Engineered Local Nanosized Ashes: A Sustainable Technology for A Cost Effective Ground Improvement in the Developing World

Nanosized ash materials were locally synthesized by the spectrophotometric characterization method and applied in the stabilization of lateritic soils to evaluate the effect of the ashes on the compaction, consistency and strength properties of the lateritic soils. The ashes are products of the incineration and complete pulverization of some selected biodegerable solid waste materials. Results showed that the ashes were nanomaterials by size, reactive surface, absorbance and texture. And the studied soil was found to be an A-2-7 soil, according to AASHTO classification method. These ash materials were mixed with the soil in varying proportions of 3%, 6%, 9%, 12% and 15% by weight of dry soil and their respective effects on the soil evaluated. The compaction, consistency, California bearing ratio and unconfined compressive strength results improved remarkably. The results showed that the ash materials are good admixtures in the stabilization of lateritic soils in pavement construction and other civil engineering works. These materials are secured free of cost and by implication reduced the cost of stabilizing the lateritic soils hence a cost effective construction.