CRUSHED COCONUT SHELLS AS AN ADDITIVE FOR STABILIZATION

TREATMENT OF SUBGRADE MATERIALS

Alif Akhmizan Mohd Jaya1, Faizah Kamarudin2

Corresponding Author: aliffakhmizan@gmail.com

1
Student, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 13500 Permatang Pauh, Pulau Pinang
2
Lecturer, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 13500 Permatang Pauh, Pulau Pinang

ABSTRACT: Coconut Shell are obtained from nearby stores where they are treated as waste materials for grated
coconut. To minimize the productions of waste materials, these coconut shell can be used to stabilize Laterite Soil as a
subgrade material for road construction. To find the possibility of using Crushed Coconut Shell as an additives material
in road construction, a series of laboratory geotechnical testing which includes Particle Size Distribution, Hydrometer,
Standard Proctor Test and California Bearing Ratio (CBR) Test for Laterite soil sample has been performed at the
Laboratory of Geotechnics in Faculty of Civil Engineering UiTM Penang. This research highlighting that improvement
of CBR with the use of Crushed Coconut Shells with a variation content of 2%, 4%, 6% and 8% of soil as a stabilizer
material for Laterite Soil and the result has indicates that the additive chosen was suitable for improving California
Bearing Ratio (CBR) for subgrade material. The highest CBR value = 27.5% where recorded at 4% of Crushed Coconut
Shell being added as compared to initial CBR value = 9.06%. However, the soil strength tends to be weaker when more
amount of Crushed Coconut Shell added into the soil. Therefore, it can be concluded that Crushed Coconut Shells can
be effectively used for strength improvement of Laterite Soil when being added at certain amount.

Keywords: California Bearing Ratio (CBR), Crushed Coconut Shell, Laterite Soil, soil stabilization.

1.0 Introduction Laterite Soil making it more availability of this

During this modernization’s era, roads have played
an important role and is essential medium for
transportations and services in every country
especially Malaysia. Thus, the road quality is much
important to be preserved from any problems to be
occurred. However, road pavements problems are
commonly occurred in Malaysia road which
specifically road settlement. These pavement
settlements contributing slightly to road accidents,
besides consumes a lot of amount of monetary cost
for maintenance purposes. The main cause of the
settlement problem is due to the usage of poorly
stabilized subgrade soil. To improve service life of
an existing pavement, a well stabilized subgrade of
pavement is essentials.
According to previous studies, Peninsular
Malaysia was overlaid almost halves by the
types of soil as compared to other to be used as a
subgrade material. According to Salahudeen and
Ochepo (2015), it is known that Laterite Soil were
mostly found in such tropical climate like
Malaysia, and it is formed under weathering
systems called as laterizations. Aside that, having
a suitability uses of stabilizer material for subgrade
material is an essential measure needed to be taken
care of. Some additives caused an environmental
issue such as Cassava Peel Ash when generated
and disposed in large amount. (Edeh, Tyav and
Osinubi, 2014) and unsuitable with soil having an
extremely high liquid limit. In Malaysia, large
scale availability of coconut has been proven by the
products used in daily life, for example grated
coconut which are one of the main ingredients of
Malaysian food. The productions of grated coconut
have contributing to the coconut shells to be one of
the waste material. To minimize the waste
production, it is essentials that coconut shells to be down into a size range of 0.65 cm to 1.00 cm before
recycled and re-used as a stabilizer material for being mixed into the soil sample at 2%, 4%, 6%
subgrade of road construction in Malaysia. Laterite and 8% Crushed Coconut Shells content.
Soils are generally used a foundation materials and Aggregate Impact equipment has been used to
base material for road construction (Zolfeghari Far, crush the Coconut Shells and being sieved with
Kassim, Eisazadeh and Khari, 2013). 0.65 cm and 1.00 cm sieve. Before being crushed,
it is needed that coconut shell to be washed and all
2.0 Methodology unnecessary leftover were removed from the shells.
The coconut shells then have been oven-dried for
The preliminary step for this study was to establish 24-Hour duration to remove all moistures.
the soil sample which natural laterite soil. This has
been done by carrying out laboratory testing to
identify the particle size distribution, plastic limit,
liquid limit and plasticity index of the laterite soil.
The results then will be used to compares with
already determined standard index properties for
Laterite Soil from previous researchers. After
properties of Laterite Soil has been satisfied, the
main testing for finding soil strength were then
conducted.

2.1 Sample Collection

Laterite Soil that have been used in this study was

obtained from Mengkuang Titi, Penang. It has been
prepared by kept in the oven with a constant Figure 1: 24-Hour oven-dried Laterite Soil
temperature of 104℃ for a 24-Hour duration to
remove any excessive moistures prior to testing
use. The sample then crushed down into a finer
fragment, thus making it easier to undergone
laboratory testing.

2.2 Crushed Coconut Shell

Crushed Coconut Shell has been used as stabilizer

material in this study and being crushed until
obtaining an equivalence size range. This coconut
shell has been obtained from nearby grocery store
around Permatang Pauh, Penang. For the inclusion
of Coconut Crushed Shell into the Laterite Soil, it
has been mixed at certain percentage amount;
which are 2%, 4%, 6% and 8%, respectively. Figure 2: Coconut Shells that have been crushed
into 0.65-1.00cm range size to be used as an
additive.
2.3 Additive Preparation Process

Crushed Coconut Shell has been prepared for usage

as stabilizer material for Laterite Soil by crushed
2.4 California Bearing Ratio (CBR) California Bearing
Soil Compositions
Ratio (CBR), %
The strength parameter test carried out for this
study is the California Bearing Ratio (CBR) test. It Laterite Soil 9.06
was carried out in accordance with the procedure
outlined in BS1377 (1990). 6kg of air-dried Laterite Laterite Soil + 2% 11.81
Crushed Coconut Shells
Soil and Crushed Coconut Shells was mixed
equally with 17.5% of moisture content. The mixes Laterite Soil + 4% 27.5
then were placed on CBR mould in 3 layer of Crushed Coconut Shells
compaction phase. Each layer has been compacted
with total number of 62 blows by using 4.5kg Laterite Soil + 6% 10.7
hammer. Load was recorded until 6.00mm Crushed Coconut Shells
penetration. Same procedure was used for 2%, 4%,
6% and 8% Crushed Coconut Shell additions. Laterite Soil + 8% 5.25
Crushed Coconut Shells

3.0 Results and Discussions Table 1: Result of California Bearing Ratio

(CBR) Analysis
3.1 Properties of Material

The index properties of the Laterite Soil show that

it is a Slightly Sandy Silt of High Plasticity (MHS)
using the BS1377 (1990) with having a Liquid
Limit of 51.1%, Plastic Limit of 35.4% making its
Plasticity Index equivalent to 15.7%. The particle
density of soil is 2.5 Mg/m3 with 47.3% of the
Laterite Soil particles passing 63µm sieve.

Maximum Dry Density and Optimum Moisture

Content obtained from Standard Proctor Testing
for Laterite Soil are 1.76 Mg/m3 and 17.5%, Figure 3: Relationship between CBR value and
respectively. Crushed Coconut Shell content (%)

3.2 California Bearing Ratio (CBR)
The California Bearing Ratio (CBR) values with
100% Laterite Soil and the various mixes of
Laterite Soil + Crushed Coconut Shells are given
on Table 1. A general increment of CBR value
were observed. CBR values for 100% Laterite Soil
is 9.06% while for the various Laterite Soil +
Crushed Coconut Shells mixes are ranged from
5.25%-27.5% (See Figure 1). The peak value for
unsoaked CBR have been recorded was 27.5%
which lies on Laterite Soil + 4% Crushed Coconut
Shell and the lowest value were recorded for 8%
Crushed Coconut Shell addition having a value of
5.25% CBR.
Based on the result obtained, there is a great
increment in terms of soil strength when Crushed
Coconut Shell being added into Laterite Soil. CBR
value were increased up to 18.44% compared to
100% Laterite Soil value, which from 9.06% to
27.5% lies on 4% Crushed Coconut Shell addition.
However, sudden decrement has been observed
when more amount of Crushed Coconut Shell
being added. CBR value = 10.7% at 6% of Crushed
Coconut Shells addition while 8% were recorded
having CBR value = 5.25% is lower than initial soil
condition.
By having this result, it can be indicating that
Crushed Coconut Shells can be effectively used as
stabilizer materials in improving the CBR value of
subgrade soil.
4.0 Conclusion and Recommendation
The analysis of the geotechnical properties of
Laterite Soil mixed with various percentages of
Crushed Coconut Shell have been carried out in
accordance to BS1377 (1990) testing manual for
Civil Engineers. The result obtained shows that
with the additions of Crushed Coconut Shell, there
is an effect of California Bearing Ratio (CBR) of
the soil, Laterite Soil precisely. The additions of
Crushed Coconut Shell have greatly improved the
soil strength with the increment increase of CBR
value. It increases until 4% Crushed Coconut Shell
addition and started to be decreasing and it is over
the initial strength of Laterite Soil. It can be
indicated that Laterite Soil + 4% Crushed Coconut
Shell was the optimum mix as it has recorded the
peak value of CBR. Thus, it is very clear that usage
of Crushed Coconut Shell to improve soils with
low CBR values
5.0 Acknowledgement
Author would like to take this opportunity to
express his gratitude and most sincere thanks to
Mdm. Faizah Kamarudin for her guidance and
advices throughout this study. Also, many thanks
to Mr. Muhamad Azrul Aswad and Mr. Salahuddin
Abdullah for their help in laboratory exercise in the
completion of this project. Not to forget to all
author friends that helping in preparing for sample
throughout completion of this project.
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