The Effect of Saba Banana (Musa acuminata x balbisiana) Peel Ash

and Lime on the Stability of Expansive Soil

An Experimental Research Project

presented to the Faculty of the
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
College of Engineering
Visayas State University
Baybay City, Leyte

In partial fulfilment
of the requirements for the course
UNDERGRADUATE SEMINAR (CEng 199)

KIMBERLY JOY NAVARCE TULIN

March 2017
 CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

1.1 Nature and Background of the Study

Civil engineering structures such as buildings, bridges, roads, tunnels, dams,

towers, etc. are established below or on the surface of the earth. For their stability,

suitable foundation soil is required. The occurrence and distribution of soils in nature

varies from different locations. The type of soil depends on the rock type, its mineral

constituents and the climatic regime of the area. Geotechnical properties of soils

influence the stability of civil engineering structures (Roy et al., 2017). As the

availability of suitable construction sites decreases, there is an increasing need to utilize

poor soils for foundation support and earthwork construction (Mitchell, 1981).

Construction of building and other civil engineering structures on weak soil is highly

risky because such soil is susceptible to differential settlements, poor shear strength,

and high compressibility.

According to Morales et al., 2012, potentially expansive soils find wide

distribution in the Philippines. These expansive soils are soils that expand when water

is added, and shrink when they dry out. This continuous change in soil volume can

caused structures built on this soil to move unevenly and result to crack. Soils with a

high content of expansive minerals can form deep cracks in drier seasons or years; such

soils are called Vertisols. According to the Bureau of Soils and Water Management,

Vertisols can be found in the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Bataan, Cagayan, Zambales,

Nueva Ecija, La Union, and Tarlac. The 1994 Soil Taxonomy Map of the Philippines

approximates Vertisols at 733,117 ha and represents about 2.4% of the country’s total
 3

area. This phenomenon must be recognized as a real problem by the researchers. The

quality of soil has a very large impact on type of structure and its design. Thus, effective

use of expansive soils by imparting additional strength using stabilization enables

reduction in building construction and improves the performance of road networks and

other civil engineering structures.

Soil stabilization is the treatment done to increase the strength characteristics of

a soil and to control the shrink-swell properties of a soil, thus improving the load

bearing capacity of a sub-grade to support pavements and foundations. This process is

accomplished using a wide variety of additives, including lime, fly-ash, and Portland

cement.

A good additives should provide calcium ions (Ca2+) in sufficient amount so

that the monovalent cations, especially Na+, adsorbed on the cleavage surfaces of clay

particles are exchanged resulting in a more workable soil with reduced plasticity. In a

high pH environment, the solubility of silica and alumina is greatly enhanced, which

promotes pozzolanic reaction to form calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H) and calcium-

aluminate-hydrate (C-A-H). With portland cement, however, C-S-H and C-A-H are

formed immediately upon hydration, and a flocculation process similar to that observed

for lime-stabilized soil takes place to produce a soil with improved engineering

properties (Bhattacharja et al., 2003)

There were several studies that show the capability of using banana natural fiber

ash as partial substitute for cement. According to Rodrigo, C.K et al., 2014, banana

fiber ash has its cementitious properties and can be concluded that it can be classified

as a pozzolanic material in civil engineering construction with several benefits such as

 4

lower cost and reduction of environmental impact. Currently, there is no evidence in

the current literature of its use in soil stabilization especially for organic soil.

Consequently, it could be something beneficial to develop alternative additives

that are environmental friendly and contribute towards sustainable management.

The purpose of this research study is to utilize the Saba banana peel ash as a

pozzolanic material to reduce the lime content for limiting soil movement and improve

the compressive strength of compacted expansive soil, while avoiding the adverse

health and environmental problems that can be induced due to the disposal of this

material. In the process of soil stabilization and modification, emphasis is given for

maximum utilization of local material so that cost of construction may be minimized to

the minimum extent.

1.2 Objectives

The general objective of the study is to investigate the possibility of replacing

Type I Portland Cement with Saba banana peel ash to develop an economical additive

to be added with lime for soil stabilization. Specifically, the study aims the following:

1. To evaluate the effects in different engineering properties of soil with the

addition of various percentages of Saba banana peel ash and lime to the

treatment;

2. To determine the optimum dosage of Saba banana peel ash and lime that can

effectively controls the shrink-swell property and increases the strength

characteristics of the soil as compared to cement-lime treatment; and

3. To evaluate the effects in strength characteristics of treated and untreated

soil specimens by California Bearing Ratio test (CBR) and Unconfined

 5

Compressive Strength test (UCS) for 0, 3,7, and 28 days with varied dosages

of Saba banana peel ash.

1.2 Scope and Limitations

The scope of the study focuses on investigating the effects in the stability and

strength characteristics of expansive soil by adding Saba banana (Musa acuminata x

balbisiana) peel ash and commercially-hydrated lime. The contents of the additives will

be defined by the ratio of the weight of additive to the dry weight of the soil, expressed

as a percentage. The varying percentages of the additives are 4.5%, 7.5%, 13.5% of

Saba Banana peel ash and the corresponding commercially hydrated lime contents will

be 1.5%, 2.5%, and 4.5%.

The soil used in the study will be obtained from a road subgrade construction

site in Brgy. Sto. Domingo, Lupao, Nueva Ecija. The soil particles should pass through

no. 8 sieve (<2.36mm) of ASTM D6913 – 17. The geotechnical properties of soil

including particle size distribution, atterberg limits, and specific gravity will be

determined in accordance with the ASTM Standards. The California Bearing Ratio

(CBR) and Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) of soil will be determined using

ASTM D1883 – 16 and ASTM D2166 – 16, where Testing machines are required,

respectively.

The Saba Banana Peel Ash will be collected from the stalls selling banana

products at the Visayas State University (VSU) market. It will be grind and should be

pass through no. 40 sieve (<425 μm).

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1.3 Significance of the Study

 Since the raw materials that will be used are production wastes, the study will

give a possible approach in lessening the environmental impacts of agricultural

waste and cement production.

 The study will give additional knowledge about chemical admixtures of soil

specifically on controlling shrink-swell property and improving strength

characteristics of soil.

 It will also be beneficial to the Construction industry since there is an innovative

and sustainable admixture that will enhances the properties of soft soils for

foundation support and earthwork construction.

 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Saba Banana Peel Ash as an Agricultural Waste

The Philippines is the second largest exporter of bananas after Ecuador, with

some 2.6 metric tonnes exported in 2012 (FruiTrop, 2013). That year, the exports from

the Philippines (essentially Cavendish cultivars) made up 98% of the Asian banana

trade. Two thirds of the exported volumes were shipped to Japan, China and South

Korea. According to the Philippine Statistical Authority (PSA), the volume of

production of Banana went up by 3.1 percent from 2.33 million metric tons for the

period October to December 2016 to 2.41 million metric tons last year.

Among the many banana cultivars grown throughout the country, saba (Musa

acuminata x balbisiana) is considered as one of the leaders in terms of production and

trade. Processed products derived from saba are gaining wide acceptance both in the

domestic and international market (Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office,

2014)

Many farms have adapted different ways in disposing the wastes that comes

with banana cultivation, but the peels from the fruits are mostly dispersed throughout

different places in the country. Hence, there is no proper management of disposal of

banana peels. Since it is a by-product of the banana industry in the Philippines, the

quantity of production of it is in line with the banana produce. Thus, these wastes could

be considered as a critical problem in the protection of the ecosystem if not properly

disposed.
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Natural Fiber Ash and Lime treatment for Soil Stabilization

Recent trends on soil stabilization have evolved innovative techniques of

utilizing local available environmental and industrial waste material for the

modification and stabilization of deficient soil while minimizing cost of project spent

on lime or cement. The addition of waste products and fibers together with chemical

agents can improve the stiffness and strength properties of soft soils (Fatahi et al., 2013,

and Fatahi and Khabbaz, 2012). Some studies reported that, different additives such as

rice husk ash and sugarcane bagasse ash have been used for chemical stabilization of

soft soils. As per chemical analysis of sugarcane bagasse ash, it exhibits certain

pozzolanic properties as it is rich in oxides of silica and aluminum (Bachchhas et al.,

2017). Rice husk ash also is a very good pozzolan as it contains good amount of

amorphous silica which can be used as stabilizer (Bachchhas et al., 2017).

The benefit from applying baggage ash for soil stabilizations with lime is related

to chemical reaction between calcium hydroxide produced by lime with pozzolan that

is supplied from bagasse ash (Hasan et al., 2016). Similar to cement reaction with soil,

this chemical reaction can be explained by two individual processes: (1) short term

reaction, consisting of cation exchange and flocculation as a result of the reaction

between clay, bagasse ash and lime; and (2) long-term reaction, involving time and

temperature dependent pozzolanic activity, in which new cementations compounds-

calcium silicate hydrates (CSH) and calcium aluminate hydrates (CAH) responsible for

long-term strength in soils are produced (Nguyen et al., 2014).

According to the previous study of Hasan et al., 2016, to activate and improve

the effectiveness of bagasse ash, hydrated lime was used and mixed with black soil

samples, collected from Queensland Australia. Samples were prepared using different
 9

contents of bagasse ash and hydrated lime (0%, 6%, 10%, 18% and 25% by the dry

mass of soil), at a ratio of 1:3, respectively. The results of free swell ratio (FSR) test,

unconfined compression strength (UCS) and California bearing ratio (CBR) tests are

presented for untreated and treated samples after various curing time periods of 3, 7 and

28 days. The outcomes of these tests clearly demonstrate that stabilization of expansive

soils using bagasse ash and hydrated lime not only improves the strength, but also

facilitates to cope with environmental concerns through reduction of sugar industry

waste material.

Banana Fiber Ash Properties

Banana fiber ash can be used to produce concrete and mortar which can be

classified to have cementitious properties (Rodrigo C.K et al., 2014). The study used

banana leaf as part of the component material. Based on the result of the chemical

analysis conducted by Rodrigo C.K et al., 2014, the chemical compositions that can be

found inside a banana fiber ash are Silicon Dioxide (Si02), Iron Oxide (Fe203),

Aluminium Oxide (Al203 ), Sodium Oxide (Na2O), and also Loss of Ignition (LOI).

The highest chemical composition that can be found is SiO 2 which has 48.7%

composition. The Silicon Dioxide (SiO 2) is very important chemical composition that

must have in every pozzolanic material because it will react with calcium hydroxide at

an ordinary temperature to form compound that has cementitious properties. This

reaction will produce calcium silicate hydrate gel and it is used to fill the void inside

the soil as well as increase the strength of the soil.

Therefore, Banana fiber ash can be classified as pozzolanic material in civil

engineering construction. The banana leaf ash has been proved to increase the strength
 10

of concrete and demonstrated pozzolanic activity by replacing 10% of banana leaf ash

into the concrete (Rodrigo C.K et al., 2014).