SUSTAINABLE IMPROVEMENT OF LATERITIC SOIL USING ALUMINIUM DROSS AND SODIUM SILICATE -A GEOTECHNICAL EVALUATION

Raphael T. Bemshima, Iaren T. Cornelius, Isaiah U. Abah

Abstract



Lateritic soils are widely used in tropical regions for construction purposes; however, their high plasticity, low bearing capacity, and moisture sensitivity often limit their direct application. This study investigates the effectiveness of aluminium dross and sodium silicate, used individually and in combination, as sustainable stabilizing agents for lateritic soil. Lateritic soil samples obtained from ikpayongo,  Makurdi, Nigeria were treated with varying proportions of aluminium dross (0–10%) and sodium silicate (2.5–10%). Laboratory tests including chemical composition analysis (XRF and XRD), Atterberg limits, compaction characteristics, and California Bearing Ratio (CBR) tests were conducted in accordance with British Standards and Nigerian General Specifications. Results show that the natural soil is a highly weathered laterite rich in silica, alumina, and iron oxides, with poor geotechnical properties unsuitable for subgrade applications. Aluminium dross exhibited strong pozzolanic characteristics, significantly improving compaction and strength properties up to an optimum content of 7.5%. Beyond this level, strength reductions were observed due to over-stabilization. Binary stabilization using aluminium dross and sodium silicate produced superior improvements, yielding higher maximum dry density, lower plasticity index, and markedly enhanced soaked and unsoaked CBR values. The combined stabilization significantly improved moisture resistance and dimensional stability through enhanced cementitious and alkali-activated reactions. The findings demonstrate that aluminium dross activated with sodium silicate provides an effective, sustainable, and cost-efficient alternative to conventional soil stabilizers for lateritic soils, particularly in tropical developing regions  

KEYWORDS: Lateritic soil; Aluminium dross; Sodium silicate; Soil stabilization; CBR; Sustainability

---------------------


Full Text:

PDF

References


Adewumi, A. J., Akinwumi, I. I., & Olaoye, R. A. (2022). Sustainable stabilization of lateritic soil using industrial waste materials: A laboratory evaluation. International Journal of Pavement Engineering, 23(6), 1951–1964. https://doi.org/10.1080/10298436.2020.1835884

Afolayan, O. D., Bello, A. A., & Aladegboye, O. J. (2022). Strength improvement of tropical lateritic soils using industrial by-products. Construction and Building Materials, 321, 126401. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2022.126401

Akinropo, A. O., Adeyemi, G. O., & Falade, F. A. (2023). Microstructural and strength characteristics of lateritic soil stabilized with alumina-rich waste. Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 35(4), 04023028. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0004657

Akinwumi, I. I., Booth, C. A., & Ajayi, L. A. (2021). Use of waste materials in soil stabilization: A review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 315, 128205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.128205

Al-Bared, M. A. M., & Marto, A. (2021). Review on the geotechnical properties of chemically stabilized soils. International Journal of GEOMATE, 20(78), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.21660/2021.78.5197

Al-Qadiri, A. H., Al-Sharif, M., & Al-Hunaiti, A. (2018). Utilization of aluminum dross in soil stabilization. Jordan Journal of Civil Engineering, 12(3), 378–390.

Awoyera, P. O., & Adesina, A. (2020). Alkali-activated materials: Applications in soil stabilization. Cleaner Engineering and Technology, 1, 100001. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clet.2020.100001

Bernal, S. A., & Provis, J. L. (2019). Durability of alkali-activated materials: Progress and perspectives. Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 102(6), 3077–3098. https://doi.org/10.1111/jace.16231

Budihal, S. V., Manjunatha, B., & Ajgaonkar, V. (2023). Mineralogical influence on stabilization of tropical soils. Materials Today: Proceedings, 72, 2258–2264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2022.12.217

Chandra, S., & Sharma, A. K. (2020). Stabilization of expansive soils using industrial wastes. Ground Improvement, 173(2), 97–108. https://doi.org/10.1680/jgrim.18.00031

Chen, Y., Li, Z., & Wang, L. (2024). Curing time effects on chemically stabilized soils. Soils and Foundations, 64(1), 101–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sandf.2023.12.004

Das, B. M. (2016). Principles of geotechnical engineering (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.

Federal Ministry of Works and Housing. (1997). General specifications for roads and bridges (Vol. 2). Government Press.

Ghosh, A., Subbarao, C., & Kumar, A. (2017). Strength behavior of lateritic soil stabilized with aluminum dross. International Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 11(4), 386–394. https://doi.org/10.1080/19386362.2016.1245495

Kumar, A., Walia, B. S., & Mohan, J. (2018). Compressive strength of clay stabilized using sodium silicate. Construction and Building Materials, 165, 447–456. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.01.037

Li, X., Zhang, T., & Wang, Y. (2024). Synergistic stabilization of soils using industrial by-products and alkali activators. Construction and Building Materials, 382, 131302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2023.131302

Liu, Y., Shi, C., & Zhang, Z. (2020). Alkali-activated stabilization of clayey soils. Engineering Geology, 272, 105635. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2020.105635

Mitchell, J. K., & Soga, K. (2018). Fundamentals of soil behavior (3rd ed.). Wiley.

Minerals. (2025). Mineralogical characterization of tropical lateritic soils. Minerals, 15(1), 22. https://doi.org/10.3390/min15010022

Olufemi, B. A., Akinwumi, I. I., & Adebayo, A. O. (2021). Optimization of waste-based soil stabilizers. Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 33(9), 04021255. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0003827

Onyelowe, K. C., Bui, Q. B., & Jalal, F. E. (2021). Clay modification mechanisms in chemically stabilized soils. Soils and Foundations, 61(5), 1230–1245. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sandf.2021.08.006

Science of the Total Environment. (2024). Environmental performance of waste-derived construction materials. Science of the Total Environment, 912, 169014. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169014

Scrivener, K. L., John, V. M., & Gartner, E. M. (2018). Eco-efficient cements: Potential and challenges. Cement and Concrete Research, 114, 2–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2018.03.015

Shaqour, F. M. (2024). Role of iron oxides in lateritic soil behavior. Engineering Geology, 324, 107184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2023.107184

Sharma, A. K., & Sivapullaiah, P. V. (2022). Compaction and strength behavior of stabilized soils. International Journal of Geomechanics, 22(5), 04022053. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0002326

Ulusoy, E., Yilmaz, K., & Erdem, T. K. (2019). Utilization of aluminum dross in soil stabilization. Construction and Building Materials, 212, 62–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2019.03.145

Yao, X., Zhang, Z., Zhu, H., & Chen, Y. (2020). Geopolymerization process in alkali-activated materials. Construction and Building Materials, 244, 118294. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.118294

Yarbasi, N., Kalkan, E., & Akbulut, S. (2017). Modification of clayey soils using industrial waste. Applied Clay Science, 146, 102–112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2017.05.021

Zhang, T., Li, X., & Wang, Y. (2021). Alkali-activated stabilization of fine-grained soils. Construction and Building Materials, 297, 123754. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.123754

Zhang, Y., Chen, J., & Li, H. (2023). Sustainable reuse of aluminum dross in civil engineering applications. Journal of Cleaner Production, 389, 136064. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.136064


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright © 2022-2025. Department of Civil Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University. All Rights Reserved.. 

Powered by Myrasoft Systems Ltd.(http://www.myrasoft.com.ng)