International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET)

Volume 8, Issue 1, January 2017, pp. 0108, Article ID: IJCIET_08_01_001

Available online at http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=8&IType=1
ISSN Print: 0976-6308 and ISSN Online: 0976-6316
IAEME Publication

UNCONFINED COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF

DOLIME FINE STABILIZED DIESEL CONTAMINATED
EXPANSIVE SOIL
Akshaya Kumar Sabat
Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering,
Siksha O Anusandhan University, Bhubaneswar, India

Swapnaranee Mohanta
Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering,
Gandhi Institute for Technological Advancement (GITA), Bhubaneswar, India

ABSTRACT
The results of an experimental programme undertaken with an expansive soil artificially
contaminated with diesel, and stabilized with dolime fine to find its, Unconfined compressive
strength (UCS) at 0,7 and 28 days of curing have been discussed in this paper. UCS of the
expansive soil decreased by 58.14% when contaminated with 9% diesel. After stabilization with
dolime fine, the UCS value increased. There was 747.22% increase in UCS as compared to the
UCS of 9% diesel contaminated expansive soil and 254.65% increase in UCS as compared to the
UCS of uncontaminated expansive soil when stabilized with 9% dolime fine and cured for 28 days.
Key words: Expansive Soil, Diesel, Dolime Fine, Unconfined Compressive Strength.
Cite this Article: Akshaya Kumar Sabat and Swapnaranee Mohanta, Unconfined Compressive
Strength of Dolime Fine Stabilized Diesel Contaminated Expansive Soil. International Journal of
Civil Engineering and Technology, 8(1), 2017, pp. 0108.
http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=8&IType=1

1. INFORMATION
Expansive soil is a type of clayey soil having montmorillonite mineral which expands significantly when
comes in contact with water and shrinks when water dries out. The strength of this type of soil is very low
and this alternate swell-shrink behaviour damages the lightly loaded structures, which are constructed over
it. It is treated as a problematic soil for construction (Nelson and Miller 1992, Gourley et al. 1993, Rao et
al.2007, Sabat and Pati 2014) [9,3,13,19]. There are many ways this soil can be contaminated such as
infiltration of contaminated surface water, discharge of industrial waste in to the soil, rupture of
underground storage tanks, and seepage from a landfill and, leakage from underground pipe lines and
septic tanks etc. Contamination adversely affects the engineering properties of soil which lead to several
problems like loss in strength, differential settlement and cracks in existing foundation or structure etc.
Contamination increases the problems for construction on expansive soil, which itself without
contamination is also a problematic soil.

http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 1 editor@iaeme.com
 Akshaya Kumar Sabat and Swapnaranee Mohanta

One of the contaminants of soil is diesel. Diesel in different ways like, leakage from the automobiles
moving on the roads, from the rupture of diesel storage tanks, or from the automobile garages during repair
and maintenance work of the automobiles, comes in contact with soil and contaminates it. The effects of
contamination of black cotton soil by diesel was studied by Pusadkar and Bharambe (2014) [12] and had
found a decrease in maximum dry density(MDD), optimum moisture content (OMC) and unsoaked
California bearing ratio (CBR) of the soil along with change in other properties. The effect of diesel on a
non expansive clayey soil was also studied by Pradeepan et al. (2016) [11] and decrease in OMC, MDD
and unconfined compressive strength (UCS) were observed.
Stabilization is one of the techniques (Cokca 2001; Kalkan and Akbulut 2004; Sabat and Das 2009;
Ogbonnaya and Illoabachie 2011; Sabat and Nanda 2011; Moses and Saminu 2012; Sabat 2012; Mir and
Sridharan 2013; Sabat 2013;Sabat and Pradhan 2014; Ashango and Patra 2014 ; Sabat and Nayak 2015;
Kulkarni et al.2016; Sabat and Mohanta 2016) [2,5,14,10,15,8,16,7,17,18,1,21,6,22] to improve the
geotechnical properties of expansive soil. Stabilization technique can be adopted to improve the
geotechnical properties of contaminated expansive soil.
Dolomite chips are required for different industrial processes, which is obtained by crushing dolomite
stones, during crushing a solid waste is produced it is called as dolime fine (Sabat and Mohanta 2015) [20].
It has very high percentage of CaO. Dolime fine has been recommended by IRC: 88-1984, [4] as a binding
agent that can replace pure lime (Shahu et al. 2013), [23]. Dolime fines can be utilized to stabilize
contaminated expansive soil.
The objective of this paper is to investigate the effect of dolime fine on UCS of an expansive soil
artificially contaminated with diesel, at 0, 7 and 28days of curing.

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS

2.1. Material
The materials used in the testing programme are Expansive soil, Diesel, and Dolime fine.

2.1.1. Expansive Soil

The Geotechnical Properties of expansive soil are: Particle size analysis :i)Sand size- 12%, ii)Silt size -
24% iii)Clay size- 64%, Specific gravity:-2.67, Atterbergs Limits: i)Liquid Limit -61%, ii)Plastic Limit-
29%, ii)Plasticity Index- 32%,Compaction Properties :i) OMC - 22%, ii)MDD-16.1 kN/m3,UCS:- 86
kN/m2

2.1.2. Diesel
Diesel used in the experimental programme was purchased from the local market.

2.1.3. Dolime Fine

Dolime fines used in the experimental programme were obtained, by crushing dolomite chips and those
passed in 425 micron IS sieve were used in experimental programme.

2.2. Methods
Diesel was added to the expansive soil at 0,3,6.and 9% by dry weight of the soil, mixed properly and
stored in an air tight container for 7 days. After that standard Proctor compaction test was conducted on
diesel contaminated expansive soil to get OMC and MDD. Samples of UCS were prepared by compacting
it at its OMC and MDD. The worst effect of contamination in terms of maximum reduction in UCS were
found out which occurred at 9% addition of diesel. After that dolime fine was added to soil contaminated
with 9% diesel, at 0,3,6 and 9% by dry weight of diesel contaminated expansive soil, by replacement of
diesel contaminated expansive soil with dolime fine. Standard Proctor compaction tests, and UCS tests at
0,7 and 28days of curing were conducted on dolime fine stabilized diesel contaminated expansive soil

http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 2 editor@iaeme.com
 Unconfined Compressive Strength of Dolime Fine Stabilized Diesel Contaminated Expansive Soil

samples. Samples of UCS were prepared by compacting it at its OMC and MDD. The procedures as given
in Indian standard Codes were followed to conduct these tests.

3. ANALYSIS OF TEST RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

16.5

16.0

15.5
MDD(kN/m )
3

15.0

14.5

14.0

13.5
0 3 6 9
Diesel(%)

Figure 1 Effect of Diesel on MDD of Expansive soil

24

22

20

18
OMC(%)

16

14

12

10
0 3 6 9
Diesel(%)

Figure 2 Effect of Diesel on OMC of Expansive soil

The effects of diesel contamination on MDD and OMC of the expansive have been shown in Fig.1 and
Fig. 2 respectively. Both OMC and MDD decreased with increase in diesel addition. Similar observations
were also made by Pusadkar and Bharambe (2014) [12] while adding diesel to a black cotton oil and
Pradeepan et al. (2016) [11] while adding diesel to a non expansive clayey soil.

http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 3 editor@iaeme.com
 Akshaya Kumar Sabat and Swapnaranee Mohanta

90

85

80

75

70

65

UCS(kN/m )
2
60

55

50

45

40

35

30
0 3 6 9
Diesel(%)

Figure 3 Effect of Diesel on UCS of Expansive soil

The effect of diesel contamination on UCS of expansive soil has been shown in Fig.3.With increase in
diesel contamination the UCS value decreased. The UCS decreased to 36 kN/m2 from 86 kN/m2 with
increase of diesel from 0 to 9%, a decrease of 58.14 % with addition 9% diesel. A reduction in unsoaked
CBR value was found by Pusadkar and Bharambe (2014) [12] while adding diesel to a black cotton oil
and a reduction in UCS was found out by Pradeepan et al. (2016)[11] while adding diesel to a non
expansive clayey soil.

14.0

13.8

13.6

13.4
MDD(kN/m )
3

13.2

13.0

12.8

12.6

12.4
0 3 6 9
Dolime fine(%)

Figure 4 Effect of Dolime fine on MDD of Diesel contaminated Expansive soil

The effect of dolime fine on MDD of diesel contaminated expansive soil has been shown in Fig.4.The
MDD decreased with increase in addition of dolime fine.

http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 4 editor@iaeme.com
 Unconfined Compressive Strength of Dolime Fine Stabilized Diesel Contaminated Expansive Soil

16.0

15.5

15.0

14.5

14.0

OMC(%)
13.5

13.0

12.5

12.0

11.5
0 3 6 9
Dolime fine(%)

Figure 5 Effect of Dolime fine on OMC of Diesel contaminated Expansive soil

The effect of dolime fine on OMC of diesel contaminated expansive soil has been shown in Fig.5. The
OMC increased with increase in addition of dolime fine

600

0 Day
500 7 Days
28 Days

400
UCS(kN/m )
2

300

200

100

0
0 3 6 9
Dolime fine(%)

Figure 6 Effect of Dolime fine on UCS of Diesel contaminated Expansive soil

The effect of dolime fine on UCS of diesel contaminated expansive soil at, 0,7 and 28 days of curing
has been shown in Fig.6.The UCS increased with increase in addition of dolime fine and curing period.
The UCS increased to 305 kN/m2 from 36 kN/m2 at 28 days of curing and 9% dolime fine addition.

http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 5 editor@iaeme.com
 Akshaya Kumar Sabat and Swapnaranee Mohanta

600

500

400

UCS(kN/m )
2
300

200

100

0
0 7 14 21 28
Curing Period(Days)

Figure 7 Effect of Curing Period on UCS of Dolime fine (9%) stabilized Diesel contaminated Expansive soil
Effect of curing period on UCS of dolime fine (9%) stabilized diesel contaminated expansive soil has
been shown in Fig.8. The UCS increased to 305kN/m2 from 50 kN/m2 when the curing period increased to
28 days from 0-day.

900

800

700
Percentage increase in UCS

600

500

400

300

200

100

0
0 7 14 21 28
Curing Period(Days)

Figure 8 Variation of percentage increase in UCS of Dolime fine (9%) stabilized Diesel contaminated Expansive
soil as compared to UCS of Diesel contaminated Expansive soil with curing period
Fig.8 shows the variation of percentage increase in UCS of dolime fine ( 9%) stabilized diesel
contaminated expansive soil as compared to UCS of diesel contaminated expansive soil with curing period.
The percentage increase in UCS increased to 747.22% from 38.88% when the curing period increased to
28 days from 0 day, as compared diesel contaminated expansive soil. At 28 days curing period the
percentage increase in UCS value as compared to the UCS value of uncontaminated expansive soil is
254.65% .

http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 6 editor@iaeme.com
 Unconfined Compressive Strength of Dolime Fine Stabilized Diesel Contaminated Expansive Soil

4. CONCLUSION
The UCS of the expansive soil decreased 58.14% by contamination with 9% diesel. The UCS of the
expansive soil which was decreased due to contamination was not only regained by stabilization with 9%
dolime fine but also increased by 747.22% at 28 days of curing period, as compared to the UCS of 9%
diesel contaminated expansive soil and 254.65% increase in UCS as compared to the UCS of
uncontaminated expansive soil.

REFERENCES
[1] Ashango, A.A. and Patra, N.R. Static and cyclic properties of clay subgrade stabilised with rice husk ash
and Portland slag cement, International Journal of Pavement Engineering, 15(10), 2014, pp.906-916.
[2] Cokca, E. Use of class C Fly Ashes for the Stabilisation of an Expansive Soil, Journal of Geotechnical
and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 127(7), 2001,pp.568-573.
[3] Gourley, C. S., Newill, D., and Schreiner, H. D., 1993, Expansive Soils: TRLs.
[4] IRC: 88-1984. Recommended Practice for lime fly ash stabilised soil base/sub base in pavement
construction. Indian Roads Congress, New Delhi.
[5] Kalkan, E. and Akbulut, S.Positive Effects of silica fume on the permeability, swelling pressure and
compressive strength of natural clay liners, Engineering Geology, 73(1-2),2004 145-156.
[6] Kulkarni,A.P. Sawant,M.K. Battul,V.V., Shindepatil,M.S. and Aavani P., Black cotton soil stabilization
using bagasse ash and lime. International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology, 7(6), 2016,
pp.460471.
[7] Mir, B.A. and Sridharan, A. (2013) Physical and compaction behaviour of clay soil-fly ash mixtures,
Geotechnical and Geological Engineering, 31,2013, 1059-1072.
[8] Moses, G.K. and Saminu, A. Cement kiln dust stabilization of compacted black cotton soil, Electronic
Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 17(F),2012,pp. 825-836.
[9] Nelson, J.D. and Miller, D.J. Expansive soils problems and practice in foundation and pavement
engineering,1992, John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
[10] Ogbonnaya, I. and Illoabachie, D.E. (2011) The Potential Effect of Granite Dust on the Geotechnical
Properties of Abakaliki Clays, Continental Journal of Earth Sciences, 6(1),2011, 23-30.
[11] Pradeepan,V.S.,Reethi,V.P. and Namitha, N. Effect of diesel contamination on Geotechnical Properties
of Clay near BPCL, International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology,7(2), 2016,pp.152-158.
[12] Pusadkar, S.S. and Bharambe, P.S. Performance of Petrol and Diesel Contaminated Black Cotton Soil,
International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT), 3(7) 2014,pp.536-539.
[13] Rao, M.R. , Rao, A.S. and Babu, R.D. Efficacy of cement stabilized fly ash cushion in arresting heave of
expansive soils, Geotechnical and Geological, 26(2),2007, pp. 189-197.
[14] Sabat, A.K. and Das, S.K. Design of low volume rural roads using lime stabilized expansive soil quarry
dust mixes subgrade, Indian Highways, 23(9), 2009, pp.21-27.
[15] Sabat, A.K. and. Nanda, R.P. Effect of marble dust on strength and durability of rice husk ash stabilised
expansive soil, International Journal of Civil and Structural Engineering, 1(4), 2011, pp.939-948.
[16] Sabat, A.K. Statistical models for prediction of swelling pressure of a stabilized expansive soil,
Electronic Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 17(G), 2012,pp.837-846.
[17] Sabat,A.K. Prediction of California bearing ratio of a soil stabilized with lime and quarry dust using
Artificial Neural Network, Electronic Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 18(P),2013,pp.3261-3272.
[18] Sabat, A.K. and Pradhan, A. Fiber reinforced fly ash stabilized expansive soil mixes as subgrade
material in flexible pavement, Electronic Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 19(T), 2014,pp. 5757-
5770.

http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 7 editor@iaeme.com
 Akshaya Kumar Sabat and Swapnaranee Mohanta

[19] Sabat, A.K. and Pati, S. A review of literature on stabilization of expansive soil using solid wastes,
Electronic Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 19(U), 2014, pp. 6251-6267.
[20] Sabat,A.K. and Mohanta,S. Strength and durability characteristics of stabilized red mud cushioned
expansive soil. International Journal of Applied Engineering Research (IJAER), 10(10), 2015,pp.
25867-25878.
[21] Sabat, A.K. and Nayak, R. Evaluation of fly ash- calcium carbide residue stabilized expansive soil as a
liner material in engineered landfill, Electronic Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 20(15),2015,pp.
6703-6712.
[22] Sabat,A.K. and Mohanta,S. Performance of limestone dust stabilized expansive soil-fly ash mixes as
construction material. International Journal of Civil Engineering & Technology (IJCIET).7(6), 2016,
pp.482-488.
[23] Shahu J.T., Patel S. and Senapati A. Engineering properties of copper slag-fly ash -dolime mix and its
utilization in base course of flexible pavements. Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering. 25(12), 2013,
pp. 1871-1879.
[24] Akshaya Kumar Sabat and Swapnaranee Mohanta, Performance of Limestone Dust Stabilized
Expansive Soil-Fly Ash Mixes as Construction Material. International Journal of Civil Engineering and
Technology (IJCIET), 7(6), 2016, pp.482488.

http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 8 editor@iaeme.com