Improvement in Engineering Properties of Expansive Soil by

using Powdered Glass

Presented By: Mehboob Elahi

Registration No.: 2012-MS-CEG-10
Research Advisor: Dr Hassan Mujtaba Shahzad

Department of Civil Engineering

University of Engineering & Technology Lahore
 Contents of Presentation

 Research Background
 Problem Statement
 Glass Waste
 Research Objectives
 Literature Review
 Research Methodology
 Laboratory Testing Program & P rocedures
 Tests Results & Analysis
 Conclusion & Recommendations
Research Background
Expansive Soils:
The soils that are susceptible to large volume changes (swelling
and shrinking) which are directly related to changes in water
content. In the field, expansive clay soils can be easily recognized
in the dry season by the deep cracks, in roughly polygonal
patterns.
Research Background(cont’d)

The expansive soils have caused severe distresses to various civil

engineering lightly loaded structures such as:

 Houses floors, walls & roofs.

 Highways Pavements & Structures
 Canal Linings
 Railway Tracks
 Side Walks
 Underground water supply pipes
Research Background(cont’d)

Stabilization

Chemical Mechanical

Rice Glass
Lime Cement Fly Ash Husk Ash Powder
 Problem Statement
Each year in the United Kingdom, expansive soils cause 400 million
pounds loss in terms of damage to buildings, roads, pipelines, and
other structures. (Driscoll and Crilly,2000).
In Pakistan large quantity of waste glass is being produced every
year, almost 25% is recycled whereas other was sent to landfill sites.
The glass waste which is not recycled pose environmental hazards by
polluting the soil, water and air.
So such waste has been used in this research work to evaluate the
improvement in engineering properties of problematic soil.
 Glass Waste
 In Pakistan there was 1.8 million tons of waste glass in 2016, almost
25 % was recycled whereas other remained untreated(As per UN
Report 2016).
 In USA, 11.5 million tons of waste glass generated in 2010 with a
recycling rate of 27% only. (i.e. 8.4 million tons sent to landfills).
 In Europe there was 4.1 million tons of waste glass in 2008 with a
recycling rate of 60%.
 Glass Waste (cont’d)
Low Income Countries(As per UN Report) Low Income Countries(As per UN Report)In
Current Waste Generation Rate=158 2025 Waste Generation Rate=480 Million
Million Tons per year Tons per year
 Glass Waste ( Cont’d)
Waste Generation Rate in Pakistan=30 Million Tons per year( United Nations
Environment Programme, Report on Waste Management in Pakistan (June 2016))
 Research Objectives
The main objectives of this research are to study the effect of
Glass Powder on:
Compaction characteristics of expansive soil.

California Bearing Ratio of expansive soils.

Unconfined Compressive Strength of expansive soil.

Consolidation characteristics of expansive soil.

 Literature Review
Fauzi et al (2016) studied Soil
Engineering Properties Improvement
by Utilization of Cut Waste Plastic
and Crushed Waste Glass as
Additive. Significant improvement in
Engineering properties have been
found.
 Literature Review(cont’d)

 Olufowobi et al (2014) studied the effect of powdered glass on

the engineering properties of clayey soil, MDD value
increased from 25.37 KN/m3 to 25.90 KN/m3 whereas CBR
increased from 5 to 14.9% with addition of Crushed Glass up
to 5 %.

 Rohit et al (2015) utilized cut waste plastic and crushed waste

glass in soil stabilization. The engineering properties were
improved in terms of PI Value & C, Φ values are decreased
and the value of CBR is increased.

 Sultan & Ghani (2014) stabilized the Silty Clay soil of Multan
with Cement and Lime. UCS enhanced up to 200 KPa with 6%
lime upon 14 days curing.
 Literature Review(cont’d)
 Amit & Mahiyar (2014) performed the Stabilization of Black
Cotton Soil by Fly Ash, Coconut Coir Fiber & Crushed Glass.
Swelling pressure reduced up to 1/10th , increased upto 3.5
times, cohesion decreased and ø increased with addition of
Glass Powder up to 20% FA + 5% CG +1CC %.

 Saleem (2012) concluded that by adding 30 % RHA to

expansive soil swell potential reduced up to 79 %.

 Ali (2016) concluded that the Unconfined Compressive

Strength increase from 458 KN/m2 to 656 KN/m2 by the
introduction of silica fumes with cement in expansive soil
which is about 43 % higher value than lonely stabilized with
cement and the swell potential also considerably decreases
from 6% to 2.15 %.
 Literature Review(cont’d)
Amrutha & Raneesh (2016) studied the effect of Glass Powder
& Sisal Fiber on Strength Characteristics of Expansive Soil and
found that MDD increased from 1.579 g/cc to 1.659 g/cc, CBR
increased from 7.9 % to 25.62% with addition of Crushed Glass
up to 14 %. UCS increased from 112 KPa to 154.439 KPa with
addition of Crushed Glass up to 14 %.
 Research Methodology & Procedure

Atterberg Limits
Test on Soil + GP
(ASTM D 4318)
Modified
Compaction Test
on Soil + GP
(ASTMD1557)
Laboratory
Test for Index California Bearing
properties, Ratio test on Soil +
Mixing of Soil
Compaction GP (ASTM D
with Different
tests,CBR, 1887)
Percentages of
UCS and One
Glass Powder

R
C
S
ADimensional
Consolidation
tests
Unconfined
Compressive
Strength test on
Soil+GP(ASTM D
2166)
One Dimensional
Consolidation
Test on Soil + GP
(ASTM D 2435)
 Soil Sample Collection
Soil sample was collected from Nandipur near Gujranwala

Stock pile of Nandipur

Soil in Trigri Pind
 Glass Powder Sample Collection
Waste Glass Powder has been collected from the glass market
(Glass Market, Beadon Road Lahore). Glass waste is available
in powdered form which is obtained during cutting and grinding
of glass.
M
P
G
 Chemical Analysis (ASTM - C 295)
Courtesy : Chemical Department(UET Lahore)
Glass Powder(Wet
Analysis)
Element %age
Silica (SiO2) 76.33

Calcium Oxide
0.763
(CaO)
Aluminium
2.61
Oxide (Al2O3)
Sodium
6.44
Oxide(NaO)
Barium
3.13
Oxide(BaO)
Lithium
0.025
Oxide(LiO)
Moisture
0.003
Content
Particle Size Analysis of Nandipur Soil & Glass Powder
Nandipur Soil Glass Powder Nandipur Soil CH
100 (Fat Clay PI=30.4)

90

80

70

60

50

40
P30

20

10

0
10 1 0.1
Sieve Size(mm)
0.01 0.001
 Plasticity Properties of Soil
PI =15-25 Medium Expansive Soil
PI = 25-35 Highly Expansive Soil
After Holtz and Kovacs, 1981
70

60

50

40
CH
Pp30

20

10

0
0 10 20 30
CL

40
Liquid Limit,wl
Series1 Series2
50
Nandipur Soil

60

Series3
70 80 90
 Index Properties of Soil & Glass Powder

Sample Specific Liquid Plasticity Max Dry OMC

Sr No
Name Gravity Limit(%) Index Density(KN/m3) (%)

Nandipur
1 2.65 52.3 30.4 18.29 18
Soil
Glass
2 2.70 NP NP 16.78 15.2
Powder
 Sample Preparation
Samples were prepared by mixing Soil & Glass Powder(GP) in
different proportions.
Sample Preparation

Sample Soil(%) GP(%)

S-1 100 0

S-2 98 2

S-3 96 4

S-4 94 6

S-5 92 8

S-6 90 10

S-7 88 12

S-8 86 14
 Effect of Powdered Glass on Atterburg Limits
The reduction in Liquid Limit and Plasticity Index is due to the addition of
purely NP material Glass Powder which may reduce the plastic
characteristics of clay(Rohit et al(2015)).
Nandipur Soil
LL
52.3 – 28.4%
PI
30.4- 15.5

N
H
 Effect of Glass Powder on Compaction Properties of the
Soil
MDD Increased from 18.29 KN/m3 to 19.18 KN/m3 with the addition of Glass
Powder up to 12% whereas OMC reduced from 18 to 14.8%.

The major compound in Glass Powder is SiO2 (76.33%). The bonding of

silica and alumina has given major distribution & strong bonding effects
among the elements to stabilize the weak soil (Fauzi et al ( 2016)).
 Effect of Glass Powder on CBR of the Soil
As per General Specification NHA, CBR requirement for Sub-grade material
is minimum 7 whereas for Embankment is minimum 5. CBR at 12% Glass
Powder=7.7%
Effect of Glass Powder on Unconfined Compressive
Strength of the Soil
0 Day 3 Days Curing 7 Days Curing"
14 Days Curing 28 Days Curing
1200

1000

800

600
U 400

200

0
2 4 6 8 10
% Glass Powder
12 14 16
Effect of Curing on Unconfined Compressive Strength of the
Soil
Effect of Glass Powder on Consolidation Characteristics
of the Soil
 Effect of Glass Powder on Swell Pressure of Soil
Formation of Bond between Silica & Alumina and filter properties of
Glass Powder prevents the swelling of Soil.
Effect of Glass Powder on Compression Index of the Soil

Decrease in Cc from 0.28 to 0.07 is due to the increased tendency of soil

treated with Glass Powder to resist compression due to bonding between
Silica and alumina within the pore spaces.(Amit & Mahiyar (2014))
 Conclusions

 Addition of 12 % Glass Powder reduced the plasticity

characteristics of soil i.e Nandipur Soil changed from CH to
CL.
 By adding 12% Glass Powder to Nandipur soil increased
MDD from 18.29 to 19.18 KN/m3 and reduced OMC from 18
to 14.8%
 Addition of 12% Glass Powder to Nandipur soil caused
approximately 4.28 times increased in Soaked CBR.
 Addition of 12% Glass Powder to Nandipur soil UCS
increased from 171.41 kPa to 1050 kPa after 28 days curing.
 Conclusions(cont’d)

• By adding 14% Glass Powder to Nandipur soil Swelling

reduced from 3.9 to 0.5 %.
• So the optimum value of Glass Powder for improvement in
engineering properties of soil is 12~14%.
 Recommendations for Future Research

 Effect of Cement- Glass Powder and Lime- Glass Powder

combination on engineering characteristics of soil should be
checked.
 The Sisal Fiber and other waste material should be mixed
with soil to check the effects on engineering characteristic of
the soil.
 The Glass Powder should be mixed in Asphalt Mix as filler
material to check its effects on Marshal Properties.
 References

 Amit Tiwari, H. K. Mahiyar,(2014) “Experimental Study on

Stabilization of Black Cotton Soil by Fly Ash, Coconut Coir Fiber &
Crushed Glass” M.E.Transportation Engineering, CE-AMD
SGSITS, Indore, M.P., India Professor, CE-AMD
SGSITS, Indore, M.P., India, Vol. 4,pp.330-333.

 Achmad Fauzi, Zuraidah Djauhari, Usama Juniansyah Fauzi,(2016)

“Soil Engineering Properties Improvement by Utilization of Cut Waste
Plastic and Crushed Waste Glass as Additive” IACSIT International
Journal of Engineering and Technology, Vol. 8, No. 1,pp.15-18.

 Bowles, J.E. (2001). Foundation Engineering Analysis & Design (5th

Ed.). London: McGraw- Hill Int., pp.1.
 References(cont’d)
 Amrutha Mathew, Dr. Raneesh. K.Y,(2016) “Effect on Strength
Characteristics of Expansive Soil Using Sisal Fibre and Waste
Materials”, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Volume
5,pp.1702-1707

 Akshaya Kumar Sadat, Subasis Pati, (2014)”A Review Literature on

Stabilization of Expansive Soil Using Soild Waste”, Vol. 19, pp.6251-6266.

 Ali Husnain, (2016) “Characteristics of Expansive Soil by Mixing SBR

(Styrene Butadiene Rubber latex & Silica fume” Department of Civil
Engineering, University of Engineering & Technology Lahore”, pp.1-86.