Influence of Molasses on the Mechanical Behaviour of an Expansive Soil

Expansive soils are a worldwide problem with various civil engineers' challenges. They are considered as a potential natural hazard that, if not properly processed, can cause extensive structural damages. Structures, especially lighter buildings, and pavements, have greater vulnerability to expansive earthquakes and floods than any other natural hazard. Several studies were done and different methods and techniques for stabilization of expansive soils were proposed and developed to improve engineering properties. The removal of expansive soils and replacement of the competent filling material is a suitable method during construction where there are abundant suitable filling materials available in the vicinity. However, this technique is not appropriate for places where there is minimal adequate filling material content in an economy and where there is a significant thickness of poor soil replacement. The stabilizing ability of molasses (a byproduct from the sugar industry) in expansive soils has been researched nowadays for the economic use of industrial waste for useful engineering purposes. Molasses for improving mechanical properties of expansive soil. The results show that the geotechnical properties of stabilized soil by Molasses can moderately be improved. From the carefully planned experimental investigation, it is observed that the addition of molasses at a specific optimum percentage improves the soil properties. The addition of molasses decreases the Atterberg Limits, Free Swell Index, Specific Gravity and increases the CBR, UCS values with an increase in the percentage of molasses addition to the soil. On the other hand, the adverse effect was observed if the molasses percentage was raised above an optimum percentage (2%). The curing has a significant effect on the geotechnical properties of the liquid stabilized soil (molasses).