Forwarding soil stabilisation through applied research

Overview

The stabilisation of weak natural soils using binders such as lime or cement is a sustainable method to economically re-use otherwise unsuitable fill material or provide enhanced solutions in civil engineering projects.  

This talk will present recent practical research projects into soil stabilisation delivered by Nottingham Trent University and industry partners.  

This will include:

• Highlights from the innovative HS2 funded research and development programme delivered in collaboration with Balfour Beatty Vinci which justified a 40% reduction to lime dosage; delivered increased understanding of sulphate swell risks and enabled cold weather working.
  
  
• Key findings from a Britpave funded project into the long-term leaching and strength durability of lime and cement stabilised soils. 
  
  This project has undertaken extended leachate tank testing for up to 256 days on 62 specimens, including both laboratory prepared, and field recovered blocks.
  
  This informs conclusions that the potential for pollution from binder leachate to cause discharge of high pH water, and/or Chromium VI to leach from cement stabilised soils are minimal providing good working practices are adhered to and the inappropriate installation of infiltration drainage into treated material is avoided.