.3 Key publications published by the Investigators pertaining to the theme of the proposal
during the last 5 years

1. S.Bhuvaneshwari, R.G.Robinson, S.R.Gandhi (2010) “Microfabric and mineralogical

studies on the stabilization of an expansive soil using inorganic additives”,
International Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 4, (3), 395-405.

2. S.Bhuvaneshwari, R.G.Robinson, S.R.Gandhi (2013) “Behaviour of Lime Treated

Cured Expansive Soil Composites”, Indian Geotechnical Journal, DOI 10.1007/s40098-
013-0081-3.

3. S.Bhuvaneshwari, R.G.Robinson, S.R.Gandhi (2010) “Comparison of different

models for resilient modulus of lime treated soils” Proceedings of the international
conference on developments in road transportation, DRT-2010, Rourkela, Orissa, India
October, 469-477.

4. S.Bhuvaneshwari,.R.G.Robinson,.S.R.Gandhi (2010) “Alternative techniques to

induce faster lime stabilization reaction in deeper expansive strata” Proceedings of
Indian Geotechnical Conference, GEOtrendz, IGC, 2010, Mumbai, December 609-612.

23
4.4 Bibliography

1. Alazigha, D., Indraratna, B., Vinod, J. S. & Ezeajugh, L. Emeka. (2016). “The swelling
behaviour of lignosulfonate-treated expansive soil”. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil
Engineers – Ground Improvement, 169 (3), 182-193.

2. Albino, V, Dangelico R.M., Natalicchio, A, and Yazen, D.M. (2011), “Alternative Energy
Sources in Cement Manufacturing: A systematic review of the body of knowledge”. Network
for Business Sustainability, University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.

3. Athukorala R, Indraratna B and Vinod JS (2013), “Modeling the internal erosion behavior
of lignosulfonate treated soil”. In C. L. Meehan, D. Pradel, M. A. Pando & J. F. Labuz (Eds.),
Geo-Congress 2013 (1872-1881). United States: American Society of Civil Engineers

4. Bell, F.G. (1988), “Stabilization and Treatment of clay soils with lime”. Ground Engineering,
21(1) 10-15.

5. Bhuvaneshwari, S., Robinson, R.G. and Gandhi, S.R. (2010) “Microfabric and
mineralogical studies on the stabilization of an expansive soil using inorganic additives”,
International Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 4, (3), 395-405.

6. Bhuvaneshwari, S., Robinson, R.G., Gandhi, S.R. (2013), “Behaviour of lime treated cured
expansive soil composites”, Indian Geotechnical Journal, DOI 10.1007/s40098-013-0081-3.

7. Boynton, R.S. (1980), Chemistry and Technology of Lime and Limestone. 2nd Ed., Wiley,
New York.

8. Chan, Y. (2008). “Increasing soil organic carbon of agricultural land.” PrimeFacts,NSW, 735,
1-5.

9. Chen, F. H. Foundations on Expansive Soils. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1988.

24
10. Christopher, B.R., C. Schwartz, and R. Boudreau (2006) FHWA NHI-05-037
Geotechnical Aspects of pavements, Reference manual. U.S. Department of Transportation,
Federal Highway Administration.

11. Desmet, J., Gabriels, D., and Dierickx, W. (1985), “Effect of soil conditioners on the
permeability and stability of soils.” Journal of Science of Food and Agriculture, 36(4), 242-
248.

12. Indraratna, B., Athukorala, R., and Vinod, J. (2012). “Estimating the rate of erosion of a
silty sand treated with lignosulfonate, Engineering Geology, 196,1-11, DOI:
10.1016/j.enggeo.2015.07.003.

13. Indraratna, B., Muttuvel, T., Khabaaz, H., and Armstrong, B. (2008). “Predicting the
erosion rate of chemically treated soil using a process simulation apparatus for internal crack
erosion.” Journal of Geotechnical and Geo-Environmental Engineering, ASCE, 134(6), 837-
844.

14. IS: 2720: Indian Standard code of practice for Method of test for soils

15. Kamruzzamam,A.H., Chew S.H., Lee F.H. (2009), “Structuration and Destructuration
Behavior of Cement-Treated Singapore Marine Clay”- Journal of Geotechnical and
Geoenvironmental Engineering, 135(4).

16. Katti, R. K. (1979) Search for solutions to problems in black cotton soils. Indian Geotechnical
Journal, 9, 1–80.

17. Lefebvre, G. Z. and Rochelle, P. L. (1974), “The analysis of two slope failures in cemented
Champlain clays.” Canadian Geotechnical Journal, Vol. 11, No. 1, pp. 89-108, DOI:
10.1139/T74-007.

18. Lekha, B.M., Sarang, G. and Shankar, A.U.R. Transp. Infrastruct. Geotech. (2015) 2: 87.
doi:10.1007/s40515-015-0020-0.

25
19. Little, D.N. (1999) Evaluation of structural properties of lime stabilized soils and aggregates.
Summary of Findings,1, National Lime Association report.

20. Mohan, D. and Jain G. S. (1961), “Bearing capacity of bored piles in expansive clays”.
Proceedings of 5th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering,
Paris, 2, 117-122.

21. Mirzababaeia, M., Arulrajahb A., Ouston, M. (2017), “Polymers for Stabilization of Soft
Clay Soils”, Procedia Engineering, Volume 189, 2017, Pages 25-32, ISSN 1877-7058.

22. Phanikumar, B.R. (2009) Effect of lime and fly ash on swell, consolidation and shear strength
characteristics of a expansive soil: comparative study. Geomechanics and Geoengineering, 4
(2), June, 175-181.

23. Puppala, A. J., A.Mohammad and Allen (1996) Engineering behavior of lime-treated
Louisiana subgrade soil. Transportation Research Record, 1548, 24-3.

24. Puppala, A.J, and Hanchanloet, S, (1999) Evaluation of a new Chemical (SA-44/LS-40)
Treatment Method on Strength and Resilient Properties of a Cohesive Soil. Technical Data
Report, Paper No. 990389, Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting.

25. Rajasekaran, G. and S. N. Rao (1997) Lime migration technique for the improvement of
marine clay. Soils and Foundations, 37(2), 97–104.

26. Rajoria V and Kaur S (2014) A review on stabilization of soil using bio-enzyme. Int J Res
Eng Technol 3:75–78.

27. Ramasamy, S.V. and Anirudhen I.V. (2009), “Experience with Expansive Soils and Shales
in and around Chennai”, Indian Geotechnical Conference, Guntur, India.

26
28. Rao, S.M. and Thyagaraj, T. (2003), “Lime slurry stabilization of an expansive soil”.
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers – Geotechnical Engineering, 156(3): 139–
146.

29. Rao, S.M. and Venkataswamy, B.V. (2002) Lime pile treatment of black cotton soils. Ground
Improvement, 6(2), 85-93.

30. Tingle, J.S, and Santoni R.L, (2003), Stabilization of clay soils with non-traditional additives.
Transportation Research Record No. 1819, National Research Council, Washington, 72.

31. Vinod, J.S, Indraratna, B and Mahamud, M.A.A, (2010), “Stabilisation of an erodible soil
using a chemical admixture”, Proc., ICE – Ground Improvement, 163(1), 43–51.

32. Zhang, T., Cai, G., Liu, S., and Puppala, A. J. (2016), “Engineering Properties and
Microstructural Characteristics of Foundation Silt Stabilized By Lignin-based Industrial By-
product”, KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering,, Korean Society of Civil Engineers. DOI
10.1007/s12205-016-1325-4,1-12.

5. LIST OF FACILITIES BEING EXTENDED BY PARENT INSTITUTION(S) FOR

THE PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION.

5.1 Infrastructural facilities

Yes/No/ Not required

S.No Infrastructural facility Full
or sharing basis
1 WorkShop facility No
2 Water and Electricity Yes
Laboratory Space/
3 Yes
Furniture
4 Power Generator Yes

27
 5 AC Room or AC No
Telecommunication
6 Yes
including e-mail & fax
7 Transportation Yes
Administrative/ Secretarial
8 Yes
support
Information facilities like
9 Yes
Internet/Library
10 Computational facilities No
11 Animal/Glass House No
Any other special facility
12 No
being provided

5.2 Equipment available with the Institute/ Group/ Department/Other Institutes for the
project:

Equipment available Generic Name of Model, Make & year Remarks including
with Equipment of purchase accessories available
and current usage of
equipment
PI's Department Index Property Tests 2011 Intended for laboratory
Purpose
IITM, Chennai SEM, XRD - Research Purpose, paid
usage for external
researchers
L&T, consulting firms Resilient modulus test Research Purpose, paid
usage for external
researchers

28
6. Name and address of experts/ institution interested in the subject / outcome of the
project.

1. Dr. R.G.Robinson
Professor, Geotechnical Engineering Division
Civil Engineering Department
Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Chennai, India
Email: robinson@iitm.ac.in

2. Dr. S. R. Gandhi
Professor, Geotechnical Engineering Division
Civil Engineering Department
Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Chennai, India
Email: srgandhi@iitm.ac.in

3. Dr. T. Thyagaraj
Associate Professor, Geotechnical Engineering Division
Civil Engineering Department
Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Chennai, India
Email: ttraj@iitm.ac.in

29
Budget Summary
Budget Details

Full Summary (in Rs.)

Institute Manpower Consumables Travel Equipment Contingencie Other Overh Total

Budget s Costs ead
Costs

VELS 9,36,000 1,50,000 65,000 8,23,780 1,00,000 80,000 2,02,4 23,57,258

Institute of 78
Science,
Technology &
Advanced
Studies
(VISTAS),
CHENNAI
Total 9,36,000 1,50,000 65,000 8,23,780 1,00,000 80,000 2,02,4 23,57,258
78

Manpower Budget Breakup

Institute VELS Institute of Science, Technology & Advanced Studies (VISTAS), CHENNAI
Name :
Summary :
Budget Head Year-1 Amt (in Rs.) Year-2 Amt (in Rs.) Year-3 Amt (in Rs.) Total (in Rs.)

Manpower Budget 3,00,000 3,00,000 3,36,000 9,36,000

Consumables 50,000 50,000 50,000 1,50,000

Travel 20,000 20,000 25,000 65,000

Equipment 8,23,780 0 0 8,23,780

Contingencies 50,000 25,000 25,000 1,00,000

Other Costs 80,000 0 0 80,000

Overhead Costs 1,19,378 39,500 43,600 2,02,478

Grand Total (in Rs.) 14,43,158 4,34,500 4,79,600 23,57,258

Manpower Budget Detail :

Designation Year-1 Amt (in Rs.) Year-2 Amt (in Rs.) Year-3 Amt (in Rs.) Total Amt (in Rs.)
 Junior research Fellowship 3,00,000 3,00,000 3,36,000 9,36,000

Justification for Manpower :

1 . A JRF with payable amount of 25,000 per month for first 2 years and 28,000 for 3 rd year is required. Master's Degree
in Geotechnical Engineering is required for carrying out the project

Consumable Cost Detail :

Year-1 Amt (in Rs.) Year-2 Amt (in Rs.) Year-3 Amt (in Rs.) Total Amt (in Rs.)

50,000 50,000 50,000 1,50,000

Justification for Consumables :

1 . Consumables like chemicals required for the project like lime and lignosulphonate(large scale procurement) and other
chemicals needed for the test like filter papers, Borosil glass items etc are required. Stationary Items, paper etc are
required

Travel Cost Detail :

Travel Year-1 Amt (in Rs.) Year-2 Amt (in Rs.) Year-3 Amt (in Rs.) Total Amt (in Rs.)

Inland travel 20,000 20,000 25,000 65,000

Justification for Travel :

1 . Traveling for soil site identification, collection, testing - field visits. Travel expenses for construction sites, meetings
related to the proposal, conferences, meetings etc

Equipment Cost Detail :

Generic Name make Model Quanti Estimated Estimated Foreign Spare time
ty Cost in INR Cost in Exchange for other
Foreign Rate users (in %)
Currency

3-gang consolidation test AIM 126 1 2,01,780 0 0 30

apparatus

Linear Shrinkage Indian 3 20,000 0 0 50

Swell test apparatus Indian 2 1,16,000 0 0 30

SEM, XRD imported 1 80,000 0 0 0

High temperature oven Indian 1 31,000 0 0 20

Resilient Modulus Test imported 1 3,75,000 0 0 0

Justification for Equipments :
1 . Required for studying compressibility properties of soft clay, the same equipment can be used for swell pressures
studies and also for the cyclic triaxial tests.
2 . for determination of the shrinkage of the soil more quickly
3 . This apparatus can be specifically used measuring swell pressure of the samples
4 . The facility in IITM will be used for carrying out SEM and XRD. Around 20 samples would be tested, with a cost of
2000 per test. This would amount to 80000 in total
5 . Specifically used for drying the soil samples brought from the field and also measuring the water content of the
samples accurately for calculation purposes
6 . The equipment incurs heavy cost close to 50 lakhs. Hence the test would be carried out in other institutional facilities.
the cost per sample would be 15000 INR.
This would amount to 375000 for 25 samples.

Contingency Cost Detail :

Year-1 Amt (in Rs.) Year-2 Amt (in Rs.) Year-3 Amt (in Rs.) Total Amt (in Rs.)

50,000 25,000 25,000 1,00,000

Justification for Contingency :

1 . computer peripherals, hard discs,repetition in field testing if any , books, expenses for literature collection

Other Cost Detail :

Other Cost Year-1 Amt (in Rs.) Year-2 Amt (in Rs.) Year-3 Amt (in Rs.) Total Amt (in Rs.)

Fabrication and tests to be 80,000 0 0 80,000

carried out other institutes

Justification for Other Cost :

1 . Fabrication of moulds for cyclic swelling and shrinkage

Overhead Detail :
Year-1 Amt (in Rs.) Year-2 Amt (in Rs.) Year-3 Amt (in Rs.) Total Amt (in Rs.)

1,19,378 39,500 43,600 2,02,478

Justification for Overhead :

1 . The overhead costs are 10% of project cost

RTGS Details :
Comments : SEM,XRD and resilient modulus testing would be carried in other institutional facilities for per
sample cost
Name of Account VELS UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE Email ID : accounts@velsuniv.ac.in
Holder : AND TECHNOLOGY AND
ADVANCED STUDIES
Designation : Account Number : 911010014364240
Bank Name : AXIS BANK Branch Name and No.2, medavakkam high
Address : road,madipakkam, Chennai-91
IFSC Code : UTIB0000083

Any other relevant matter : Not Available

Theme of Proposed Work :

SNo. Theme Name
1 Materials
 BIO-DATA
1. Name and full correspondence address: Dr.S.BHUVANESHWARI
Plot No.278 & 279, 4th street,
5th main road, Jeyachandran nagar,
Pallikaranai, Chennai-600100
2. Email(s) and contact number(s): eshwari_28@yahoo.in,
eshwarimanian@gmail.com,
9840369765
3. Institution: Vels University
4. Date of Birth: 28/11/1981
5. Gender (M/F/T): F
6. Category Gen/SC/ST/OBC: OBC
7. Whether differently abled (Yes/No): No
8. Academic Qualification (Undergraduate Onwards):
Degree Year Subject University/Institution % of marks

Sl.No Degree Year Subject University/Institution % Marks

1 B.E. 1999- Civil ACCET,KARAIKUDI, 82%
2003
2 M.E. 2003- Soil Mechanics COLLEGE OF 8.5/10
2005 and Foundation ENGINEERING,GUINDY
Engineering
3 Ph.D 2005- Geotechnical IITMADRAS,Chennai 9.57/10
2010 Engineering

9. Ph.D thesis title, Guide’s Name, Institute/Organization/University, Year of Award.

Title: Stabilization of Expansive Soil with Lime and Its Performance Under Swell-Shrink Cycles
Guide’s Name: Prof.R.G.Robinson, Civil Engineering Department, IIT Madras
Prof.S.R.Gandhi,Civil Engineering Department,IIT Madras
Institute: Indian Institute of Technology, Madras
Year of Award: 2011
10. Work experience (in chronological order).
Sl.No. Positions Name of the From To Pay Scale
held Institute

1 Project Scientist -1 National Oct,2010 Feb,2011 45,000

Institute of
Ocean
Technology
2 Project Officer Indian Mar,2011 Sep,2011 28,000
Institute of
Technology
3 Research Officer New Jersey 2011 2014
Institute of
Technology
4 Asst.Prof Vels July,2016 Till Date 65,000
University

11. Professional Recognition/ Award/ Prize/ Certificate, Fellowship received by the

applicant.
Name of Award Awarding Year
Sl.No Agency
1 Gold Medal CEG,Anna Univ 2005
2 IGS-Warangal Warangal IGC, 2016
Chapter
Biannual Prize
for the Best
Paper on
“Solutions to the
Problems of
Expansive Soils”

12. Publications (List of papers published in SCI Journals, in year wise descending order).
Sl.No Authors Title Name of Volume Page Year
Journal
1. S.Bhuvaneshwari, Microfabric International 4(3) 395-405 2010
R.G.Robinson and and Journal of
S.R.Gandhi mineralogical Geotechnical
studies on the Engineering
stabilization of
an expansive
soil using
 inorganic
additives
2. S.Bhuvaneshwari, Behaviour of Indian 44(3) 278-293 2013
R.G.Robinson and Lime Treated Geotechnical
S.R.Gandhi Cured Journal
Expansive Soil
Composites

13. Detail of patents.

NIL
14. Books/Reports/Chapters/General articles etc.
NIL
15. Any other Information (maximum 500 words)
NIL
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