LIME

STABILIZATION

INTRODUCTION:

Lime has been used as a soil stabilizer for roads from olden days

Lime
The

is produced from natural limestone .

type of lime depends upon the parent rock and production process.

TYPES OF LIME

The types of lime formed is based upon the parent

material and production process. There are
5 basic types of lime :
1. High calcium quicklime - CaO
2 Dolomite quicklime
- CaO+MgO
3. HYDRATED HIGH CALCIUM LIME -Ca(OH)2
4. Normal hydrated dolomite lime -Ca(OH)2+MgO
5.Pressure hydrated dolomite lime -Ca(OH)2+Mg(OH)2

HYDRATED LIME:
Hydrated lime is the most commonly used one for
soil stabilization.
Lime is also used in combination with other
admixtures like fly ash,cement, bitumen etc.

HYDRATED
LIME

ENGG PROPERTIES
Lime stabilization creates a number of
important engineering properties in soils:
Improved strength
Improved resistance to fracture, fatigue, and
permanent deformation
Improved resilient properties;
Reduced swelling
Resistance to the damaging effects of moisture.

REACTIONS

Two types of chemical reaction take place when lime is

added to wet soil
The first one is a colloidal type involving any of the
reactions:
1. Ion exchange of calcium for the ion naturally carried
by the soil.
2.a depression of the double layer on the soil colloids
because of the increase in cation concentration of the
pore water
3..an expansion of the double layer of the soil colloids
from the high ph of the lime
The second one takes considerable time in a
cementing action involves the reaction between the
calcium from the lime with the available reactive alumina
or silica from the soil.

BENEFITS

Soil plasticity , density and strength are changed by the

addition of lime to soil.
Plasticity reduction
Reduction in moisture-holding capacity
Lime generally increases the plasticity index of low
plasticity soils and decreases the plasticity index of
highly plastic soils.
Because of the reduction in plasticity of the plastic soil,
due to addition of lime ,the soil becomes more friable
and easy for handling in the field.
Addition of lime causes a reduction in the maximum
compacted density and an increase in the optimum
moulding water content.
In general lime increases the strength of almost all types
of soil.

CONSTRUCTION PROCEDURES

Construction procedure of lime-stabilized soil bases are similar to those

employed for soil cement with the difference that more time is allotted for
placement operation for lime.
This takes place since the lime-soil cementation reaction is very slow .
Adequate care should be taken to avoid carbonation of lime.
NORMAL CONSTRUCTION SEQUENCE IS GIVEN BELOW:
1. Scarify the cement
2.Pulverise the soil
3.Spread the soil
4.Mix the lime and soil
5.Add water if necessary to bring to optimum moisture content
6.Compact the mixture
7.Shape the stabilized base
8.Cure-keep moist and traffic-free for atleast 5 days.
9.Add wearing surface.

THANKYOU