Micro- and nano-Illite to improve strength of untreated-soil as a nano soil-improvement (NSI) technique

M Cheraghalikhani,; Hamed Niroumand; Lech Bałachowski

doi:10.1038/s41598-024-61812-x

Micro- and nano-Illite to improve strength of untreated-soil as a nano soil-improvement (NSI) technique

Abstract

Soil stabilization is a technique of improving the geotechnical properties of soils for various engineering applications. However, conventional stabilizers such as cement and lime have some limitations, such as high cost, environmental impact, and durability issues. Therefore, there is a need for alternative and innovative stabilizers that can overcome these challenges. This study introduces nano-Illite, a type of clay mineral, as a novel and efective soil stabilizer. Nano-Illite can form nano-cementation (NC) in soil, which is a process of enhancing the durability of various building materials. NC is also known as nano soil-improvement (NSI), a technique that has been developed in recent years. Four formulations of micro- and nano-Illite with concentrations of 0, 1, 2, and 3% were separately added to soil samples. The unconfned compressive strength (UCS) and the secant modulus at 50% of peak stress (E50) of the treated samples were measured and compared with the untreated samples. The results showed that 3% nano-Illite increased the UCS of soil by more than 2.2 times and the E50 by more than 1.5 times after 7 days of curing. Micro-Illite also improved the UCS and E50 of soil, but to a lesser extent. X-ray fuorescence (XRF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray difraction (XRD) analyses revealed the micro- and nano-structures of the soil specimens and the performance of Illite as a nano-additive. This research demonstrates the efectiveness of nano-Illite in soil improvement as a NSI technique, and its potential to replace or reduce the use of conventional stabilizers. This study also contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms and factors that infuence the NC process in soil.

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Authors (3)

M Cheraghalikhani,
Hamed Niroumand dr inż.
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Gdańsk University of Technology
Lech Bałachowski prof. dr hab. inż.
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Gdańsk University of Technology

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Category:

Articles

Type:

artykuły w czasopismach

Published in:

Scientific Reports no. 14,
ISSN: 2045-2322

Language:

English

Publication year:

2024

Bibliographic description:

Cheraghalikhani, M., Niroumand H., Bałachowski L.: Micro- and nano-Illite to improve strength of untreated-soil as a nano soil-improvement (NSI) technique// Scientific Reports -Vol. 10862,iss. 14 (2024),

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