Geo-China 2016 GSP 258 52

Hydraulic Conductivity of Compacted Lime-Treated Expansive Soils

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Tamer Y. Elkady1; Abdullah Shaker2; and Mosleh Al-Shamrani3

1
Bugshan Research Chair in Expansive Soils, Civil Engineering Dept., College of Engineering, King
Saud Univ., Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (on leave from Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, Giza,
Egypt). E-mail: tyelkady@yahoo.com
2
Researcher, Civil Engineering Dept., College of Engineering, King Saud Univ., Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
E-mail: ashaker@ksu.edu.sa
3
Professor, Civil Engineering Dept., College of Engineering, King Saud Univ., Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
E-mail: shamrani@ksu.edu.sa

Abstract: This paper investigates the parameters affecting the saturated hydraulic
conductivity of lime-treated expansive clays. The experimental program accounted for
lime content (0%, 4%, and 6%), curing period (7 and 28 days) and confining pressures
(15, 30, and 45 kPa). In addition, the effect of accelerating curing on the saturated
hydraulic conductivity of lime-treated clay was investigated. Experimental results
indicated that the addition of lime resulted in a significant increase in hydraulic
conductivity as compared to untreated specimens. Furthermore, the saturated hydraulic
conductivity values showed less notable change for specimens with curing period
greater than 7 days. Mercury intrusion porosimetry conducted as part of this study
provided a clear insight and explanation to experimental observations.

INTRODUCTION

Nowadays, lime-treated soils have been used in many geostructures such as

pavement subgrade, road embankments, etc. were in many instances they come in
direct contact with water. The durability of these lime-treated geostructures depend on
the ease of water movement through the material. Therefore, hydraulic conductivity is
considered an important property to assess the practicality of lime-treated soils.
Previously research published in the technical literature focused mainly on the
swelling and strength characteristics of lime-treated expansive soils as a main design
criteria. There are few data on the hydraulic conductivity of lime-treated soils (El-
Rawi and Awad 1981, Locat et al. 1996, Nalbantoglu and Tuncer 2001) with even
more limited studies related to lime-treated expansive soils. On the other hand, it has
been proven that the hydraulic conductivity is highly influenced by the pore size
distribution. Several authors studied the impact of lime on the soil fabric (Choquette

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et al. 1987, Russo et al. 2007, Cuisinier 2011, Trana et al. 2014). However, less
frequently the relation between changes to pore size distribution and hydraulic
conductivity of lime-treated soils was investigated.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of lime treatment on the saturated
hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) expansive clay from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Interpretation of test results in view of changes in pore size distribution as a result of
lime addition and its evolution with curing period is presented. Finally, the effect of
accelerated curing on the hydraulic conductivity of lime-treated clay specimens as an
alternative to normal curing conditions was evaluated.
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MATERIALS AND EXPERIMENTAL METHODS

This section provides a description of materials used and experimental procedures

followed in this study.

Materials Used

Expansive Clay

Samples of undisturbed expansive clay used in this study were obtained from city of
Al-Ghat, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This city is located in the middle region of the
Arab Peninsula (26° 32' 42'' N / 43o 45' 42'' E), approximately 270 km northwest of
Riyadh. Sampling was performed using open pits of depths ranging from 2.5 to 3.0
meter below ground surface. All samples were transported to laboratory for visual and
geotechnical characterization. Summary of soil geotechnical characterization data is
provided in Table 1.

Table 1. Geotechnical Characterization Data for Al-Ghat Soil

Test Value
Specific Gravity, Gs 2.86
Liquid Limit, wL (%) 52.1
Plastic Limit, wP (%) 27.0
Shrinkage Limit, wsh (%) 25.1
% passing Sieve No. 200 82.1
Unified soil classification CH
Swelling Characteristics ASTM D 4546
Swelling potential (%) 7-10
Swelling pressure (kPa) 200 -300

Lime

Lime used in this study was commercial grade hydrated lime (assay 90%), supplied
by Saudi Lime, Riyadh, KSA. Estimation of the optimum lime content value for lime-
clay mixtures was evaluated using ASTM D 6276 (1999) originally proposed by
Eades and Grim (1996). Results indicated that the optimum lime content was 4% by

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dry weight. Further to untreated specimens, additional lime content equivalent to +2%
of optimum lime content was considered in this study. In other words, the lime
contents considered in this study was 0%, 4% and 6% by dry weight of soil.

Specimen Preparation

Expansive clay samples extracted from the field were air dried, pulverized and
sieved using sieve No. 10 to produce clay powder. For lime-treated clay specimens,
the target quantities of clay powder, lime content and water content were measured
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and mixed thoroughly to get a uniform mixture. The mixture is then stored in plastic
bags for 24 hours to allow for the water homogenization. Similar procedure was
followed for untreated specimens, with the exception of using clay powder and water
only.
All specimens were statically compacted to target dry unit weight corresponding to
the maximum dry unit weight at optimum moisture content. Figure 1 shows the
compaction curves of untreated and lime-treated clay evaluated in accordance with
ASTM D 698. The final dimensions of all specimens were 70 mm in diameter and 35
mm high.

1.85
0% Lime
1.80
2% Lime
1.75
4% Lime
Dry density (g/cm3)

1.70
6% Lime
1.65
Zero air voids
1.60
1.55
1.50
1.45
1.40
15 20 25 30 35
Water content (%)

FIG. 1. Compaction curves of untreated and lime-treated expansive clay

Curing Conditions

After preparation, specimens were wrapped with saran wrap and sealed in a plastic
bags. Two curing techniques were considered in this study; namely, normal curing
(NC) and accelerated curing (AC). NC involved specimens being cured under
controlled ambient temperature of 23oC + 2oC and relative humidity greater than 95%.
Curing periods were 7 and 28 days. In case of AC, specimens were placed inside a
temperature controlled chamber at 40oC along with a humidifier to ensure negligible
loss in specimens’ water content during curing. Time periods for accelerated curing
were 3 and 7 days.

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Hydraulic Conductivity Test

The saturated hydraulic conductivities of untreated and lime-treated expansive clay

were evaluated using the falling head-rising tailwater technique in a flexible wall
constant head permeameter (ASTM D 5084). Testing procedure involved two main
stages; namely, consolidation and permeation. Confining pressures considered during
the consolidation stage were 15, 30, and 45 kPa representing stresses anticipated in
lime-treated subgrade. Permeation through the test samples was conducted under a
constant hydraulic gradient of 10. Permeation was continued until reaching steady
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state conditions defined by the volume of water inflow and outflow is equal or the
hydraulic conductivity of four consecutive readings is within + 25%.

Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry

Mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) was used to examine the change pore size
distribution of clay sample are a result of lime addition and its evolution with curing
period. The MIP technique involves forcing mercury into the dry pores of the
specimens by increasing mercury pressure to obtain information of pore size network.
According to Washburn (1921), the diameter of entrance of pore space (D) that can be
penetrated by mercury is inversely proportional to applied pressure (P) according to
the following equation:

4σ cos θ
D=
P

Where σ is surface tension of the mercury (0.48 N/m) and θ is the solid-liquid contact
angle (140o for the mercury). MIP tests were conducted on fragments of dry
specimens of untreated and lime treated specimens. Drying of specimens were
conducted using freeze-drying technique to minimize fabric disturbance due to
specimen shrinkage as compared to traditional oven drying. Tests were conducted on
lime treated specimens that were cured for 7 and 28 days.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

This section presents a discussion of the results obtained from the experimental
program described in the previous section. The effect of lime content and curing
period on the saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) of lime treated expansive clay
under different confining pressures is illustrated in Fig. 2. From Fig. 2, it apparent that
the addition of lime resulted in an approximately two orders of magnitude increase in
Ksat in comparison with untreated clay. On the other hand, it is apparent from Fig. 2
that the increase in Ksat of lime treated soils after 7 days are considered less
significant. The aforementioned findings can be explained in view of results obtained
from the MIP technique. The MIP results are presented as cumulative specific mercury
intrusion volume curves and pore size density functions (i.e., log differential specific
intrusion volume versus entrance pore diameter) shown in Figs. 3a &b; respectively.
From Fig. 3a, it is apparent that the volume of mercury intruded into untreated

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specimens is less than that intruded in lime-treated specimens. This is indicative of

change in specimen fabric and increase the pore size diameter network due to lime
addition. Furthermore, Fig. 3b shows the transformation from unimdal pore size
distribution to a bimodal one with notable increase in inter-aggregate pores. These
changes in pore size network resulted in an increase in Ksat of lime treated specimens.
With respect to curing period, it is evident that for a curing period greater than 7
days resulted identified by a minimum increase in cumulative mercury intrusion
volume (Fig. 3a) and change in pore size density function (Fig. 3b) as compared to the
first 7 days. This infers that most of fabric transformation and changes in pore size
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distribution of lime-treated specimens took place during the first 7 days of curing.
This is translates into yielding less significant difference in Ksat values for 7 and 28
days as reported in Fig. 2.
Plots for the variation of Ksat with confining pressure (Fig. 2) revealed that, in
contrary to untreated specimen, lime-treated specimens showed no specific trends for
of decreasing or increasing Ksat values with confining pressure.

1.E-06
G-4%-7D-NC
G-6%-7D-NC
G-4%-28D-NC
G-6%-28D-NC
1.E-07 Untreated
ksat (m/s)

1.E-08

1.E-09

1.E-10
0 10 20 30 40 50
Confining pressure (kPa)

FIG. 2. Saturated hydraulic conductivity of lime treated expansive clay as a

function of lime content, curing period and confining pressure

A graphical comparison between Ksat values obtained from AC specimens with that
obtained using NC specimens were illustrated in Fig. 4. It is apparent that Ksat for
accelerated cured specimens cured for 7 days are in the same order of magnitude of
Ksat values evaluated using normal curing samples up to 28 days. Therefore, AC
specimens cured for 7 days can be conveniently used to assess the Ksat of lime-treated
specimens cured for 28 days.

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0.3

Cummulative Specific volume (mL/g)

G - L= 0%
0.25 G - L= 4% - 7 days
G - L= 4% - 28 days
0.2

0.15
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0.1

0.05

0
1000 100 10 1 0.1 0.01 0.001
Pore Size, D (μm)
(a)
0.18
G - L= 0%
0.16
G - L= 4% - 7 days
0.14
dV/dlog D (mL/g/μm)

G - L= 4% - 28 days
0.12
0.1
0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
0
1000 100 10 1 0.1 0.01 0.001
Pore Size, D (μm)
(b)

FIG. 3. Microstructure for untreated and lime treated expansive clay with 4%
lime content (a) cumulative mercury intrusion, (b) pore size density function

CONCLUSIONS

From this study it is concluded that the treatment of expansive clay with optimum
lime content (4% by dry weight of clay) resulted in a significant increase in saturated
hydraulic conductivity as compared to untreated clay. However, further increase in
lime content up to 6% had negligible change to Ksat values. Furthermore, Ksat
underwent significant increase during the 7 days curing period followed by lower rate
of increase beyond that. On the other hand, confining pressure, for the range
considered in this study, had a minimal effect on Ksat. Interpretation of experimental

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observations in light of MIP data revealed that the increase in Ksat values is attributed
to the fabric transformation from a unimodel pore size network in case of untreated
clays to bimodal pore size network after lime treatment with significant increase in
inter-aggregate pores. In addition, observations of pore size distribution evolution
over curing period indicated no significant change after 7 days yielding no significant
difference between Ksat values after 7 and 28 curing periods.
Based on a comparison between Ksat values for NC specimens and AC specimens, it
is concluded that AC specimens with curing period 7 days can be used to expedite the
determination of Ksat of NC specimens after 28 curing period.
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1.E-06
Untreated
L=4%-3D-AC
L=4%-7D-AC
1.E-07 L=4% - 28D- NC
ksat (m/s)

1.E-08

1.E-09

1.E-10
0 10 20 30 40 50
Confining pressure (kPa)

FIG. 4. Saturated hydraulic conductivity for accelerated cured specimens

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This paper is a part of a project funded by the National Plan for Science, Technology
and Innovation (MAARIFAH), King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology,
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Award Number (11-BUI-1901-02).

REFERENCES

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Collapse of Soils.” Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol. 4.09, D-18 Committee
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ASTM D 5084 (2003). “Standard Test Methods for Measurement of Hydraulic
Conductivity of Saturated Porous Materials Using a Flexible Wall Permeameter.”
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol. 4.09, D-18 Committee on Soils and Rocks,
West Conshohocken, PA.

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ASTM D 6276 (1999). Standard Test Method for using pH to estimate the soil-lime
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changes associated with lime stabilization of marine clays from eastern Canada.”
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