AN INVESTIGATION ON STRENGTH BEHAVIOUR OF

SAW DUST STABILIZED SILTY SOIL

A PROJECT REPORT
Submitted by
ASHISH PATEL
in partial fulfillment for the award of the degree
of
BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY
in
CIVIL ENGINEERING

CENTURION UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY & MANAGEMENT

BHUBANESWAR
CENTURION UNIVERSITY OFTECHNOLOGY&MANAGEMENT::ODISHA
JUNE 2019 - NOVEMBER 2019

i
 DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
CENTURION UNIVERSITYOF TECHNOLOGY &
MANAGEMENT
BHUBANESWAR-752050
BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE

Certified that this project report “An Investigation on Strength Behavior of Saw Dust
Stabilized Silty Soil” is the bonafide work of “ASHISH PATEL” who carried out the
project work under my supervision. This is to further certify to the best of my
knowledge, that this project has not been carried out earlier in this institute and the
university.

SIGNATURE
(Ms. Sweta Das)
Asst. Professor
Certified that the above-mentioned project has been duly carried out as per the norm
of the college and statutes of the university

SIGNATURE SIGNATURE SIGNATURE

Internal Examiner (Dr. Kamal Kumar Barik) External Examiner

HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT

Professor

DEPARTMENT SEAL
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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I wish to express my profound and sincere gratitude to Prof. Sweta Das, Department of Civil
Engineering, CUTM Bhubaneswar, who guided me into the intricacies of this project non-
chalantly with matchless magnanimity.

I thank Dr. Kamal Kumar Barik, Head of the Dept. of Civil Engineering, CUTM Bhubaneswar
and Prof. Prasant Kumar Mohanty, DEAN, SOET CUTM for extending their support during
Course of this investigation.

I am indebted to friends for their constant encouragement, co-operation and help. Words of
gratitude are not enough to describe the accommodation and fortitude which they have
shown throughout my endeavor.

ASHISH PATEL

(180301110002)

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS
SERIAL NO. TITLE PAGE NO.
1 LIST OF TABLE v
2 LIST OF FIGURES vi
3 ABSTRACT vii
1. CHAPTER – 1 INTRODUCTION viii-xi
1.1. Introduction viii
1.2. Methods viii

1.2.1. Soil ix

1.2.2. Saw Dust Ash ix

1.2.3. Grain Size Analysis ix

1.2.4. Liquid Limit and Plastic Limit ix

1.2.5. Compaction proctor test ix

1.2.6. Unconfined compressive strength x

1.2.7. California bearing ratio x

2. CHAPTER – 2 LITERATURE REVIEW xii

2.1. Literation review xii

3. CHAPTER-3 PROJECT WORK xiii

3.1. Grain size analysis xiii

3.2. Liquid limit and plastic limit xiii

4. CHAPTER – 4 DATA COLLECTION AND RESULT xiv-xvii

4.1. Grain size distribution test xiv

4.2. Liquid limit and plastic limit test xv

4.3. Compaction test xv

4.4. Unconfined compressive strength of burnt ash xvi

4.5. Unconfined compressive strength of saw dust xvii

4.6. California bearing ratio test xvii

5. CHAPTER – 5 CONCULATION xviii

REFERENCES xix

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 LIST OF TABLES

TABLE NO. TITLE PAGE NO.

1.1 GEOTECHNICAL PROPERTIES OF SOIL ix
1.2 CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF SAW DUST xi
1.3 PROPERTIES OF SAW DUST ASH xi

4.1 SIEVE ANALYSIS OF SILTY SOIL xiv

4.2 FLOW CURVE DATA xv

4.3 WATER CONTENT & DENSITY RELATIONSHIP xv

4.4 OBSERVED DATA OF BURNT ASH xvi

4.5 OBSERVED DATA OF SAW DUST xvii

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 LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE NO. TITLE PAGE NO.

1.1 SAW DUST x
1.2 BURNING SAW DUST x
1.3 SAW DUST ASH x
1.4 SAW DUST ASH USED xi
3.1 SIEVE SIZE xiii
3.2 LIQUID LIMIT OF SILTY SOIL xiii
4.1 GRAPH 1 (GSD) xiv
4.2 GRAPH 2 (FLOW CURVE) xv
4.3 GRAPH 3 (OMC CURVE) xvi
4.4 GRAPH 4 (UCS OF BURNT ASH) xvi
4.5 FAILURE PATH xvii
4.6 UCS TESTING MACHINE xvii
4.7 GRAPH 5 (UCS OF SAW DUST) xvii

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 Abstract
Huge quantity of saw dust is being generated worldwide due to the rapid urbanization. The disposal
of saw dust in open areas or landfills is not an environment friendly solution. Utilization of saw dust
as ash in geotechnical applications is likely provides a better solution. Keeping this in view, an
extensive experimental study was carried out to demonstrate the soil improvement prospective of
saw dust ash (SDA) by performing California bearing ratio (CBR) and unconfined compression
strength tests. The experimental study has revealed that the addition of SDA results a significant
increase in CBR and unconfined compressive strength. Further more the values of CBR obtained are
within the limits recommended by the Asphalt Institute for Highway sub-base and sub-grade. Thus
from the present study it is concluded that SDA, an industrial waste, is a cheap satisfactory
stabilizing agent for sub-base and base course in clayey fills; although its performance can be
improved by combining it with other bonding materials such as lime, and becomes an alternatives
use of industrial waste to reduce the construction cost of road particularly in the rural areas of the
country.

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 CHAPTER-1
Introduction
1.1 Introduction
Poor soils have been encountered by geotechnical engineers all over the world during developmental
activities and execution of infrastructure projects. They have always posed a problem for the
engineers in one way or the other, either during or after construction. Such poor soils can exhibit
several undesirable characteristics like low strength and bearing, excessive swelling, highly
compressible nature and resultant settlement to name a few. In order to make the soil a suitable
engineering material, its properties need to be modified or engineered to suit the requirements of a
particular infrastructure project. This can be achieved by stabilizing the soil by any of the several
means available. One such method is chemically stabilizing the soil by addition saw dust and saw
dust ash. Saw dust and saw dust ash have been by far the most common additives adopted for
stabilizing such poor soils with undesirable properties. In recent times, addition of solid wastes has
also been practiced to improve soils of various types to suit varying requirements [1], [2]. Solid
wastes can originate from industrial, domestic, agricultural or mineral sources. Biomass ashes
originating from agricultural / horticultural sources have found an increased acceptance in their
utilization in Civil Engineering materials like concrete and soil modification.

One such biomass waste ash is sawdust ash (SDA) and saw dust ash (SD). Sawdust or technically
wood dust is a by-product waste in the form of fine granules of wood that is generated during wood
working operations like sawing, milling, planing, drilling and sanding of timber in timber industries
that process timber to be supplied for various allied manufacturing industries. This sawdust is
predominantly used in particle boards, though they do have other applications like making wood
pulp, mulch, charcoal briquettes and as fuel. In sawmills, where they are generated in huge
quantities, they are also used in the sawdust burners to produce heat for milling operations. The
resultant end product is SDA or wood ash (WA). SDA and SD has found applications in manufacture
of concrete and more recently, in soil stabilization and stabilized soil blocks. Thus, this work aims at
the evaluating the potential of SDA used in combination with cement and analysing the strength
benefit achieved, when used for highway subgrades.

1.2 Methods
1.2.1 Soil
The soil used in the present investigation was obtained about 1.25 m deep underground
in site. The soil was silty in nature and brought from local area of Jatni, India. All the
indispensable physical and mechanical properties were determined as per the
relevant standard tests (IS: 2720). The geotechnical properties of soil are given in Table 1.1.

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 Table 1.1 Geotechnical Properties of Soil.

Property Value
Liquid Limit (%) [24] 63.3
Plastic Limit (%) [24] 25.8
Plasticity Index (%) 37.5
Shrinkage Limit (%) [25] 11.2
Specific Gravity [26] 2.67
Maximum Dry Density (kN/m3 ) [27] 15.4
Optimum Moisture Content [27] 25.1
Unconfined Compression Strength (UCS) (kPa) [28] 249.6
Free Swell Index (%) [29] 98.0
Soil Classification [30] CH

1.2.2 Saw dust ash (SDA)

The Saw dust was collected from local Saw mill in Industrial area, Barunei @ Rs 2 per kg Odisha,
India. The saw dust collected was obtained from sawing of deodar and Sal wood. Saw dust is
actually by-products of sawmills generated by sawing timber. It is the loose particles or wood
chippings obtained by sawing wood into useable sizes. After collection, clean saw dust not having
much bark and so not much organic content was air dried and burnt at the room temperature. The
SDA was then sieved through 600 micron sieves to remove the lumps, gravels, unburnt particles and
other materials which are deleterious to soil. The SDA passing through 600 microns sieve was used
for the laboratory work. Figure 1.1 shows saw dust, Fig. 1.2 shows burning of saw dust and Fig. 1.3
shows SDA used in the present study. The main chemical components of saw dust are carbon 60.8
%, hydrogen 5.19 %, oxygen 33.83 % and nitrogen 0.90 %. The specific gravity of SDA is 2.03 and
loss in ignition is 4.27 %. The physical properties are tabulated in Table 1.3.

1.2.3 Grain size Analysis

Since a given soil will often be made up of grains of many different sizes, sizes are measured in
terms of grain size distributions. Grain size distribution (GSD) information can be of value in
providing initial rough estimates of a soil's engineering properties such as permeability, strength,
expansivity, etc.

1.2.4 Liquid limit and Plastic limit

Liquid limit and plastic limit tests were conducted on soil samples mixed with different percentages
of SDA as 0, 5, 10, 20 % as per the procedures laid down in IS: 2720, Part V, 1985 reaffirmed 1995
[7].

1.2.5 Compaction proctor test

The mould of capacity 1000 ml with an internal diameter of 100 mm and height 127.3 mm was used.
Compaction Proctor tests were conducted on soil samples mixed with different percentages of SDA
as 0, 5, 10, 20 % as per IS:2720 Part VII (Light Compaction), 1980, reaffirmed 1997.

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1.2.6 Unconfined compression test
Cylindrical test specimens of diameter 38 mm with height of 76 mm prepared using remoulded
samples were used for the test. The curing period for the samples was 7 days, and three specimens
were tested for each case. The tests were conducted as per IS: 2720 Part 10, 1991 [7]. All the
samples were prepared by static compaction using split mould at optimum moisture content (OMC)
and at maximum dry density (MDD).

1.2.7 California bearing ratio test

California bearing ratio (CBR) tests were carried out as per IS: 2720, Part 16, 1987 reaffirmed 1997
[8]. The tests were conducted at optimum moisture content and samples were tested in unsoaked
conditions. The mould for placing the CBR sample has inner diameter of 150 mm and height 175
mm, and were kept for curing in moist sand for 7 days before testing.

Fig. 1.1 Saw Dust

Fig. 1.2 Burning of saw dust Fig. 1.3 Saw dust ash

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Table 1.2 Chemical Composition of saw dust
Composition Percentage
SiO2 86
Al2 O3 2.6
CaO 3.6
Fe2O3 1.8
MgO 0.27
MnO 0.07
K2O 0.11
SO2 0.45
P2O5 0.43

Table 1.3 Properties of saw dust ash used

Color Greyish Black
Specific gravity 2.03
Fineness 600 μm
Water absorption (%) 64
Fineness modulus 1.81
Rate of burning 3 h per Kg
Unsoaked CBR (%) 7.85
Soaked CBR (%) 7.15

Fig.1.4 Saw Dust

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 CHAPTER-2
Literation Review
2.1 Literation Review

SL. NO. AUTHOR TOPIC WORK DONE RESULT

1 B. Suneel Kumar, Behavior of UCS, OMC, CBR CBR value was
T.V.Preethi Clayey Soil increased upto a
Stabilized with point then decreased
Rice Husk Ash & UCS showed good
Lime improvement

2 Khelifa Stabilization of PL, PI, UCS, LL Shear strength and

Harichane, Algerian Clayey workability
Mohamed Ghrici, Soils with Natural improved
Said Kenai Pozzolana and
Lime

3 Wajid Ali Butt, Strength behavior LL, PL, PI, UCS, Strength optimally
Karan Gupta, of clayey soil CBR improved by adding
J. N. Jha stabilized with SDA and then
saw dust ash decreased when
added more quantity

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 CHAPTER-3
Project Work
3.1 Grain Size Analysis
The standard grain-size analysis test determines the relative proportions of different grain sizes as
they are distributed among certain size ranges. Grain-size analysis of soils containing relatively large
particles is accomplished using sieves.
The soil is collected and sieved through different sizes as shown in fig.4

Fig. 3.1 Sieve Sizes

3.2 Liquid and Plastic Limit
Liquid limit and plastic limit tests were conducted on soil samples mixed with different percentages
of SDA as 0, 5, 10, 20 % as per the procedures laid down in IS: 2720, Part V, 1985 reaffirmed 1995.
Fig.3.2 shows the liquid limit test of silty soil.

Fig. 3.2 Liquid limit of silty soil

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 CHAPTER-4
Data Collection and Result

4.1Grain Size Distribution Test

Table 4.1 Sieve Analysis of Silty Soil

IS SIEVE (mm) %FINER
4.75 100.00
3.35 100.00
2.36 97.87
1.4 92.91
1.18 89.64
0.6 83.46
0.3 71.42
0.15 69.16
0.075 59.58
0.002 10.00

Fig. 4.1

The graph shows that maximum anount of soil grain is in between 0.001 to 0.1. The soil is silty (M)
in nature.

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4.2 Liquid and Plastic Limit

Table 4.2 Flow Curve Data

NUMBER OF BLOWS WATER CONTENT
34 44.6
23 49.4
18 51.4
12 55.6

From the experiment the limit are

• The liquid limit of silty soil without containing saw dust is 48.5%.
• The average plastic limit is found to be 27.2%.

Fig. 4.2

4.3 Compaction Test

Table 4.3 Water content & Density Relationship
WATER CONTENT DRY DENSITY
16.3 1.57
18.8 1.58
19.4 1.64
22.8 1.63
23.4 1.62

xv
 Fig. 4.3

4.4 Unconfined Compressive Strength of Burnt Ash

Table 4.4 Observed Data of Burnt Ash

Saw dust ash Unconfined compressive Undrained shear
percentage strength (qu) KN/m2 strength KN/m2

0 248.00 124.00
5 313.14 156.57
10 184.43 92.21
20 182.00 91.00

Fig. 4.4
xvi
 Fig. 4.5 Fig. 4.6

4.5 Unconfined Compressive Strength of Saw Dust

Table 4.5 Observed Data of Saw Dust

Saw dust ash Unconfined compressive Undrained shear
percentage strength (qu) KN/m2 strength KN/m2

0 195.00 97.5
5 224.65 112.32
10 200.19 100.09
20 226.10 113.05

Fig. 4.7

4.6 California bearing ratio test

In this test the value increased to a point and then after decrease to limit. But due to calibration of
the equipment the test was not done as it was showing worng result of silty soil.
xvii
 CHAPTER-5
Conclusion
1.Liquid limit, plastic limit, plasticity index, specific gravity, un-soaked CBR and
unconfined compressive strength of the stabilized soils were optimally improved by
adding SDA.
2. With increase in SDA content a general reduction in maximum dry unit weight was
observed. The optimum moisture content (OMC) shows increase with increase in
SDA content.
3. The Unconfined compressive strength should increased by 26.35 at 5 % SDA content which is
taken as optimum and CBR test value should increase but was not conducted because both apparatus
calibration was not done.
4.This investigation could discovered that SDA acceptably acts as a cheap stabilizing
material for sub-grade and sub-base purposes in silty soils but couldn't verify it due to apparatus
calibration not conducted.
Thus it is concluded that SDA is a satisfactory stabilizing agent for silty soils. The
utilization of the industrial wastes like SDA is an alternative to reduce construction cost
of the roads particularly in the rural areas of developing countries like India.

xviii
REFERENCES
1. Ramaji AE (2012) A review on the soil stabilization using low-cost methods. J Appl Sci Res
8(4):2193–2196
2. Alhassan M (2008) Potentials of rice husk ash for soil stabilization. Assumpt Univ J Technol
11(4):246–250
3. Dahale PP, Nagarnaik PB, Gajbhiye AR (2012) Utilization of solid waste for soil stabilization: a
review. Electron J Geotech Eng 17:2443–2461
4. Koteswara RD, Anusha M, Pranav PRT (2012) Effect of ferric chloride and rice husk ash in the
stabilization of expansive
5. Bureau of Indian Standards (1985) Indian standard method of test for soils, IS: 2720 Part-5
Determination of liquid limit and plastic limit (Second Revision)-1985. (Reaffirmed 1995)
6. Bureau of Indian Standards (1980) Indian standard method of test for soils, IS: 2720 Part-7
Determination of water content- dry density relation using light compaction (Second Revision)-1980.
(Reaffirmed 1997)
7. Bureau of Indian Standards (1991) Indian standard method of test for soils, IS: 2720 Part-10,
Determination of unconfined compressive strength, (Second Revision)-1991. (Reaffirmed 1995)
8. Bureau of Indian Standards (1980) Indian standard method of test for soils, IS: 2720 Part-16,
Laboratory determination of CBR-1980. (Reaffirmed 1997)

xix