The influence of lime powder on the behaviour of clay soil

High price of land and importance of modern construction has imposed the need to strengthen weak clay soils. The stabilization of these soils has been conducted using various additives. Due to its low cost, availability, and positive impact on resistance, lime has traditionally been applied for stabilisation of poor and sensitive types of soils. In this research, lime powder, added in the percentages of 0, 2, 4, 8 and 16 of the dry soil weight, was mixed with kaolinite clay soil and its various engineering parameters were investigated during the curing time of 90 days. PH change, Atterberg Limits, optimum water content, and the modified clay maximum dry unit weight, were determined at different percentages of lime during the curing time. In the scope of determination of an optimum lime powder content, the Unconfined Compressive Strength tests (UCS) and CBR tests were conducted. The Young’s modulus was determined based on UCS testing and definition of stress-strain curve. The results showed a significant increase in the effective, responsive performance of lime in the soil and a remarkable increase in the maximum compressive strength (qu), cohesion, and Young’s modulus.