Hydrogel bonding meets pozzolanic reaction: A dual approach to soil stabilization

Abstract

The present paper has addressed the development of the guar gum (GG) biopolymer and fly ash (FA) in soil stabilization with the objective of improving the geotechnical properties of weak soils. Unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and california bearing ratio (CBR) tests have been used to evaluate the performance of soils with varying proportions of GG and FA during different curing periods in the laboratory. The UCS results have indicated that the maximum response has been observed with 2% GG and 5% FA, where the UCS has risen considerably from 83.15 kPa in untreated soil to 356.11 kPa after 28 days of curing. Similarly, the CBR tests conducted under unsoaked conditions have shown an increase from 6.34 in untreated soil to 12.32 with the same 2% GG and 5% FA mix. The soaked CBR values have also improved, reaching 7.67% compared to 4.72% in untreated soil. The findings have demonstrated that soil strength has been significantly enhanced with curing time, with the most notable improvements occurring within the first seven days and continuing up to 28 days as a result of pozzolanic reactions. These outcomes have suggested that the integration of GG and FA has represented a costeffective and environmentally friendly stabilization technique, offering enhanced compressive and load-bearing capacity, particularly in problematic soil conditions, and serving as a sustainable substitute for conventional chemical stabilizers such as cement and lime.