Comparative Assessment of Using Glass Powder and Aluminum Waste to Improve Unconfined Strength of Clay Soil

Abstract

The soil strength is one of the essential mechanical soil properties that should be studied before constructing any project. This paper compares two clay soil samples, where one was improved by adding glass powder and another by aluminum waste. Each waste material was mixed with soil in varying percentages of 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15%, by the soil's weight, which was added as medium sand aggregate. Therefore, physical and mechanical tests are carried out on the samples. The physical tests showed that the soil classification changes from height plasticity CH to low plasticity CL for both materials at some percentage. The results of compaction tests showed that the addition of glass powder increases the dry densities (γd) of the samples, but the increasing rate of added aluminum waste decreases it. The higher amount of dry densities was at the 15% of additive of both materials. Adding glass powder increases the density of standard soil by 8.51%, while aluminum waste decreases it by 0.7%. However, the improvement in the value of the optimal water content (O.M.C) stopped at 10% and 15% of additive materials, respectively. The unconfined compression test showed that the values of unconfined strength U.C. decreased in the case of glass powder additive and increased when aluminum waste additive.
Key word: unconfined strength, glass powder, aluminum waste, clay, soil properties.

Full text

International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2022): 7.942
Volume 11 Issue 9, September 2022
www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Comparative Assessment of Using Glass Powder
and Aluminum Waste to Improve Unconfined
Strength of Clay Soil
Fathia Alnaas1, Samiha Abdelrahman2, Enas B. Altalhe3
1Lecturer at Civil and Structural Engineering Department, Omer Almukhtar University, Al Bayda', Libya
fathia.Alnaas[at]omu.edu.ly
2Lecturer at Civil and Structural Engineering Department, Omer Almukhtar University, Al Bayda', Libya
samiha.abdelrahman[at]omu.edu.ly
3Assistant Professor at Civil and Structural Engineering Department, Omer Almukhtar University, Al Bayda', Libya
enas.omer[at]omu.edu.ly
Abstract: The soil strength is one of the essential mechanical soil properties that should be studied before constructing any project.
This paper compares two clay soil samples, where one was improved by adding glass powder and another by aluminum waste. Each
waste material was mixed with soil in varying percentages of 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15%, by the soil's weight, which was added as medium
sand aggregate. Therefore, physical and mechanical tests are carried out on the samples. The physical tests showed that the soil
classification changes from height plasticity CH to low plasticity CL for both materials at some percentage. The results of compaction
tests showed that the addition of glass powder increases the dry densities (γd) of the samples, but the increasing rate of added aluminum
waste decreases it. The higher amount of dry densities was at the 15% of additive of both materials. Adding glass powder increases the
density of standard soil by 8.51%, while aluminum waste decreases it by 0.7%. However, the improvement in the value of the optimal
water content (O.M.C) stopped at 10% and 15% of additive materials, respectively. The unconfined compression test showed that the
values of unconfined strength U.C. decreased in the case of glass powder additive and increased when aluminum waste additive.
Keywords: unconfined strength, glass powder, aluminum waste, clay, soil properties
1. Introduction
Clay soil is one of the most available construction materials
where found in the green mountain in Libya. However, this
soil has many problems after construction, such as low
hydraulic conductivity, high consolidation, low shear
strength, and subsidence settlement. Therefore, geotechnical
engineers have improved this soil to change its behavior by
many methods. Adding waste materials is one of these
methods that have low costs and reduce its environmental
risks. This paper compares the unconfined compression
strength of two clay samples, which improves by adding
glass powder [1] and non-recyclable aluminum waste
2. Literature Review
Many waste materials have been used and proven effective
in soil stabilization, such as fly ash, cement, wood powder,
rice straw, glass powder, and other materials ingested on
research studies. However, limited studies deal with using
aluminum waste as a soil conditioner. (Hanifi Canakcia,
2016) [2] Waste aluminum beverage cans were used to
improve the density properties and resistance of swollen
soil, while (Matty, 2014) [3] studied using aluminum aslant
to improve the resistance properties for paving soil. (Zuheir
Karabash, 2015)[4] Studied swell clay soil reinforced with
aluminum (Omar Adnan IBRAHIM, 2018) [5] studied the
improvement of the equilibrium soils using aluminum slag.
On the other hand, many people studied the improvement of
soil properties by using glass powder as an additive.
(Amrutha Mathew, 2015)[6] Worked to evaluate the effect
of sisal fiber bagasse and glass powder on soil's physical and
mechanical properties. [7] Improved unconfined
compressive strength of soft soil by mixing with lime,
cement, fly ash, and glass powder. (Navdeep Singh Sodhi1,
2017) [8] Studied engineering properties of expansive
samples which improved by mixing with crushed glass
waste. (Achmad Fauzi, 2016)[9] Also studied the effect
addition of crushed glass on expansive soil engineering
properties. The results were varied in all these research
papers and others, between positive results at specific
percentages of adding materials and negative or non-
appearance improvement at other percentages. Since the soil
is a single case for each type separately, the response of the
soil to improve or not depends on the kind of waste
materials used and the target properties which need to
improve.
3. Materials Used
Clayey soil
Two disturbed clay samples were collected from a building
site north of Al-Bayda, the central city on the green
mountain. Both samples were brought to 30cm from the
surface level. Various laboratory tests were done in clay for
getting the engineering soil properties according to the
specifications (USCS-ASTM.). The results obtained for clay
(sample2) that was collected for this study and (sample1) [1]
are shown in Table 1.
Paper ID: SR22915033452
DOI: 10.21275/SR22915033452
808

International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2022): 7.942
Volume 11 Issue 9, September 2022
www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Glass powder
Glass has been used as an improved alternative material in
many engineering fields. Waste glass bottles were collected
and used after washing, drying, and grinding those using Los
Angeles Abrasion apparatus. A gradient similar to medium
and fine sand gradation, which passed through a 2 mm sieve,
was used [1].
Aluminum waste
Waste of inert aluminum workshops for recycling (locally)
was used as an additive .Waste aluminum was collected
from the Bouhadi workshop in Benghazi. After that, the
sample was washed and immersed in water to separate the
impurities from them and dry it airily. Figure 1 shows the
sample used and the stages of its preparation. Various
laboratory tests were done on aluminum waste; the results
obtained are shown in Table 2: Additive materials
properties.
Table 1: Soil Properties
Physical properties
Test Sample 1 Sample 2
Natural water content 28% 28%
Total density 1.23g/cm3 1.22g/cm3
Specific gravity 2.64 2.73
Liquid limit 54 59
Plastic limit 32 31
Plasticity index 22 28
Soil classification CH CH
Permeability 2.271E-04 cm/min 1.921E-03 cm/min
Activity 0.48 0.62
Mechanical properties Maximum dry density 1.41 g/cm3 1.4%
Optimum water content 26.2% 30%
Unconfined compression strength 28g/cm2 20.3g/cm2
Table 2: Additive materials properties
Test Value
Total density 0.33g/cm3
Specific gravity 1.77
Permeability 4.16E-02 cm/sec
Figure 1: Stages of preparation aluminum waste
4. Methodology
The experimental studies were carried in two-phase. The
first phase determined typical soil's physical and mechanical
properties such as particle size distribution, specific gravity,
consistency limits, permeability, compaction, and
unconfined pressure strength. In the second phase, various
tests were performed on clay soil using different proportions
of glass powder [1] and aluminum waste. The selected
contents of aluminum waste were (5%, 10%, and 15%) by
dry weight of the sample, which was as additive of glass
powder. All the tests were conducted as (ASTM)
classification.
Experimental and Results
All the samples of clay soil used in the laboratory tests were
dried airily and then mixed with dry glass powder and
aluminum waste.
Consistency Limits Tests ASTM (D2487, D3148, D217)
To determine the liquid limit of mixed soil with aluminum
waste, the fall cone test was used; due to the inability of the
Casagrande device to find it. The results were illustrated in
Table 3: Results of consistency limit for both additives.
Table 3: Results of consistency limit
Material used % of additive LL% PL % PI % Classification
Glass
Powder
0 54 32 22 CH
5 53.5 31.54 21.96 CH
10 47 31 16 CL
15 48 30 18 CL
Aluminium waste 0 59 31 28 CH
Paper ID: SR22915033452
DOI: 10.21275/SR22915033452
809

International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2022): 7.942
Volume 11 Issue 9, September 2022
www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Material used % of additive LL% PL % PI % Classification
Glass
Powder
0 54 32 22 CH
5 53.5 31.54 21.96 CH
10 47 31 16 CL
5 58.4 31 27.4 CH
10 58 32 26 CH
15 54 30 24 CL
Compaction Test (ASTM-D698, ASTM-D1557)
The standard Proctor's test has been conducted for the
determination of the maximum dry density (ϒd) and
optimum moisture content (O.M.C %) of standard clay
samples and mixed soil with glass powder [9] and aluminum
waste. The results are shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3.
Figure 2: The properties of compaction curve
Figure 3: The relation between compaction properties and additive materials
The results of compaction tests showed that glass powder
gradually increased the values of the dry density of the soil
with the percentages of addition [1], while the aluminum
residues led to a decrease. The maximum dry density was at
15% for both materials, which increased by 8.51% of glass
powder and decreased by 0.7 of aluminum waste. On the
other hand, the best results of O.M.C were at 10% of
additive of glass powder and at 15% of the addition of
aluminum waste, which remained the same as the natural
soil.
Unconfined Compression Test (ASTM-D2435)
Strength is an essential engineering property based on the
design of the foundation. Samples of standard and improved
soil are prepared by taking clay soil which passes through a
sieve 4.7 5mm, then water is added [10]. The water content
used is the optimum water content obtained by laboratory
standard protect test [11]. Then, the samples are tested after
sixty days in two different cases: the wet case where samples
are kept in an airtight bag and the dry case where samples
Paper ID: SR22915033452
DOI: 10.21275/SR22915033452
810

International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2022): 7.942
Volume 11 Issue 9, September 2022
www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
are dried in the air. The results of various tests are shown in Figure 4.
Figure 4: The results of unconfined compression test in both cases
Data presented in figure 4 bring out that the UC strength of
soil increase in glass powder and as well as, in aluminum
waste in wet case. The strength of 15% presented the best
results, which is increased by 50% of glass powder and
164% of aluminum waste of normal soil. However, it can be
observed that, dry case is not much positive effective in
improving the strength of glass powder when compared to
aluminum waste. Hence, increase in glass powder showed
decrease in strength while increase in aluminum waste
showed increase in strength. The strength of 10% illustrated
high percentage of improving which decreased by 31%of
glass powder and increased by 33% of aluminum waste of
normal strength.
5. Discussion
The additive materials improved the consistency of the soil
and changed its classification. The classification changed
from (CH) to (CL) due to additive materials decreased liquid
limit. Therefore, glass powder decreased void ratio and
chancing of water penetrating into the improved soil
particles decreases with an increase in additive of aluminum
Waste. The maximum dry density increased of glass powder,
because it consists of sand (sica) by up to 80%that remains
in the soil for long periods and decomposes similarly to
natural rocks .Glass powder helps to fill the void and
increase the cohesion between the soil particles, on the other
hand, it reduced friction between the particles, which
affected negatively at unconfined compression strength.
Aluminum is a lightweight material that decreases density
and specific gravity of the soil, so it affected negatively the
properties of compaction. At the same time, aluminum
increased the percentage of friction between the grains,
which had a positive effect on the unconfined compression
strength in dry case. In wet case, aluminum decreased water
adsorption and increasing water resistance, which lead to
increase of unconfined compression [3].
6. Conclusion
This study presents the characteristics of clayey soil
improved with randomly distributed glass powder and
Aluminum waste as waste materials in improving soil.
Unconfined strength of stabilized soil in two different
conditions was investigated in this study. Based on the lab
experimental results, the following conclusion can be drawn:
1) Both materials enhance competences properties of clayey
soil which changed it of CH to CL.
2) The maximum dry density increased and O.W.C
decreased with glass powder, on the other hand, the
maximum dry density decreased and O.W.C increased
with aluminum waste .Both materials had affected on the
weight of mixed soil and absorption of water.
3) The increase in glass powder lead to decrease on
compression strength in dry case, but it increased in wet
case .The optimum values were at 15% of dry and wet
case. By adding aluminum waste, unconfined
compressive strength increases in both cases. The best
results were at 10% and 15% of additive aluminum in
dry and wet case respectively. This improving because
both materials had affected on friction strength and water
resistance.
4) This study improve that the glass powder and aluminum
waste had positively and negatively influence on soil
properties, so both materials need to add chemical
materials which treatment negative affected.
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SJIF (2022): 7.942
Volume 11 Issue 9, September 2022
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Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
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