International Journal of Engineering Trends and Technology (IJETT) – Volume 35 Number 10 - May 2016
Engineering Properties of Black cotton soil
Modified with Fly ash and Cement
Jaya Prakash Babu.V#1, Satyanarayana.P.V.V*2, Surya Manikantha#3 Abdul Moin#4
#1
PG Student, #2Professor,#3,#4PG students &Civil eng. department& Andhra University
Visakhapatnam, India
Abstract: Black cotton soil is a typical volume
change soil which loses its strength on wetting due
to increase in its volume and in absence of water it
shows multiple cracks due to decrease in its
volume. This volume change behavior causes
distress when structures located on these soils and
also these soils can be used as construction
material.. Present paper describes the strength
behavior of Black cotton soil treated with fly ash as
stabilizer. Fly ash is a fine powder obtained from
burning of coal during the production of electricity.
Disposal of Fly ash is a big problem. To minimize
the disposal of Fly ash onto large land areas, it can
be used as a construction material in civil
engineering works. In this an attempt is made for
the utilization of Fly ash in bulk quantities by
adding it to expansive soil at various percentages
of cement and tests like plasticity, swell,
compaction and CBR tests were performed. From
the test results it is identified that addition of Fly
ash and cement decreases plasticity and improves
strength characteristics. Addition 32-40% Fly ash
and 6-8% cement attains higher CBR values and
improved swell characteristics.
Key words: Expansive soil, Fly Ash,
cement, CBR
1.0 INTRODUCTION:
Black cotton soils accounts about 20% of land area
in India and are predominantly located in the
Deccan trap covering the states. Most Indian Black
cotton soils are rich in Montmorillonate, this
mineral is responsible for swell-shrink behavior of
the soil. It is highly sensitive to moisture changes;
Katti(1979)2 has given properties of Black cotton
soils which have Liquid limit 40%-100%, Plastic
limit 20%-60%, Differential Free Swell index 20%-
100%.Structures located on these soils subjected to
differential settlements due to moisture variations
1
(Bala Subramanyam et.al 1989) . Hence the
subgrade and its undesirable characteristics to be
modified using a suitable stabilization technique.
Stabilization involves the methods used for
modifying the properties of a soil to improve its
engineering performance. Keeping in this view
investigation carried out with fly ash. In India,
about 120 million tonns of coal ash is produced
annually.Coal-ash management poses a serious
environmental problem for India and requires a
mission-mode approach. Disposal of wastage
requires costly land at thermal power plants and the
ISSN: 2231-5381 http://www.ijettjournal.org
transport of flyash to the ash ponds entail heavy
expenditure. some researchers
P.V.V.Satyanarayana et.al (2013)11 studied on the
Strength characteristics of Expansive soil-Fly ash
mixes at various moulding water contents,Kiran
B.Biradar et.al (2014)3 studied the Influence of
steel slag and Fly ash on Strength Properties of
Clayey soil, Ramakrishnan, A.K. et.al(2001)10
Stabilization of Annamalainagar Clay with lime-
Fly ash,Nalbantoglu, Satyanarayana.P.V.V et.al
(2013)12 studied the Bulk utilization of flyash lime
sodium silicate mixes in geotechnical
applications,Satyanarayana.P.V.V et.al(2016)13
studied on the Engineering Properties of Expansive
Soil Stabilized with Fly ash and Lime Mixes,
Prabakar, J.et.al (2003)9 studied Influence of fly
ash on strength behavior of typical soils,Sridharan,
A.et.al (1998)15 studied Use of Fly ash to improve
the CBR of soil, Pandian, N.S. et.al (2002) 7 studied
California bearing ratio behavior of cement
stabilized fly ash-soil mixes, Kolias, S. et.al
(2005)4 studied Stabilization of Clayey soils with
high calcium fly ash and cement, Phanikumar, B.R.
et.al (2007)8 studied Volume changes Behaviour of
fly ash-stabilized clay, Pandian, N.S. et.al (2002)6
studied The pozzolanic effect of fly ash on the CBR
behaviour of black cotton soil.
In present investigation various percentages of Fly
ash and cement mixes are added to expansive soils
and effect of these mixes was studied in terms of
plasticity, compaction, swell and strength
characteristics.
2.0. MATERIALS:
To study the performance of Fly Ash and Cement
mixes on expansive soil, which is obtained from
delta areas of Godavari River in Bhimavaram,
Andhra Pradesh, India and Fly Ash was collected
from NPTC, Parawada of Visakhapatnam
district,Andhra Pradesh, India and cement of OPC
43 grade obtained from local markets.
2.1. Black cotton soil:
Page 477
 International Journal of Engineering Trends and Technology (IJETT) – Volume 35 Number 10 - May 2016

Expansive soils in India are popularly known as collected dried Fly Ash was subjected to various
Black cotton soils. Expansive soil under study was geo-technical characterizations such as gradation,
collected dried and pulverized into the required compaction, strength, permeability etc., and the test
sizes and tested for properties like gradation Property Values
,compaction, strength as per IS2720 and the results Gravel (%) 0
are shown in table-1 and fig-1 Sand (%) 4
Table.1.Geotechnical properties of Black cotton Fines (%) 96
soil a) Silt 50
b) Clay 46
Property Values Liquid Limit (%) 74
Gravel (%) 0 Plastic Limit (%) 29
Plasticity Index (IP) 45
Sand (%) 28 IS Classification CH
Fines (%) 72 Optimum moisture content (OMC) (%) 26
a. Silt (%) 72 Maximum dry density (MDD) (g/cc) 1.52
b. Clay(%) 0 California bearing ratio (%) (CBR
1.0
Liquid Limit (%) 28 Soaked)
Plastic Limit (%) NP Angle of shearing resistance (Ø) 15
Specific gravity 2.1 Cohesion (t/m2) 10
Optimum moisture content (OMC) (%) 21
Maximum dry density (MDD) (g/cc) 1.28 results are shown in table -2 and Fig 2(a),2(b)
Table 2. Geotechnical Characterizations of Fly ash
California bearing ratio (CBR) (%) 4
Coefficient of uniformity (Cu) 28.89
Coefficient of curvature (Cc) 2.13 120
100
80
Finer (%)

120 60
100
40
80
% Finer

20
60
0
40
0.001 0.01 0.1 (mm)
Particle size 1
20
0 Fig-2: Gradation curve of Fly ash
0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1
Grain size (mm) Table 3. Chemical Composition of Flyash
Fig-1: Gradation curve of Black Cotton soil
Compound Formula Percentage
From the test results it is identified that it contains SiO2 59.83
fines (less than 75µm) of 95% .shows alluvial Al2O3 30.48
origin out of which 40% of silt and 55% as clay CaO 1.74
particles. The presence of fines contributed for high MgO 0.86
liquid limit ( wL ) of 74% and plasticity index of TiO2 6.91
45% can be classified as CH soil based on IS1498 V2O5 0.09
1970 It also exhibited high swelling characteristics
ZnO 0.09
with FIS as 100 and swell pressure as 90kpa and
attained very low strength values under soaking in From the test results it is identified that, it has 72%
terms of CBR as 1%. fine particles (<75µm) and all these particles are
silt ranges. It is non-plastic and incompressible
material. It has low specific Gravity and attained
2.2Fly ash: less dry Density with high Moisture Contents due
Fly ash was collected from National Thermal to nature of Flyash particles. From the chemical
Power Corporation (NTPC), which is located at composition it isd identified that it has less
Parawada, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The percentage of CaO (1.74<15%) classified under

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 International Journal of Engineering Trends and Technology (IJETT) – Volume 35 Number 10 - May 2016

class F flyash (ASTM) and presence of high Fig 3(b).OMC Vs FLY ASH (%)
percentages of sio2 and Al2O3 (90%) make the
Flyash Pozzolanic with addituion of Lime, Cement
and other additives. 1.54
3.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 1.52
1.5

MDD (g/cc)
3.1 Effect of Fly ash on Engineering
1.48
Properties of Expansive Soils
To study the effect of Fly ash on Expansive soil, 1.46
various percentage of fly ash i.e. 0,20,…50% by dry 1.44 MDD
weight of soil were added and effectively mixed and 1.42
tested for characteristics like consistency, 1.4
compaction, CBR and swell as per IS2720,as the 1.38
results are shown in table-4 and fig-3(a)-3(e) 0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Table 2. Various characteristics of soil-Fly ash Fly ash (%)
mixes
Fig 3. MDD Vs FLY ASH (%)

FLYASH WL WP IP OMC MDD FSI CBR 120

% % % % % g/cc % %
100
0 74 29 45 26 1.52 100 1
80

FSI
10 66 30 36 27 1.5 80 2.5 60
FSI
20 55 32 23 28 1.48 56 4 40
20
30 40 34 6 29 1.46 30 6
0
40 24 NP NP 30 1.43 15 7 0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Fly ash (%)
50 NP NP NP 31 1.4 0 6.5 Fig 3. FSI Vs FLY ASH (%)
8
80 7
70 6
Water content (%)

60 5
CBR

50 4
40 3 CBR
30 2
20 Liquid limit 1
10 0
Plastic limit
0
Plasticity index 20 0 30 1040 50 60
0 10 20 30 40 50 Fly ash (%)
Fly ash (%) Fig 3. CBR Vs FLY ASH (%)
From the consistency test data, it is identified that
Fig 3(a).Consistency limits as the percentage of fly ash is increasing liquid
limit and plasticity index values are decreasing and
plastic limit values are increasing. This
32 phenomenon is continued up to 30% after it
31 became non-plastic. The decrease in liquid limit is
due to the decrease in diffused double layer by
30 replacement of clay particles by fly ash particles
OMC (%)

29 and increase in plastic limit is due to the

28 development of shear resistance at inter particle
OMC
27 level and the particles in soil-fly ash matrix require
more water to mobilize for rolling.
26 From the compaction test data it is
25 identified that with increasing the percentage of fly
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 ash OMC values are increasing and MDD values
Fly ash (%) are decreasing. This increase in OMC values are

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 International Journal of Engineering Trends and Technology (IJETT) – Volume 35 Number 10 - May 2016

due to the development of flocculated structure

60
which resists the compaction effort and the
50
particles in the soil-fly ash matrix requires more
water to mobilize and less solids occupied in the 40 20% Fly ash
given volume and low dry densities are also due to 30 30% Fly ash

FSI
nature and low specific gravity of fly ash particles 20
40% Fly ash
compared to clay particles. 10
It is also observed that with increasing 0
percentage of fly ash free swell values are -10
decreasing. At a dosage of 40% it became low 0 2 4 6 8 10
swelling and at 50% it is non-swelling. The CEMENT (%)
decrease in swelling characteristics is due to Fig 4(a).FSI (%) Vs CEMENT (%)
decrease of the amount of repulsion between clay
particles due to replacement of clay by fly ash
particles. 40
From the test results of CBR it is identified
35
that as the percentage of Fly ash is increasing CBR

OMC (%)
values are also increasing up to 40% and then
30
decreasing. Fly ash –Clay blend offers more 20% Fly ash
resistance compared to individual Fly ash particles 25 30% Fly ash
and clay particles.
3.2 Effect of Cement on Fly ash Stabilized 20 40% Fly ash
Expansive soil
To study the effect of Cement on 0 2 4 6 8 10
CEMENT (%)
Fly ash stabilized expansive soil, various
Fig 4(a).OMC (%) Vs CEMENT (%)
percentage of cement i.e. 2,4,6,….10% by dry
weight of soil were added and effectively mixed
and tested for characteristics like compaction,
strength and swell as per IS2720,and the results are
shown in below.

Table.5.Various Characteristics of Lime Stabilized

Expansive soil fly ash mixes

CEMENT FLY ASH (%)

(%) 20 30 40
OMC MDD FSI CBR OMC MDD FSI CBR OMC MDD FSI CBR
(%) (g/cc) % % (%) (g/cc) % % (%) (g/cc) % %
0 28 1.48 56 4 29 1.46 30 5 30 1.43 15 6
2 28.5 1.47 40 10 35 1.48 10 12 31.5 1.45 0 15
4 29 1.46 15 20 32 1.5 0 26 33 1.47 0 30
6 29.8 1.45 0 34 33.5 1.52 0 48 34.5 1.49 0 54
8 31 1.44 0 52 35 1.54 0 68 36 1.51 0 80
10 32 1.43 0 74 37 1.55 0 84 37.5 1.53 0 90

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 International Journal of Engineering Trends and Technology (IJETT) – Volume 35 Number 10 - May 2016

1.6 compounds and became crystalline over a period of

1.58 time.
1.56 APPLICATIONS:
MDD (g/cc0

1.54 1. Addition of 40% Fly ash to Black cotton

1.52
soil attained CBR value of 7% with non-
1.5
1.48 20% Fly ash plastic and low swelling can be used as
1.46 Sub-Grade material.
1.44 30% Fly ash
2. Addition of 4% cement and 30-40% Fly
1.42
40% Fly ash ash to the Black cotton soil attained CBR
1.4
values 26-30% can be used as Sub-Base
0 2 4 6 8 10
CEMENT (%) material.
Fig 4(a).MDD (g/cc) Vs CEMENT (%) 3. Addition of 8-10% cement and 32-40% of
Fly ash to the Black cotton soil attained
CBR value 80% can be used as Base
course material.
CONCLUSIONS:
100 High Expansive Black cotton soil can be
90
80 effectively utilized as a Geo technical material by
70 addition of 30-40% fly ash and 6-10% cement. At
CBR (%)

60 these dosage of admixtures the Black cotton soil

50
40
30 20% Fly ash
20
10 30% Fly ash
0 40% Fly ash
0 2 4 6 8 10
CEMENT (%)
Fig 4(a).CBR (%) Vs CEMENT (%)
Compaction test data shows that with
increasing the percentage of fly ash & cement OMC
values are increasing & MDD values are decreasing.
Increase in OMC values are due to increase in
cement concentration in pore water makes the
particle further flocculate and more pore water is
needed to mobilize the particle against compaction
effort and hydration of cement is also responsible.
Decrease in MDD values are due to occupation of
solids contributed less weight due to replacement of
clay particles by Fly ash particles and acceleration of
flocculated structure by cement particles.
From the test results it is also identified
that as the percentage of Fly ash and cement
increases Differential Free Swell Index values
decreases. At 4% dosage of cement with respective
to all Fly ashes the soil became non-swelling.
Addition of cement makes the soil-Fly ash matrix
move repultant against swelling due to absorption
of calcium particles on to the surface of clay
particles.
CBR test data shows the increase in
percentage of cement increases the CBR values of
soil-Fly ash matrix and attained high CBR values at
dosage of 8% of cement. Addition of cement to
soil-Fly ash blends offers more resistance against
compression is due to development of cementitious
can be behaves non-plastic and non-swelling can
reduce the problems of volume change. Bulk
utilization of Fly ash reduces its deposal problem.
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 International Journal of Engineering Trends and Technology (IJETT) – Volume 35 Number 10 - May 2016

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