Effect of Lime Precipitation Technique on Strength Characteristics of Cohesive Soil

Lime is being extensively used for the stabilization of clay soil in spite of the associated difficulties. Increase in strength and control of swell-shrink potentials suffer from certain difficulties and drawbacks in clay soil deposits by direct mixing of lime. The present study showed that sequential permeation of calcium chloride and sodium hydroxide solutions with clay soil resulted in the in situ precipitation of lime in the soil mass. Laboratory-scale model tests substantiated the efficiency of lime precipitation in stabilizing clay soil. Testing of soil were done as a model study and a strength profile was established which showed that strength increases with depth of soil mass. Settlement and swelling pressure of lime precipitated soil was found to be minimum at that depth where higher strength is observed.