Effect Of Stabilization Of Selected Lateritic Soil Using Cement Lime And Bitumen

1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1.0 BACKGROUND

Studies of soil stabilization by using stabilizing agents such as cement, Bitumen and lime have been conducted on soils in many regions around the world. The use of chemical additives have been used to improve the handling and engineering characteristics of soil for civil engineering purposes. Stabilized soil offer a variable alternative for road structural layers especially in resource scarce areas in Nigerian the practice of using chemical stabilized soil is uncommon, attributed to it’s high cost compared to the cost of bituminous mix concrete.
Effect of stabilization is very essential in the Development of an adequate network of roads, especially in the remote areas is of vital importance in the socio- economic development of villages in a country.
The transportation facilities have to be continuously upgraded and improved so as to keep pace with the traffic demand which is being generated by the development of plans and resultant expanding economy. However development of large network of roads by traditional practices and techniques require hard financial investments. Soil stabilization method using locally available cheaper materials have considerable scope in reducing the initial construction of pavements. The soil deposits location along the coast may be silky sand, silky –clay, soft clay or any other soil type. Soil at a location may be unsuitable wholly or partially, to the requirement of the construction Engineer.
There are various development activities necessitate making use of these lands which do not have the desirable quality as an engineering materials, there are ways dealing with unsatisfactory soils.
1) By pass the bad soil
2) Remove bad soil and replace with good material
3) Redesign the structure and treat the soil to improve it’s engineering property, and this treatment is called soil stabilization .
Obviously engineers are often faced with the problems of constructing road base on or with soil which do not posses sufficient strength to support wheel loads imposed upon them either in construction or during the service life of the pavements or the structure (building). It is at times, necessary to treat these soil. To provide a stable sub-grade or working platform from the construction of the pavement or stable foundation for the construction of the building structure and air fields construction. This project deals with the various methods of involved in soil stabilization.
For example, Mechanical stabilization: It is said to be the process of improving the properties of the soil by changing its gradation, this is to say that; here two or more natural soil are mixed to obtain composite material which is superior to any of it’s component materials. To achieve this goal of getting the desired grading may at times, the soil with grain particles are added or soil with finer particles removed.
For the method to work effectively, the soil are being divided into two categories.
1) The Aggregate: These are soils that have ground bearing skeleton and have particle size larger than 75µ.
2) Binders: There are soils which particles are smaller than 75u and they do not posses bearing skeleton .
Proper blending of aggregate and binder is done to achieve required gradation of the mixed soil. The blended soil should posses both internal friction and cohesion. The material should be workable during placement when such soil is properly placed and compacted, the blended material becomes mechanically stable.
There are factors that constitute to the mechanical stability of the soil these are:
1) Mechanical strength of aggregate
2) Mineral composition
3) Gradation
4) Plasticity characteristics
5) Compaction etc
This project deliberate wholly on the effects of latteratic stabilization using CEMENT, LIME and BITUMEN.
It will also be relevant to all students of civil engineering who wish to expand their knowledge on stabilization and to all those living at the area of the case study.

1.1 AIM AND OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
To be able to determine the effect of stabilization using these stabilizing agents cement, lime and bitumen on laterite of different location.
To compare the behaviour and effect of these laterite of different point during stabilization using different stabilizing agents.
To determine the engineering properties of soil of different location with respect to the use of the materials as stabilizing agent.

1.2 JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY
Since stabilization is of immense important for the treating a soil in such a manner as to maintain, alter or improving the performance of the soil as a construction materials. This research work will be of great help to all engineering fields that has soil as their basic construction material, in the application of stabilization to achieve the desired soil and the stabilizing agent from such soil to be use as construction material.

1.3 AREA OF STUDY
The study area of this project covers practical application of stabilization using those laterite from different parts of Imo State, namely Uruala, Amauro, Naze and Obowo using the stabilizing agents as cement, lime and Bitumen. These agent is applied in compaction, liquid and plastic limit and California bearing ratio pest to determine the effect of stabilizing laterite with these stabilizing agent.

1.4 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The project is wholly on the effect of the stabilization of these lateritic soil from AMAURO, NAZE, URUALA and OBOWO using Bitumen, cement lime, using the methods involved in stabilization. Location of samples are limited within Imo state.