EFFECT OF EGG SHELL POWDER ON GEOTECHNICAL PROPERTIES OF SOIL

Project report submitted in fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of

Master of Technology In

Geotechnical Engineering

By

Harpreet Singh (1312121)

Under the supervision of

Dr. Kulbir Singh Gill

Department of Civil Engineering Guru Nanak Dev. Engineering College, Gill Road, Gill Park, Ludhiana, Punjab 141006

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the project entitled EFFECT OF EGG SHELL POWDER ON GEOTECHNICAL PROPERTIES OF SOIL submitted by Mr. Harpreet Singh (Roll No. 1312121) in fulfillment of the requirements for the award of Master of Technology Degree in Geotechnical Engineering at GURU NANAK DEV ENGINEERING COLLEGE is an authentic work carried out by them under my supervision and guidance.

Date:Place: Ludhiana

Dr. Kulbir Singh GillAssociate Professor,

Department of Civil Engineering,

Guru Nanak Dev. Engineering College Ludhiana.

ACKNOWLEDGMET

I would like to take this opportunity to thank G.N.D.E.C for providing me with such a vibrant and learning atmosphere.First and foremost, I want to convey my most sincere gratitude to Dr. K.S GILL, Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, G.N.D.E.C for taking out time from the hectic schedule and guiding me - all so in the most warm and friendly manner.I would also like to extend my thankfulness to all the professors of the Department of Civil Engineering for the collective knowledge imparted to me, making me capable enough to see through the entire process.I am grateful to the staff and members of the Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory for their relentless service and cooperation with me.Last but not the least, I appreciate all my friends just for being there and extending the moral support.

HARPREET SINGH

ABSTRACTNowadays, considerable attention has been paid to the utilization of alternative materials, which bear higher engineering quality than traditional materials and are financially affordable. Soil is one of the most important materials used in a variety of construction projects including earth canals and earth dams. The fact that soil may provide all the resistance characteristics necessary for a project illustrates the importance of various methods used to improve soil quality. Clay soil is widely used in most of the construction projects. Clay soils, particularly soft clay soils, have good plastic properties so that increased moisture results in their decreased shear strength, compressive strength and volume changes. These damages typically take an irreparable toll on structures, which further clarifies the importance of soil improvement. Considering millions of tons of waste produced annually across the country, which not only poses the problem of disposal but also adds to environmental contamination and health risks, utilization of such refuse and industrial wastes and their subsidiary products as alternatives to construction materials may effectively contribute to environmental preservation and minimization of their adverse effects on the Environment. In the present study, eggshell powder was used as a waste to combine with soil so that index properties compaction and shear strength properties of clay soil were investigated at different mixture proportions. Then the shear strength of soils already measured, were compared with those of the experimental specimens mixed with eggshell powder at different proportions.

Contents Page no.

List of Figures

List of Tables

Abstract

Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Chapter 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1Soil Stabilization

2.2.1 Definition2.1.2 Needs and Advantages2.1.3 Method

2.2 Applications of Agricultural and Domestic Wastes in Geotechnical Applications.2.2.1 Agricultural wastes2.2.2 Domestic Waste2.3Soil Properties2.3.1 Atterberg Limits2.3.2 Specific Gravity2.3.3 Shear StrengthChapter 3EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION3.1Scope of work3.2Material Used3.3Brief steps involved in experiments3.3.1Specific Gravity of Soil3.3.2Liquid Limit3.3.3Plastic Limit3.3.4Proctor Compaction Test3.3.5Unconfined Compression Strength Test

Chapter 4RESULTS AND DISSCUSSIONS4.1Specific gravity4.2Index Properties4.2.1Liquid Limit4.2.2Plastic Limit4.4.3Plasticity Index4.4Standard Proctor Compaction Test4.4Unconfined Compression Test4.5Discussion4.5.1Inferences from UCS TestCONCLUSIONSReferences

LIST OF TABLES

TABLEPAGE NO.2.1

31

CHAPTER-1INTRODUCTION

For any land-based structure, the foundation is very important and has to be strong to support the entire structure. In order for the foundation to be strong, the soil around it plays a very critical role. So, to work with soils, we need to have proper knowledge about their properties and factors which affect their behavior. The process of soil stabilization helps to achieve the required properties in a soil needed for the construction work. From the beginning of construction work, the necessity of enhancing soil properties has come to the light. Ancient civilizations of the Chinese, Romans and Incas utilized various methods to improve soil strength etc., some of these methods were so effective that their buildings and roads still exist. In India, the modern era of soil stabilization began in early 1970s, with a general shortage of petroleum and aggregates, it became necessary for the engineers to look at means to improve soil other than replacing the poor soil at the building site. Soil stabilization was used but due to the use of obsolete methods and also due to the absence of proper technique, soil stabilization lost favor. In recent times, with the increase in the demand for infrastructure, raw materials and fuel, soil stabilization has started to take a new shape. With the availability of better research, materials and equipment, it is emerging as a popular and cost-effective method for soil improvement. Here, in this project, soil stabilization has been done with the help of cement and egg shell powder. Egg shells are obtain as waste after the use of eggs. The improvement in the shear strength parameters has been stressed upon and comparative studies have been carried out using unconfined compression test.

Soil modification or stabilization is usually carried out to achieve the following goals: Increasing soil strength, geotechnical properties and bearing capacity Preventing structure subsidence Reducing adhesion in highly adhesive soils Increasing adhesion in soils with low adhesion (sands) Increasing safety factor against slope, levees and earth dam sliding Reducing soil plasticity index.

CHAPTER-2LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Soil Stabilization 2.1.1 Definition Soil stabilization is the process of altering some soil properties by different methods, mechanical or chemical in order to produce an improved soil material which has all the desired engineering properties.

Soils are generally stabilized to increase their strength and durability or to prevent erosion and dust formation in soils. The main aim is the creation of a soil material or system that will hold under the design use conditions and for the designed life of the engineering project. The properties of soil vary a great deal at different places or in certain cases even at one place; the success of soil stabilization depends on soil testing. Various methods are employed to stabilize soil and the method should be verified in the lab with the soil material before applying it on the field.

Principles of Soil Stabilization: Evaluating the soil properties of the area under consideration. Deciding the property of soil which needs to be altered to get the design value and choose the effective and economical method for stabilization. Designing the Stabilized soil mix sample and testing it in the lab for intended stability and durability values.

2.1.2 Needs & Advantages Soil properties vary a great deal and construction of structures depends a lot on the bearing capacity of the soil, hence, we need to stabilize the soil which makes it easier to predict the load bearing capacity of the soil and even improve the load bearing capacity. The gradation of the soil is also a very important property to keep in mind while working with soils. The soils may be well-graded which is desirable as it has less number of voids or uniformly graded which though sounds stable but has more voids. Thus, it is better to mix different types of soils together to improve the soil strength properties. It is very expensive to replace the inferior soil entirely soil and hence, soil stabilization is the thing to look for in these cases.

It improves the strength of the soil, thus, increasing the soil bearing capacity. It is more economical both in terms of cost and energy to increase the bearing capacity of the soil rather than going for deep foundation or raft foundation. It is also used to provide more stability to the soil in slopes or other such places. Sometimes soil stabilization is also used to prevent soil erosion or formation of dust, which is very useful especially in dry and arid weather. Stabilization is also done for soil water-proofing; this prevents water from entering into the soil and hence helps the soil from losing its strength. It helps in reducing the soil volume change due to change in temperature or moisture content. Stabilization improves the workability and the durability of the soil.

2.1.3 MethodsA. Mechanical method of Stabilization In this procedure, soils of different gradations are mixed together to obtain the desired property in the soil. This may be done at the site or at some other place from where it can be transported easily. The final mixture is then compacted by the usual methods to get the required density.B. Additive method of stabilization It refers to the addition of manufactured products into the soil, which in proper quantities enhances the quality of the soil. Materials such as cement, lime, bitumen, fly ash etc. are used as chemical additives. Sometimes different fibers are also used as reinforcements in the soil.

C. Agriculture and Domestic waste method of stabilization It is important to mention here that recent trends on soil stabilization have evolved innovative techniques of utilizing local available environmental and industrial waste material for the modification and stabilization of deficient soil. In the process of soil stabilization and modification emphasis is given for maximum utilization of local material so that cost of construction may be minimized to the minimum extent. At the same time safe disposal of agricultural and domestic wastes become challenging task for engineers. Hence an attempt has been made by researchers to use agricultural and domestic wastes as soil stabilizers. The beneficial effects of certain agricultural and domestic wastes are discussed below.

2.2.1 Agricultural wastes 1) Rice husk ashRice husk ash is a major agricultural product obtained from paddy. For every 40 kN of rice 10kN of husk is produced. The husk is disposed off either by dumping it in an open heap near the mill site or on the road side to be burnt later. Burning the rice husk generated about 15-20% of its weighing as ash. The ash being very light is easily carried by wind and water contributing to air and water pollution. The huge quantity of ash generated requires large areas for disposal. The high percentage of siliceous material present in rice husk ash indicated that it has pozzolanic properties. The normal method of conversion of husk to ash is by incineration. Musa Alhassan investigated soil-RHA with respect to compaction characteristics, California bearing ratio (CBR) and unconfined compressive strength (UCS) tests. The results obtained, indicates a general decrease in the Maximum Dry Density (MDD) and increase in Optimum Moisture Content (OMC) with increase in RHA content. There was also slight improvement in the CBR and UCS with increase in the RHA content. Hence Rice husk ash can be used as stabilizer to solve many problems associated with its accumulation.

2) Sugarcane bagasse ashThe Bagasse Ash is the fibrous waste produced after the extraction of the sugar juice from cane. This material usually poses a disposal problem in sugar factories particularly in tropical countries. In many tropical countries there are substantial quantities of Bagasse (the fibrous residue from the crushing the sugar cane) and husks from rice both are rich in amorphous silica, which react with lime. Mohammed Abdullahi investigated and reported that The Optimum Moisture Content (OMC) increased while Maximum Dry Density (MDD) decreased with increasing bagasse and cement content when added with lateritic soil. The cohesion decreases while the angle of internal friction increases. This may be due to reduction of clay - size fraction. The liquid limit reduced while the plastic limit increased and consequently the plasticity index reduced with increase in bagasse ash content. The reduction in plasticity was due to a reduction in liquid limit. Hence sugarcane bagasse ash can be effectively used as a soil stabilizer.

3) Groundnut shell ash

Groundnut shell is an agricultural waste obtained from milling of groundnut. The ash from groundnut shell has been categorized under pozzolana, with about 8.66% Calcium Oxide (CaO), 1.93% Iron Oxide (Fe2O3), 6.12% Magnesium Oxide (MgO), 15.92% Silicon Oxide (SiO2), and 6.73% Aluminum Oxide (Al2O3). The utilization of this pozzolana as a replacement for traditional stabilizers will go a long way in actualizing the dreams of most developing countries of scouting for cheap and readily available construction materials. Groundnut shell ash has been used in concrete as a partial replacement material for cement. Oriola, Folagbade et al conducted a series of laboratory tests such as unconfined compressive Strength and California Bearing Ratio tests on highly expansive soil with ground nut shell ash and observed improvement of UCC and CBR values. Hence ground nut shell ash in soil stabilization gives greater benefits to the environment than simply disposing it in the environment.

4) Burnt olive wasteOlive waste is the byproduct obtained from extracting the olive oil from olives. The quantity of the by-product olive cake residue generated in most parts of the Mediterranean countries continues to increase and expected to be double in amount within 1015 years. This increase intensifies the problems associated with the disposal of this by-product. Olive cake residue has a potential for use as a soil stabilizer and large volumes can be beneficially used. This study is directed towards determining if olive cake residue can be utilized to increase the strength and stability of expansive soils which constitute a costly natural hazard to lightweight structures on shallow foundations. Mousa F. Attom et al proposes a partial solution to the problems associated with the increase of olive waste in Jordan. Chemical analysis was performed to identify the constituents of the olive waste after burning at 550C. A laboratory study consists of the following tests on samples treated with burnt olive waste: Atterberg Limits, Unconfined Compressive Strength, Standard Proctor Density, and Swelling Pressure tests. It was found that the addition of 2.5% by weight of the burnt olive waste will increase the unconfined compressive strength and the maximum dry density, while the addition of 7.5% of the olive ash by weight minimizes the swelling pressure of the soil. The test results show promise for this material to be used as stabilizer and to solve many of the problems associated with its accumulation.

2.2.2Domestic wastesDomestic waste materials comprise waste generated in the form of post-consumer commercial and household waste. Domestic waste materials include paper waste, plastics,Scrap tires, glass/ceramics, and carpet waste.

1)Waste papers

Waste paper refers to discarded forms of newspaper, magazines, office paper and other paper products of various grades and fibers. According to Tchobanoglousb et al. (1993) waste paper constitutes the largest component of municipal solid waste by weight. The types of paper that are recyclable include newspaper, corrugated cardboard, high-grade paper, and mixed paper. The process of waste paper recycling begins at the community level where it is sorted and left for collection. After collection it is sorted further at the waste collection facility and finally baled or shredded. Although the vast majority of this waste paper is recycled to produce other paper products, its use has been extremely limited in highway applications, mainly in aesthetic applications.

2) PlasticsPlastics are much more varied in terms of origin and properties. Trash bags, plastic pipes, milk jugs, battery casings, plastic cups/plates, and plastic soda bottles all are potential sources for waste plastic. These sources are composed of various types of polymers among them Poly Ethylene Terephthalate (PETE) in soda bottles, High- Density Polyethylene (HDPE) in milk bottles, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) in piping, Low-Density Poly Ethylene (LDPE) in thin film packaging, Polypropylene(PP) in crates, and polystyrene (PS) in cups/plates. The properties of the recycled plastic rest mainly on the type of resin or polymer used in the product, as are recycling options and processing. For example, reclaimed HDPE and PETE bottles are granulated into small flakes and separated by floatation. The flakes are then melted and turned into pellets or formed into plastic lumber.

3)Waste glassThe majority of recycled glass is used as feed stock for the production of other glass containers, but it is also used in engineering applications. As a product of super cooling, it is composed primarily of silicon dioxide (sand) and sodium carbonate. Crushed waste glass typically exhibits angular particles. Further crushing can cause a decrease in the angularity and produce a material similar in properties to natural sand. Waste glass was investigated for use in asphalt pavement, base, and embankment applications.

4)Carpet wasteCarpet waste, also referred to as carpet fibers, consists of waste from industrial production and discarded consumer carpet. The carpet waste generated each year and accumulated in landfills represents an abundance of useful resources, as it may be converted into various useful products. The rate of carpet disposal is about 2-3 million tons per year in the U.S. and about 4-6 million tons per year worldwide. A carpet typically consists of two layers of backing (usually fabrics from polypropylene tape yarns), joined by CaCO3 filled styrene-butadiene latex rubber (SBR), and face fibers (majority being nylon 6 and nylon 66 textured yarns) tufted into the primary backing. To use post-consumer carpet as concrete or soil reinforcement, the carpet is shredded to recover fibers. It is generally not necessary to disassemble yarns in the carpet into individual fibers. Youjiang Wang studied the use of Recycled carpet waste fibers as reinforcement in concrete and soil to improve their properties. Besides performance enhancement, the use of recycled fibers for concrete and soil reinforcement offers additional benefits such as low cost raw materials, resource utilization and reduced need for land filling.

5)Scrap tiresScrap tires perhaps rank among the most extensively researched and implemented recycled materials in recent years. Potentially usable forms include whole tires, sliced tires, tire chips, tires herds, and smaller, soil-like particles referred to collectively as crumb rubber. A typical whole scrap automobile tire weighs about 91N, while a typical truck tire weighs about 182N. However not all of the rubber is recoverable. The size of the tire chips is a function the shredding machine itself. To produce a smaller sized chip, it is often necessary to employ more than one processing machine. Slit tires are basically whole tires spit in half or have the sidewall separated from the tread. Shredded or chipped tires undergo two stages of shredding. Primary shredding produces strips 30 to 45cm in length. Secondary shredding produces lengths of 10 to 15cm. Ground rubber is produced as regularly shaped and cubical particles as large as of an cm. Crumb rubber exhibits fine particles ranging in size from passing No.4 to No.200 sieves. Composed primarily of various types of rubber, recycled tire shreds also contain carbon black, polymers, and fabrics as well as steel wire or belt materials. Craig H. Benson after his investigation reported that Shredded tires can be used as lightweight fill, backfill behind the retaining walls, construction of high strength embankments, drainage material, daily cover at a landfill, thermal insulation to protect landfill lining systems from freezing and also used in leachate collecting systems because scrap tires can adsorb toxic organic chemicals normally found in leachate.

6)Eggshell powderEggshell Powder (ESP) has not being in use as a stabilizing material and it could be a good replacement for industrial lime, since its chemical composition is similar to that of lime. Chicken eggshell is a waste material from domestic sources such as poultries, hatcheries, homes and fast food centers. This amounts to environmental pollution. Eggshell waste falls within the category of waste food, they are materials from the preparation of foods and drinks, if subjected to adequate scrutiny, and they could be suitable for soil stabilization. The use of lime for stabilization is becoming expensive requiring an economical replacement. Literature has shown that eggshell primarily contains lime, calcium, and protein. It has being in use as a source of lime in agriculture, which confirms that lime is present in considerable amount in eggshell. Subsequent findings revealed that ESP was used for stabilization of a cohesion less soil in Japan. This study is thus directed towards identifying eggshell powder as an effective stabilizing agent by replacing a certain percentage of lime in the stabilized soil with ESP. Since the quantity of eggshell that may be required for stabilization of a large area may not be met, it is suggested that the ESP be used as a supplement in lime stabilization. O.O. Amu et al studied the effect of eggshell powder on the Stabilizing Potential of Lime on an Expansive Clay Soil. He conducted series of tests to determine the optimal quantity of lime and the optimal percentage of lime-ESP combination. The optimal quantity of lime was gradually replaced with suitable amount of eggshell powder. Results of the Maximum Dry Density (MDD), California Bearing Ratio (CBR), Unconfined compression test and Untrained triaxial shear strength test all indicated that lime stabilization at 7% is better than the combination of 4% ESP + 3% lime.

2.3Soil properties

2.3.1Atterberg Limits

1) Shrinkage Limit: This limit is achieved when further loss of water from the soil does not reduce the volume of the soil. It can be more accurately defined as the lowest water content at which the soil can still be completely saturated. It is denoted by wS. 2) Plastic Limit: This limit lies between the plastic and semi-solid state of the soil. It is determined by rolling out a thread of the soil on a flat surface which is non-porous. It is the minimum water content at which the soil just begins to crumble while rolling into a thread of approximately 3mm diameter. Plastic limit is denoted by wP. 3) Liquid Limit: It is the water content of the soil between the liquid state and plastic state of the soil. It can be defined as the minimum water content at which the soil, though in liquid state, shows small shearing strength against flowing. It is measured by the Casagrandes apparatus and is denoted by wL.

2.3.2 Specific gravity Specific gravity of a substance denotes the number of times that substance is heavier than water. In simpler words we can define it as the ratio between the mass of any substance of a definite volume divided by mass of equal volume of water. In case of soils, specific gravity is the number of times the soil solids are heavier than equal volume of water. Different types of soil have different specific gravities, general range for specific gravity of soils:

Sand2.63-2.67

Silt2.65-2.7

Clay and silty clay2.67-2.9

Organic soil