Experimental study of early strength and hydraulic conductivity of cemented soils improved with soda residue and bentonite: Promoting solid waste recycling

Abstract

The insufficient early strength and hydraulic conductivity of cemented soil can significantly impact the quality of deep cement mixing (DCM) walls, particularly in water-rich sandy silt regions. To enhance the early engineering performance of DCM walls, industrial by-products (IBPs) such as soda residue (SR), and other additives such as bentonite and water glass (WG) were used. Unconfined compression strength (UCS) and hydraulic conductivity tests were conducted to assess the strength and hydraulic conductivity of the improved cemented soil. Microstructural and mineralogical tests were performed to reveal the mechanisms of SR, bentonite, and WG. The results indicate that adding SR introduces sulfate and chloride ions into the reaction system, thereby promoting the formation of hydration products. However, when the SR content exceeds 8%, it leads to the precipitation of calcium carbonate, resulting in the formation of calcium hydroxide (CH) crystals, which reduces the 7 d UCS by 15.4% compared to 8% SR. The addition of bentonite increases the silica and aluminum content, promoting the formation of calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) and calcium aluminosilicate hydrate (C-A-S-H), while also filling the soil pores, reducing the early hydraulic conductivity of the cemented soil by 1.5 orders of magnitude (from 9.87 × 10⁻⁶ to 5.28 × 10⁻⁷ cm/s at 7 d with 7% bentonite). The addition of WG significantly enhances the early strength of the cemented soil, with an average increase of 12.5% (from 52.5%–60.0% to 62.5%–75.0%) in the 7 d strength performance ratio (n = q_u7d/q_u28d). This study contributes to improving the early engineering performance of DCM walls from economic and environmental perspectives, promoting the sustainable utilization of IBPs.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

cemented soil / SR / bentonite / WG / strength and hydraulic conductivity

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