Applied Clay Science 101 (2014) 19

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Applied Clay Science

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/clay

Research paper

The effect of magnesium chloride solution on the engineering properties

of clay soil with expansive and dispersive characteristics
Murat Turkoz a,, Hasan Savas a,1, Aykut Acaz a, Hasan Tosun b
a
b

Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Civil Engineering Department, 26480, Eskisehir, Turkey

Usak University, Civil Engineering Department, Usak, Turkey

a r t i c l e

i n f o

Article history:
Received 14 February 2012
Received in revised form 14 July 2014
Accepted 21 August 2014
Available online 7 September 2014
Keywords:
Expansive clay
Dispersive clay
Magnesium chloride
Stabilization

a b s t r a c t
Because expansive and dispersive soils damage engineering structures, extensive studies on using additives to
ameliorate the effects of these soils have been conducted. In this study, the effect of magnesium chloride
(MgCl2) solution on the engineering properties of clay soils was evaluated. Previous studies on this subject
have shown that MgCl2 is more commonly used as an anti-icing agent on roads than as a soil stabilizer. MgCl2
is also used to control dust and humidity on roads and to reduce the scattering of coarse particles from road surfaces. However, as the use of MgCl2 becomes more common, its potential to improve the geotechnical properties
of problematic soils will receive increasing attention.
To this end, the variation in the engineering properties of expansive and dispersive clay soil samples as functions
of the added MgCl2 content was investigated. First, the physical and chemical properties of the soil sample were
determined. Next, the swell percentage, swell pressure, crumb, pinhole and unconsolidated undrained (UU)
triaxial compression tests were performed at different curing times on samples with and without the additive
by compressing the sample to achieve particular compaction characteristics. Scanning electron microscopy
(SEM) analyses were performed to observe the microstructures in the sample without the additive and with
the amount of additive that most strongly improved the expansive and dispersive qualities of the clay. The results
show that dispersive and expansive clay soils can be effectively improved using an additive MgCl2 solution.
2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction
During geotechnical engineering projects, it may be found that
the soils in the intended project areas are not ideal. These soils
may be loose, expansive, dispersive, highly compressible or highly
permeable. Dispersive and expansive soils are considered problematic, and these soil properties cause serious problems for many engineering structures. Dispersive soils are thought to be the cause of
internal erosion in earthen structures (NRC, 1983), and expansive
soils are thought to be the main cause of problems in light structures
(Nelson and Miller, 1992).
Expansive soils are common in many parts of the world, especially in
regions with arid and semi-arid climates. The structural damage caused
by these soils can be reduced or prevented by determining the soil's expansive properties and the factors that affect these properties prior to
construction. The swelling pressure of clays can cause signicant damage to light hydraulic structures such as drinking water networks, irrigation pipes and open canal linings, as water can easily leak and penetrate
Corresponding author. Tel.: +90 222 2393750/3514; fax: +90 222 2392840.
E-mail addresses: mturkoz@ogu.edu.tr (M. Turkoz), hsavas@ogu.edu.tr (H. Savas),
aacaz@gmail.com (A. Acaz), hasan.tosun@usak.edu.tr (H. Tosun).
1
Tel.: +90 222 2393750/3513.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2014.08.007
0169-1317/ 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

the soil during the loading and unloading stages. This damage results in
signicant nancial losses. A total of $2.3 billion worth of damage is
caused annually by expansive soil problems in the United States alone
(Dhowian et al., 1988). The global annual cost of this damage likely exceeds $10 billion. Similar levels of damage have also been reported in
other countries (Abdullah et al., 1999; Al-Rawas et al., 2002; Basma
et al., 1995; Chen, 1988; Du et al., 1999; Parker et al., 1977; Shi et al.,
2002). These problems have been encountered during the construction
of light water structures in Turkey and have generally occurred during
the construction of the irrigation structures of the Southeastern Anatolia
Project. This problem was especially common in the channel structures
built in the irrigation areas of the Harran plain, and thus, they became
the topic of engineering studies that have added to our understanding
of these soils (Turkoz and Tosun, 2011).
The dispersive nature of clay soils is another source of problems. Dispersive soils are structurally unstable and can easily disintegrate or
erode. If dispersive clay soils are being considered for use in water structures, earth ll dams and road lls, knowledge of their properties and
the use of appropriate building techniques are necessary. Without
these precautions, serious engineering problems, including collapse,
can occur. The erosion arising from the dispersibility of the clay depends
on the mineralogy and chemical structure of the clay, the presence of
voids in the soil and the nature of the dissolved salt content of the

M. Turkoz et al. / Applied Clay Science 101 (2014) 19

water that causes the erosion. Many earthen dams have suffered
damage or collapsed because of the piping caused by dispersive
soils (NRC, 1983). Piping was the cause of the recorded damage and
collapse of approximately 25% of the 214 earthen dams in existence
between the years 1885 and 1951 (Sherard et al., 1963). Among
the many factors that cause piping, the dispersibility of the soil is
particularly important. Many studies have attempted to describe dispersive clays and study their use in embankment dams in Turkey
(Tosun et al., 2007).
Because expansive and dispersive soils damage engineering
structures, extensive studies on using additives to improve these
soils have been performed (Murty and Praveen, 2008; Ouhadi and
Goodarzi, 2006). The stabilizers of soils are categorized into two main
groups as traditional and nontraditional stabilizers. Traditional stabilizers such as limestone, cement, zeolite, gypsum, industrial wastes and
y ash are commonly used, as reported in the extensive studies by Cole
et al. (1977), Indraratna (1996), Bell (1996), Cokca (2001), Biggs and
Mahony (2004), Bhuvaneshwari et al. (2007), Yilmaz and Civelekoglu
(2009) and Turkoz and Vural (2013).
A number of nontraditional soil stabilizer products which are not
calcium based are potentially effective alternatives for treating soils.
These nontraditional chemical stabilizers are usually sold as concentrated liquids diluted with water on the project site and sprayed on the soil
to be treated before compaction. In addition to bringing lower transportation costs, these products are a potentially attractive alternative for
treating high sulfate soils (Rauch et al., 2002). Several studies have
shown that calcium-based stabilizer treatments of natural expansive
soils rich with sulfates may lead to a new heave distress problem instead
of mitigating it (Mitchell, 1986; Mitchell and Dermatas, 1992; Puppala
et al., 1999). This phenomenon is referred to as sulfate-induced heave
in the literature (Dermatas, 1995; Mitchell, 1986). Sulfate-induced
heave is primarily attributed to the presence of sulfates in natural
expansive soils and usually occurs when lime or cement treatments
are used for stabilizing these soils (Puppala et al., 2005).
Concentrated liquid products that do not contain calcium can be
used on sulfate-rich soils without causing excessive expansion. Liquid
chemical stabilizers may work through a variety of mechanisms, including encapsulation of clay minerals, exchange of interlayer cations,
breakdown of clay mineral with the expulsion of water from the double
layer, or interlayer expansion with subsequent moisture entrapment
(Scholen, 1992). With some products, improved engineering properties
may result from obtaining higher compacted soil densities (Randolph,
1997; Rauch et al., 2002). However, nontraditional additives comprise
of many different chemical agents that are varied in their components
and in the manner they react with the soil (Lati et al., 2013). In studies
by Turkoz et al. (2011) and Acaz (2011), the effects of a magnesium
chloride (MgCl2) solution on the swell potential, strength characteristics
and dispersibility properties of clay soils were investigated.
In the developed world, chemical substances such as MgCl2 solution
that do not corrode vehicles, damage cement and asphalt or harm plants
or living creatures have long been used to de-ice roads in regions that
experience harsh winters, such as North America, Scandinavia and
Europe (Environmental Canada, 2001).
The current literature indicates that MgCl2 is used on roads to
control dust and humidity, to minimize coarse particle scattering and
to prevent ice formation (Ketcham et al., 1996; Nixon and Williams,
2001; Transportation Research Board, 1991). However, as the use of
MgCl2 is becoming more common, its potential to improve the geotechnical properties of problematic soils is receiving increasing attention.
Unlike traditional stabilizers, attempts to dene the stabilization mechanisms of nontraditional additives have been limited.
Each feature in the literature associated with the improvement of
the dispersive and swell properties of clay soil with additives was separately evaluated. In this study, the effect of MgCl2 additive as a solution
on the characteristic of dispersibility and swelling potential of clay soils
was investigated together.

To investigate this application, a clay sample was obtained from the

Afyon province located in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey, and the
effects of different amounts of the MgCl2 additive as a solution (0, 3, 5, 7,
9, 11 and 13% by dry weight of the soil sample) on the engineering properties of the soil were investigated. First, the physical and chemical
properties of the soil sample were determined. Next, the swell percentage, swell pressure, crumb, pinhole and unconsolidated undrained (UU)
triaxial compression tests were performed at different curing times on
samples with and without the additive by compressing the sample to
achieve particular compaction characteristics. Finally, scanning electron
microscopy (SEM) analyses were performed to examine the microstructures in a sample without the additive and in the sample with
the amount of additive that most strongly improved the soil properties.
The standard methods of the American Society for Testing and Materials
(ASTM, 1994) were followed during the sampling, preparing of samples
and testing. The results of this study show that the engineering properties of dispersive and expansive clay soils can be improved by using
MgCl2 solution as an additive.
2. Materials and methods
2.1. Soil
The soil sample used in this study was obtained from the Afyon
province in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. Sieve analysis, hydrometer analysis (ASTM D 422-63), consistency limits (ASTM D
4318-00) and specic gravity (ASTM D 854-00) tests were performed
to characterize the soil sample. ASTM (1994) standard methods were
followed during the sampling, preparing of samples and testing. Based
on the identication test results, the sample was classied as highplasticity clay (CH) according to the Unied Soil Classication System
(USCS) (ASTM D 2487-00). The grain-size distribution and X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of the soil sample are presented in Figs. 1 and
2, respectively. It can be said that the illite is the dominant clay mineral,
depending on the result of the XRD analysis. The sample's index and
chemical properties are summarized in Tables 1 and 2, respectively.

2.2. Magnesium chloride (MgCl2)

MgCl2 solution has been used to de-ice roads in areas with harsh
winters for many years. In Turkey, the MgCl2 solution as an additive is
now produced from natural resources. The sample used in this study
was obtained from Alkim Alkali Chemicals Incorporated in Istanbul.
Although it can be used as a solid or in solution, the solution form is
more common. The general properties of the MgCl2 solution used in
this study are presented in Table 3.

Fig. 1. Grain size distribution of the soil.

M. Turkoz et al. / Applied Clay Science 101 (2014) 19

Table 2
Some chemical characteristics of the considered soil.
Conductivity
(mmhos/cm)

TDS
(mg/L)

Na
(%)

SAR

ESP
(%)

20.600

143.19

92.30

56.36

33.85

TDS: Total dissolved salt.

Na: Sodium percentage.
SAR: Sodium adsorption ratio.
ESP: Exchangeable sodium percentage.

Fig. 2. XRD pattern of the soil.

2.3. Sample preparation

The soil sample used in the study was dried at 105 C in a drying
oven and then ground and passed through a No. 4 sieve to obtain a uniform distribution. Different amounts (0, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13% by dry
weight of the soil) of the magnesium chloride solution were added
and mixed into the prepared soil sample. All mixing was performed
manually, and special attention was paid to obtaining a homogeneous
mixture in each step. The compaction characteristics of the samples
were then determined by tests at the standard Proctor energy level in
accordance with the ASTM D-698 (1994) standard. As a result, the optimum water content and maximum dry density values needed to prepare the samples for use in swelling, dispersibility and strength tests
for each magnesium chloride additive percentage were determined. In
Table 4, mix proportions used in preparing samples are presented in
detail.
2.4. Atterberg limits
Each soiladditive mixture was subjected to the Atterberg limit test.
An Atterberg limit device was used to determine the liquid limit of each
soil using the material that passes through a 475 m (No. 40) sieve. The
plastic limit of each soil was determined by passing the soil through a
475-m sieve and rolling 3-mm diameter threads of soil until cracks
were formed (ASTM D 4318-00, 1994).
2.5. Swell tests
Swell potential referred to the swell percentage and swell pressure
of clays is best determined through direct measurements (Nelson and
Miller, 1992). These methods include evaluating the free swell, expansion index (EI) meter and potential volume change (PVC) meter and
performing odometry tests under laboratory conditions.
Table 1
Physical characteristics and Atterberg limits of the considered soil.
Property
Grain size
Gravel (%)
Sand (%)
Silt (%)
Clay (%)
Atterberg limits
Liquid limit (%)
Plastic limit (%)
Plasticity index (%)
Specic gravity
Activity
pH

The swell percentage and swell pressure tests were performed using
direct methods. PVC meter equipment was used to determine the swell
pressure. There is no standard procedure for the PVC meter test, so we
used the method proposed by Lambe (1960). The PVC meter test involves determining the pressure arising from the inhibited swell deformation that develops after saturating the compacted soil sample with
water. A proving ring handle is placed above the sample, which is
compacted and placed in the system. The sample is soaked in water,
and values are periodically read from the proving ring, converted to
loads in known units using a calibration curve or multiplying by the
proving ring factor and recorded. The pressure is obtained by dividing
the load by the sample area.
Both the swell percentage and the swell pressure tests were performed on samples of the same size. Therefore both EI meter and PVC
meter mold contents are modied. Modied PVC meter mold content
is given in Fig. 3.
The EI meter test, which is used to determine the swell percentage,
was performed following the ASTM D 4829 standard. The swell percentage, which is another important component of the swell potential, is dened as the ratio between the starting length of the sample and the nal
deformation of the sample after being soaked in water under a 7 kPa
pressure for 24 h or until swelling is complete. In our study, the EI
meter measurement mold was adjusted so that the components of the
swell potential could be measured using samples of the same dimensions. A weight was manufactured to place 7 kPa of pressure on the
samples in 2-cm-high thin-walled rings with 7-cm diameters. Immediately after the samples were soaked in water, the swell percentage and
swell pressure were measured at a series of time intervals (0, 0.17, 0.33,
0.50, 0.67, 0.83, 1, 2, 4, 8, 15, 30, 60, 120, 240, 360, , 2880 min) using
digital deformation meters connected to the data logger.
2.6. Dispersibility tests
To determine the dispersibility characteristics of the samples, pinhole and crumb tests were performed following the standard procedures of the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) (USBR 5400;
USBR 5405, 1989). The pinhole test is the most reliable of these tests
and provides physical, quantitative results regarding the dispersibility
of clay soils. In the test, a 1.0-mm hole is created in a cylindrical soil sample 25 mm in length and 33 mm in diameter that has been compacted at
the standard Proctor energy level. Distilled water is passed through this
hole under forces of 50, 180 and 380 mm (hydraulic inclinations of approximately 2, 7 and 15, respectively). The ow rate and turbidity of the
water are recorded. The pinhole test and the evaluation of its results

Soil

8
59
33
68
33
35
2.73
1.06
8.55

Table 3
Properties of the MgCl2 solution used in the study.
Property

Quantity

Color/appearance
Baume degree
Density (g/cm3)
H2O (%)
Solid material (%)
MgCl2 in solid material (%)
pH (in 1% solution)

Amber/transparent
35.50 (min.)
1.320 (min.)
57.00 (min.)
43.00 (max.)
94.00 (min.)
9.010.0

M. Turkoz et al. / Applied Clay Science 101 (2014) 19

Table 4
Mix proportions used in preparing samples.
Type

0
3%
5%
7%
9%
11%
13%

MDD
(Mg/m3)

1.448
1.455
1.473
1.490
1.488
1.473
1.476

OWC
(%)

23.20
24.00
23.30
22.60
23.50
23.80
25.40

Dry soil
mass
(g)

MgCl2
solution
(g)

1000.0
1000.0
1000.0
1000.0
1000.0
1000.0
1000.0

0.0
30.0
50.0
70.0
90.0
110.0
130.0

MgCl2 solution
(g)
Water
(g)

Solid
(g)

0.0
17.1
28.5
39.9
51.3
62.7
74.1

0.0
12.9
21.5
30.1
38.7
47.3
55.9

Required
water
(g)

Added
water
(g)

Control water
content (%)

Final mix proportion

232.0
243.1
238.0
232.8
244.1
249.3
268.2

232.0
226.0
209.5
192.9
192.8
186.6
194.1

23.20
24.00
23.30
22.60
23.50
23.80
25.40

1000
1000
1000
1000
1000
1000
1000

g (dry soil)
g (dry soil)
g (dry soil)
g (dry soil)
g (dry soil)
g (dry soil)
g (dry soil)

+
+
+
+
+
+
+

0 g (solution) + 232 g (water)

30 g (solution) + 226 g (water)
50 g (solution) + 210 g (water)
70 g (solution) + 193 g (water)
90 g (solution) + 193 g (water)
110 g (solution) + 187 g (water)
130 g (solution) + 194 g (water)

MDD: Maximum dry density.

OWC: Optimum water content.

were performed according to the USBR 5410 (1989) standard, and the
quantitative analysis of the test results was performed according to
the method proposed by Acciardi (1985).
The pinhole tests used in this study were performed in a new pinhole test system developed within the scope of a project supported by
the Scientic and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK).
In this system, the water forces and ow rates during the test are controlled by an electronic equipment, and the obtained data can be stored
on digital media (Tosun et al., 2007).
The crumb test yields good qualitative results and is used to determine
the potential erodibility of clay soils. A dispersive soil may be misclassied
as non-dispersive soil by the results of this test, but a dispersive classication by this test is a strong indication that the soil is actually dispersive.
The crumb test was developed to determine the eld behavior of
dispersive clays and is performed on soil samples with natural water
content. The samples are cubic in shape with a 15-mm side length, or
they may take another shape with an equal volume. The sample is
carefully placed in distilled water in a 250-mL porcelain container. The
reaction between the soil and water causes colloidal (b0.002 mm) particles to segregate and form a suspension in water. The classication is
performed by recording observations at certain time intervals (USBR
5400, 1989).

2.7. Unconsolidatedundrained (UU) test

The unconned compression test should theoretically nd the same
shear strength (c) as the UU triaxial test for saturated soils. However, in
practice, the unconned compression test may underestimate the shear
strength due to stress release effects and the possible opening of ssures
and joints in the specimens. In such cases, UU tests performed using
total conning pressures comparable to those in the eld are preferred
to unconned compression tests.
The results of UU tests are always plotted on a Mohr diagram using
the total normal stresses because only the total stresses are known. If
the soil is saturated, the shear strength envelope will be approximately
horizontal. If the soil is unsaturated, it will compress somewhat as the
conning pressure is increased due to the compression of air in the
void space. In this case, the strength will increase as the conning pressure increases. If the tests are performed using a larger range of conning pressures, unsaturated and saturated soils will yield a similar failure
envelope. When analyzing data taken using unsaturated soil, the curved
envelope can be used directly, or the envelope may be approximated by
a straight line (Wright, 2006).
Among the most important problems with loose clays are the critical
conditions produced by very rapid loadings. The very rapid construction
of an embankment on normal consolidated clays, rapid enlargement of
the high plasticity core of a dam or excessively rapid loading of a foundation constructed on loose clay establishes the conditions for UU loading.
Based on these principles, the UU test method was used to evaluate
the shear strength parameters of the samples with additives. The samples were prepared in stainless steel tubes so that the ratio of their
height to their diameter was 2 (76-mm height and 38-mm diameter)
and compressed to the desired compaction characteristics of each additive level. The samples were removed from the tubes, placed in plastic
bags and cured for 7 and 28 days in vacuum desiccators. This procedure
allowed the effects of both the MgCl2 additive content and the curing
time on the sample strength to be determined. The UU tests were
performed in accordance with the ASTM D 2850 standard and with
the deformation controlled over a wide interval of conning pressures
(100, 200, and 300 kPa).

3. Test results and discussion

3.1. Atterberg limits

Fig. 3. Modied PVC meter mold content.

In accordance with the abovementioned standards, liquid limit and

plastic limit tests were performed on each of the samples prepared
with different amounts (0, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13%) of the MgCl2 additive.
The liquid limits (LLs), plastic limits (PLs) and plasticity indices (PIs) are
presented in Fig. 4.
Fig. 4 shows that the liquid and plastic limits of the samples decreased as the additive content increased. Because the decrease in the

M. Turkoz et al. / Applied Clay Science 101 (2014) 19

liquid limit is larger than the decrease in the plastic limit, the plasticity
index decreased as the additive content increased. The liquid and plastic
limits generally stabilized at the 7% additive level. As was also highlighted
by Venkatabor Rad (1977), this decrease is likely caused by the decrease
in the DDL thickness due to cation exchange by divalent magnesium ions
and increased electrolyte concentration, as the MgCl2 is completely
soluble in water.
3.2. Compaction test
Compaction tests at standard Proctor energy levels were performed
on the samples with or without the MgCl2 solution as an additive. The
compaction curves and compaction characteristics of samples with
and without the additive are presented in Fig. 5 and Table 4.
As can be seen in Fig. 5 and Table 4, and also stated by Randolph
(1997), adding MgCl2 solution into the soil increased the dry density
and reduced the optimum water content up to 7% MgCl2 for the same
compactive effort. This increase in the dry density can be due to the
particle occulation and agglomeration caused by the rapid cation
exchange in the soilMgCl2 solution mixture. As the additive content
was further increased up to 13%, the optimum water content (OWC) increased, and the maximum dry density (MDD) decreased slightly. However, the amount of observed changes in MDD at 11% and 13% additive
levels was rather small.
The highest maximum dry density and lowest optimum water content were attained at an additive content of 7%. This nding is attributed
to a balance between the magnesium ions in the solution and the negative ions at the clay surfaces in the samples with additive concentrations
up to 7%. This balance decreased the amount of water content that the
clay surfaces were able to absorb, and the dry density value increased
as a result of this decrease in the water content.
3.3. Swelling percentage and pressure tests
The parameters obtained from the sample identication tests were
used in the description and classication of the swell potential. In general, higher soil plasticity indices and liquid limits imply larger swelling
potentials. Chen (1988) classied a plasticity index over 35 as a very
high swelling potential, 29 to 35 as high, 10 to 35 as moderate and 0
to 15 as low. In addition, Van der Merwe (1964) developed a method
based on plotting the plasticity index against the clay content. Using
the physical properties obtained from the identication test results,
the swell potentials of the samples were classied as very high and
high by the Van der Merwe (1964) and Chen (1988) denitions, respectively. There is no standard method to determine and classify dispersive
soils according to identication test results. The swell percentage vs.

Fig. 4. Variation of Atterberg limits with MgCl2 solution contents.

Fig. 5. Compaction curves of samples with the MgCl2 solution additive.

time relationships found in swell tests performed on samples with different additive contents are given in Fig. 6, and the effects of the additive
content on the swell percentage are presented in Table 5.
Table 5 shows that the swell percentage decreases as the additive
content increases. The swell pressure signicantly decreases as the additive content increases. The swell pressure vs. time relationships and
the nal swell pressures of the samples are presented in Fig. 7 and
Table 5. The swell pressures of the samples progressively decreased as
the additive content increased.
The clay minerals, which have negatively charged surfaces, attract
the positive ions in the void by electrostatic attraction, leading to a concentration of ions near the diffuse double layer (DDL). The intersection
or overlap of DDLs causes repulsive forces to arise between the particles;
these forces exert swelling pressures that increase with increasing DDL
thickness (Bohn et al., 1985). Thicker DDLs, and therefore greater dispersion and swelling, occur for smaller cation concentrations and cations
with lower valences (Mitchell, 1993). The increased salt concentration
in the void water caused by increasing the additive content causes particles to rapidly occulate and increases the particle size, and this increase
in the occulating particle size causes the amount of adsorbed water to
decrease. Thus, both the swell percentage and swell pressure decrease.
These test results demonstrate that the additive employed exerts important inuences on both the swell pressure and the swell percentage.
3.4. Pinhole and crumb tests
The dispersibility classes of the samples without any additives were
determined using the pinhole test, the crumb test and chemical analysis.
Table 6 presents the results of the dispersibility tests. The chemical

Fig. 6. Swell percentage versus time plots for samples with different MgCl2 solution
contents.

M. Turkoz et al. / Applied Clay Science 101 (2014) 19

Table 5
Effect of the MgCl2 solution additive content on the swell potential.

Table 6
Dispersibility test results at various MgCl2 solution additive contents.

MgCl2 content

0%

3%

5%

7%

9%

11%

13%

Swell percentage (%)

Swell pressure (kPa)

12.22
89.85

7.66
59.66

5.82
55.30

5.00
49.76

3.90
43.74

3.11
39.65

2.57
21.1

analyses show that the exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), which

is thought to cause dispersive behavior, is high (Table 2). In turn, the
physical dispersibility test results (crumb and pinhole) demonstrate
that the sample exhibits a dispersive (D1D2) property (Table 6).
These data indicate that the soil without any additive is dispersive.
The crumb test results reveal that the sample is non-dispersive (K1)
at an additive content of 5%. The results of the pinhole tests performed
on samples at each additive content are presented in Fig. 8 using the relationship between time and ow rate. The pinhole test results show
that the soil, which was dispersive without any additive, was classied
as moderately dispersive (ND4) at the 3% additive level and nondispersive (ND1) at additive levels higher than 3%.
The results of the crumb test and the pinhole test were in agreement
and demonstrated that different additive contents reduce the soil
dispersion to different extents. The dispersive property of the soil is reduced because magnesium ions have +2 valence and exchange with
the sodium adsorbed on the soil. The soil used in the study exhibits
both expansive and dispersive properties. This study shows that dispersive soils with high plasticities can also have high swell potentials.
3.5. Unconsolidatedundrained (UU) test
UU tests were performed on samples with and without the additive
that were compressed to the desired compaction characteristics.
These tests were performed under conning pressures of 100, 200
and 300 kPa, prior to curing and then after curing for 7 and 28 days.
The obtained variations in the shear strength parameters resulting
from the tests are given in Table 7. An example of the relationship between the normal and shear stresses is presented in Fig. 9 to illustrate
the effect of the MgCl2 additive on the UU test results. Fig. 9 shows the
effects of a 7% additive content and various curing times on the cohesion
and angle of internal friction. Because the test specimens were unsaturated, the strength envelopes are inclined ( N 0); UU triaxial tests
will yield a = 0 condition only if the soil is saturated. Indeed, higher
initial saturation levels gave atter undrained strength envelopes.
The effects of the additive content and the curing time on the shear
strength parameters of the sample are presented in Table 7. The increase in strength is slight between no curing and 7-day curing but is
stronger for samples that were cured for 28 days. This is similar to the

Fig. 7. Swell pressure versus time plots for samples with different MgCl2 solution contents.

Test

Crumb test class

Pinhole test class

Additive (MgCl2)
0%

3%

5%

7%

9%

11%

13%

K3
D2

K2
ND4

K1
ND1

K1
ND1

K1
ND1

K1
ND1

K1
ND1

D1 and D2: Dispersive, ND3 and ND4: intermediate soil, ND1 and ND2: non-dispersive soil.
K3 and K4: Dispersive, K2: intermediate soil, K1: non-dispersive soil.

result of previous studies indicated that the nontraditional liquid additives can help to increase soil strength with curing time (Ali, 2012;
Lati et al., 2013; Ou et al., 2011). In the study by Turkoz and Vural
(2013), it is stated that the effect of the duration of curing on strength
values is more signicant for high-plasticity clay soils than for lowplasticity clay soils.
In clay soils, the cohesion has a strong inuence on the shear
strength, and increasing cohesion is assumed to correspond to increasing shear strength. When the MgCl2 solution content was increased to
7%, the cohesion (c) increased and the angle of internal friction decreased (Fig. 9). It has been observed that at a 7% MgCl2 solution content, cohesion of the soil increases from 82 kPa to 112 kPa, 129 kPa,
and 168 kPa at 0, 7 and 28 days of curing periods respectively. Thus
Table 7 clearly shows the signicant effect of curing on the strength behavior of soilMgCl2 solution mixes. The opposite trend was observed
when the additive content exceeded 7%. At contents of 9, 11 and 13%,
the cohesion decreased and the angle of internal friction increased,
though only slightly.
As stated by Tingle et al. (1989), the introduction of divalent cations
into the soil also creates the potential for cation exchange between the
divalent cations in the salt and monovalent cations in the soil. Cation exchange may improve the soil by stabilizing the soil particle and reducing
the double-layer water capacity. This decreases the spacing between
particles and increases occulation. These reactions reduce the surface
charge of the soil particles, resulting in the loss of double-layer water
and allowing for close packing or even occulation of the soil particles.
Furthermore, recrystallization of salts in the pore spaces creates weak
physical bonds between soil particles and increases the treated soil density as observed in compaction test results (Table 4). Salt can also result
in increased pore water surface tension, producing an increase in apparent cohesion of the soil and improvement in strength (Tingle et al.,
1989).
3.6. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis
To determine the microstructural changes in the soil, SEM analyses
were performed on the samples without the additive and with an additive content of 7%. The 7% additive content was chosen because it produced the optimal results in the identication and classication, swell,
dispersibility and strength tests. A ZEISS brand, SUPRA 50 VP model
SEM was used in the analyses.
The images obtained from the analyses are presented for samples
without the additive and with an additive content of 7% in Figs. 10
and 11, respectively. The images of the samples without the additive depict a more higher-density structure. In the sample with a 7% additive
content, the structure is aggregated and contains more voids. Increasing
the additive content caused the particles to reorganize and the structural integrity to increase. The resultant agglomeration reduces the interactions between the surface areas and water, which in turn changes the
geotechnical properties. These changes are proportional to the additive
content. This nding can be explained by the increased salt concentration caused by the addition of MgCl2 and the subsequent increase in particle size due to the rapid occulation of particles. The highest strengths,
which are related to the increases in structural integrity and particle
size, correspond to the 7% additive content.

M. Turkoz et al. / Applied Clay Science 101 (2014) 19

Fig. 8. Pinhole test results from samples with different MgCl2 solution additive contents.

4. Conclusion
In this study, the conclusions below were reached:
i. Increasing the MgCl2 additive content decreased the liquid limit,
the plastic limit and the plasticity index. In addition, although the
consistency characteristics of the soil did not have a marked
effect on the description of the dispersive mechanism, they inuenced the swell potential of the soil.
ii. The maximum dry density increased and the optimum water
content decreased as the additive content increased up to 7%.
At additive levels of 9, 11 and 13%, however, the maximum dry
density decreased, and the optimum water content increased.
As the salt concentration increased, the surfacesurface occulation may have transformed into the sidesurface occulation.
Thus, the most effective additive content was 7%.
iii. The swell percentage of the sample without the additive was
12.20%. In the samples with the MgCl2 additive, the swell percentages were signicantly reduced as the additive contents
increased. At an additive content of 7%, the swell percentage
was 5%. The decreased swell percentage makes the soil more
desirable from an engineering standpoint.
iv. Results similar to the swell percentage were also obtained for the
swell pressure. Whereas the swell pressure of the sample without the additive was 89.95 kPa, the swell pressure signicantly
decreased as the additive content increased. In particular, the
swell pressure of 49.76 kPa obtained at the 7% additive level
represents an approximately 50% improvement, from an engineering standpoint, over the sample without the additive. The
decrease in swell pressure continued as the additive content
was further increased. Thus, the additive had the positive effect
of decreasing the swell pressure.

v. The soil without the additive was highly dispersive. The results of
the pinhole and crumb tests were in agreement, i.e., both tests
classied samples with the same additive content into the same
class: dispersive soil, intermediate soil or non-dispersive soil. At
the 5% additive content in particular, both tests found a reduction
in the dispersive properties of the samples.
vi. The results of the triaxial tests performed at different additive
contents and different curing times indicate that the angle of internal friction () decreased and that the cohesion (c) of the
sample increased as the MgCl2 solution additive content was increased up to 7%. In particular, the effect on the strength parameters at the 7% additive level is much higher than that the effect
at other additive contents. Another factor affecting the strength
parameters is the curing time. Seven days of curing produces
only a small increase in the strength in comparison to no curing,
but the strength signicantly increases with increased curing
time.
vii. The SEM analyses clearly depict a structure without voids in the
images of the sample without the additive. The addition of MgCl2
caused voids to form in the structure of the soil. This result is
explained by the occulation of the clay and the subsequent
increase in particle size with the addition of the additive. This
change in the microstructure corresponded to changes in the
geotechnical properties of the soil.

Table 7
Effects of additive content and curing time on shear strength parameters.
Additive percentage

Soil
Soil
Soil
Soil
Soil
Soil
Soil

+
+
+
+
+
+
+

0% MgCl2
3% MgCl2
5% MgCl2
7% MgCl2
9% MgCl2
11% MgCl2
13% MgCl2

Without curing

7-day curing

c (kN/m2)

()

c (kN/m2)

()

c (kN/m2)

28-day curing
()

81.7
87.2
92.2
112.2
110.0
105.8
102.3

22.1
22.2
22.0
20.7
21.0
21.0
21.0

98.4
108.3
129.4
125.2
121.5
116.8

21.7
21.4
20.8
20.7
21.9
22.4

104.2
121.5
167.4
158.2
152.8
149.6

20.2
17.4
13.2
13.5
14.3
13.8

Fig. 9. Effect of curing on the UU test results of samples with a 7% MgCl2 solution additive.

M. Turkoz et al. / Applied Clay Science 101 (2014) 19

Fig. 10. SEM image of the sample without the additive.

Fig. 11. SEM image of the sample with a 7% MgCl2 additive.

These tests demonstrate the positive effects of the studied MgCl2

solution on the geotechnical parameters of the soil from an engineering
perspective. In particular, the dispersibility and swelling of the soil were
considerably decreased.

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